How to Rank Your Website on ChatGPT, Claude & Perplexity

In 2026, millions of people use ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity to find products, tools, and services. Instead of clicking through 10 blue links on Google, they ask an AI assistant: “What's the best project management tool for startups?”

The AI responds with specific recommendations. If your website isn't in those recommendations, you're invisible to a growing segment of potential customers. Here's how to change that.

How AI Search Engines Find Websites

AI search engines build their recommendations from two main sources:

Training data: Large language models are trained on massive amounts of web data. Websites that are frequently mentioned, reviewed, and linked to across the web are more likely to appear in the model's knowledge.

Real-time browsing: ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini can browse the web in real time. They search for and cite sources when answering questions. This means your website's current online presence matters — not just historical data.

1. Get Listed in Trusted Directories

AI assistants frequently cite directory listings when recommending products. A well-written review on a quality directory gives the AI structured, reliable content to reference. This is one of the fastest ways to get your website into AI search results.

Submit your website to Web Review to get a detailed AI-generated review with a dofollow backlink. Our high-quality review content is exactly what AI search engines look for when making recommendations.

2. Build a Strong Backlink Profile

Websites with strong backlink profiles are more prominent across the web, which means they appear more frequently in AI training data. A higher Ahrefs Domain Rating correlates with better visibility in both traditional and AI search.

Focus on earning quality dofollow backlinks from relevant sources. Each backlink is a vote of confidence that makes AI models more likely to recommend your site.

3. Create Clear, Structured Content

AI search engines extract information from web pages. The clearer and more structured your content is, the easier it is for AI to understand and cite you. Use clear headings, answer specific questions directly, and include structured data (schema.org markup).

Write content that directly answers the questions your target audience asks AI assistants. If someone asks “What's the best CRM for small businesses?”, make sure your website clearly states what you are, who you're for, and why you're the best choice.

4. Get Mentioned Across the Web

The more your brand is mentioned across different websites, forums, social media, and publications, the more likely AI models are to recognize and recommend you. This includes reviews, press coverage, forum mentions, social proof, and user testimonials.

Encourage customers to mention you in relevant communities. Contribute to discussions on Reddit, Hacker News, Product Hunt, and industry forums. Every mention builds your digital footprint.

5. Optimize Your Website's “About” Content

AI models look for clear descriptions of what a product or service does. Make sure your website has a comprehensive About page, a clear homepage description, and detailed product/service pages.

Avoid vague marketing language. Instead of “We revolutionize workflows,” write “We're a project management tool for remote teams that helps track tasks, deadlines, and team communication in one place.” AI understands concrete descriptions better.

6. Maintain Accurate Business Information

Ensure your business name, website URL, description, and category are consistent across all platforms. Conflicting information confuses AI models and reduces your chances of being recommended accurately.

Update your directory listings, social profiles, and website content regularly. AI models prefer current, consistent data.

Why This Matters Now

AI search is growing rapidly. Gartner predicts that by 2026, traditional search engine volume will drop by 25% as users shift to AI assistants. The websites that establish their presence in AI search results now will have a significant advantage over competitors who wait.

The best part: the strategies that help you rank on AI search — quality content, backlinks, directory listings, and web presence — also improve your Google rankings. It's not either/or. It's both.