By Mollie Barnett
Traditional Google searches generally begin with keywords. Someone types “best plumber near me” and receives a collection of listings, websites, reviews and advertisements. ChatGPT allows people to approach the same problem conversationally.
A homeowner might ask, “Can you recommend a reliable plumber in Smithtown who works on older homes and handles emergencies?”
A family planning a celebration might ask for restaurants near Stony Brook that accommodate large groups, have outdoor seating, and offer vegetarian options.
Instead of requiring customers to sort through numerous websites, AI can help compare businesses based on specific needs. That changes how businesses may be discovered.
OpenAI’s new Business Hub allows eligible companies to claim their profiles, verify their identities and manage certain information about their products and services. Businesses may also gain access to measurements showing how customers encounter them through ChatGPT.
Search marketing expert Lily Ray has been examining the announcement and its implications for business visibility, including how OpenAI measures business mentions. It’s an important distinction because appearing in an AI response doesn’t necessarily mean someone visits your website or becomes a customer.
But it does mean businesses have another place where they may need to establish a presence.
Why This Matters for Long Island Businesses
Long Island’s independent businesses already compete in a crowded marketplace.
A family-owned contractor in Hauppauge may have an excellent reputation built over decades. A restaurant in St. James may be a neighborhood favorite. A financial professional in Huntington may receive most new business through referrals.
But what happens when a potential customer asks ChatGPT for a recommendation?
Does the system have accurate information about the company? Does it understand what makes the business different? Can it distinguish a locally owned operation from a national competitor with a much larger marketing budget?
These are increasingly relevant questions. Customers can’t consider businesses they never discover. The new Business Hub gives eligible owners an opportunity to verify and manage some of the information ChatGPT uses to represent them.
That doesn’t guarantee a recommendation. OpenAI explicitly states that claiming a profile won’t improve a business’s ranking or guarantee additional sales.
Still, for businesses already investing in their online visibility, it’s another relatively accessible step worth considering.
How to Get Your Business Listed
If you own or manage a Long Island business, here’s where to begin.
First, visit OpenAI’s Businesses in ChatGPT page. Look for the option to claim your business and determine whether your company is eligible. The service is being introduced in stages, so some businesses may not yet have access.
Second, complete the verification process. OpenAI requires eligible businesses to verify their identities before managing their profiles. Follow the instructions provided through Business Hub.
Third, review your business information. Make sure your business name, website, location, contact information, services and other available details are accurate.
Fourth, check your existing online presence. Your website should clearly explain what your business does, whom it serves and what distinguishes it from competitors.
For example, a contractor specializing in historic homes should make that expertise easy to find. A restaurant offering private dining should explain its accommodations. A professional serving a particular industry should clearly communicate that specialty.
These details help potential customers understand whether a business meets their needs. They also provide useful context for AI systems attempting to match businesses with customer questions.
Finally, continue maintaining your Google Business Profile, collecting legitimate customer reviews and keeping your website current. Claiming a ChatGPT profile isn’t a replacement for those activities.
Don’t Expect Miracles
Every few years, businesses are told that a new marketing technology will change everything.
First, it was websites. Then search engine optimization, social media, online reviews, and Google Business Profiles.
Now it’s Artificial Intelligence. Each has created opportunities. None has eliminated the need for the others.
Think business’s visibility as a wagon wheel. Your website is one spoke. Your Google Business Profile is another. Customer reviews, local media coverage, community involvement, professional referrals, and public relations make it go round.
AI business discovery is another spoke. Claiming your ChatGPT business profile won’t suddenly make your business famous. It won’t replace a strong reputation, and it won’t guarantee new customers.
But every spoke strengthens the wheel.
Your real opportunity comes from maintaining a consistent, credible presence across the places customers use to discover and evaluate businesses. That includes the information your business publishes itself, and the independent information available through reviews, news coverage, professional organizations, and other trusted sources.
For smaller businesses, the challenge is deciding where to invest limited time and marketing resources. Claiming an eligible business profile is a reasonable starting point. Launching an expensive new AI marketing campaign simply because ChatGPT introduced a feature is another matter entirely.
What It Means for Businesses
ChatGPT is becoming another place where customers search for local businesses. For Long Island business owners, the next step is simple: check whether your business is eligible, claim your profile and verify that your information is accurate.
It won’t guarantee new customers, but it’s one more opportunity to make sure your business is included.
Researched and edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
Mollie W. Barnett is the Founder and Decision Architect™ at State & Signal, where she helps businesses recalibrate how they think, decide, and invest in what moves them forward in the AI era.
