AEO guide 07
Ask every customer for an honest review, reply to reviews, and earn real mentions from local news, associations, and community groups. AI assistants summarize what customers and other sites say about you, and fake or paid praise can break platform rules and federal law.
← All answer engine optimization guidanceFinish the job
Ask for a review
Reply to reviews
Earn real mentions
Check AI summaries
Why this matters
AI assistants now summarize your reviews for customers. Google Maps uses Gemini to summarize reviews and other information it finds online, and ChatGPT shows Yelp reviews and ratings for many local searches. BrightLocal's 2026 consumer survey found half of AI users trust AI review summaries, and nearly all sometimes check the reviews themselves. Specific, recent reviews give those summaries something accurate to say.
Assistants also lean on what other sites say about you. A 2025 research preprint from the University of Toronto found AI search engines cite third-party sources far more than a brand's own pages. For a local business, that means local news, trade associations, community groups, and review sites. Google warns that seeking inauthentic mentions isn't as helpful as it might seem, and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) bans fake and undisclosed insider reviews.
Responsible practices
Send the same short, neutral review request to every customer at the same point, such as the day the job is finished. A steady flow keeps reviews recent. Google bans rewards for reviews and asking only happy customers, and Yelp's rules say businesses should not ask for Yelp reviews at all.
AI summaries draw on review text, so detailed reviews help more than "great service." You can name the job in your request, such as "your water heater replacement," without suggesting what to say about it. Never give customers wording, keywords, or a star rating to use.
Replies show customers and assistants that someone is paying attention. One vendor study of large multi-location brands found locations with low ratings and very low reply rates were almost absent from AI recommendations; it may not reflect single-location businesses. Keep replies short and never confirm private details about a customer.
Local news coverage, trade association and chamber directories, community sponsorships, "best of" lists, and a Better Business Bureau profile all describe you in someone else's words. In one 2026 survey of 47 local search experts, which reflects opinion rather than measurement, "best of" lists and mentions in news and blogs ranked among the top factors for AI visibility. Earn these by doing newsworthy work and joining groups you actually belong to, not by paying for placement.
Answering a question on Reddit or Nextdoor can help people, as long as you say you own the business. Do not post as a fake customer, pay others to praise you, or have staff post without saying who they are. The FTC's rule covers fake reviews, undisclosed insider reviews, and fake social media influence.
Health, legal, and other licensed businesses face extra rules on what they can say in public. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services settled with a dental practice that disclosed patient information in replies to Yelp reviews. Have a written reply policy and check it with a qualified adviser.
Worked example
Hypothetical example: a small roofing contractor wants AI assistants to describe its work accurately. Over three months, the owner builds a simple routine.
None of this is a trick. It gives assistants accurate, recent material written by customers and other sites.
Reputation routine
Send the same neutral review request to every customer who finished a job this week.
Reply to every review from the past month without mentioning private details.
List three local groups, associations, or events where your business genuinely belongs.
Ask ChatGPT and Google AI Mode to summarize your reviews, and compare with what customers actually wrote.
Tell staff not to post reviews or recommendations about the business without saying they work there.
Confirm in writing that no review tool or campaign filters customers, offers rewards, or writes reviews.
Show you every review reply before it is posted, or agree which kinds they may post without asking.
Report any mention, PR, or community campaign to you, including who is paid and how it is disclosed.
Avoid these mistakes
AI assistants decide what to show, change often, and can give different answers to different people, so mentions, citations, and recommendations are not guaranteed.
Questions business owners ask
Reviews are one input, not a switch. Assistants summarize what reviews say, so recent, detailed reviews help an assistant describe you accurately. Accurate listings, a clear website, and mentions elsewhere matter too.
Paid placements must be clearly disclosed, and Google says seeking inauthentic mentions isn't as helpful as it might seem. Fake or undisclosed paid reviews and endorsements can break the FTC's rule and its Endorsement Guides. Earn mentions through real work, memberships, and community involvement instead.
Check whether the reviews themselves support it. If the summary misstates what customers wrote, use the platform's feedback option, such as the thumbs-down on Google's AI answers. If a review breaks the site's rules, report the review.
Yes, if they clearly say they work for you and are honest. Posting as a customer, or having staff praise the business without saying who they are, can break the FTC's rule and the site's own rules.
Primary guidance
Earn trust honestly