How does ChatGPT decide which local business to recommend?
Does ChatGPT use the same ranking as Google Maps?
No. Google says local results are mainly based on relevance, distance, and popularity. ChatGPT, with web search on, reads pages and summarizes what they say. It has no public local ranking formula.
Our August 2026 study tested this. We asked ChatGPT one question for each of 39 Ontario towns and 10 trades, which gave 390 questions. We also ran a Google Maps search for the same trade and town.
| Figure from our August 2026 study | Result |
|---|---|
| Questions asked (39 towns, 10 trades) | 390 |
| Maps leader named anywhere in the ChatGPT answer | 66.4% |
| Maps leader in the ChatGPT top 3 | 50.3% |
| Maps leader named as the first pick | 28.2% |
| Average companies shared by both top 3 lists | 1.26 |
| Answers where ChatGPT cited the company’s own site | 6.6% |
| Recommendations that were out of town | 58.8% |
| Median review count of the top pick | 54 |
| Median highest review count in the market | 230 |
The study asked one question per town and trade. It shows a pattern. It does not prove how ChatGPT works inside.
Where does ChatGPT get its information?
It mostly uses third-party pages, not the company’s own site. The company’s own site was cited in 6.6% of the questions. The other sources were review sites and directories.
The five most cited third-party sites made up 67.1% of third-party citations. The leader was homestars.com at 27.3%. Others in the list were reviews.birdeye.com, proscore.ca, threebestrated.ca, and bbb.org.
This means your listing on those sites can matter as much as your own website.
Why does ChatGPT pick companies from other towns?
In our study, 58.8% of the recommendations were out of town. Google Maps weighs distance. ChatGPT does not have your customer’s location in the same way. It names companies that the web pages about your trade and region mention.
A smaller local company can lose to a larger company in the next town. The top pick had a median of 54 reviews. The highest count in each market had a median of 230. So the top pick was often not the most reviewed company.
What can I do to be named more often?
Google’s help pages say the same basics help local results. Complete and accurate information makes a profile more likely to show. These steps also give ChatGPT more to read.
- Verify your Google Business Profile and keep your address, hours, and category correct.
- Make your name, address, and phone number match on every site that lists you.
- Claim your profile on the review sites and directories that serve your trade in Ontario. Check HomeStars, BBB, and the other sites above.
- Ask real customers for reviews. Reply to every review.
- Add photos and a clear description of your services and the towns you serve.
- Put the same service and town facts on your own website, in plain words.
Do not buy or invent reviews. Google’s rules do not allow it, and the Competition Bureau of Canada treats misleading claims as a serious matter. If you ask customers for reviews by email or text, follow CASL. You need consent before you send a commercial message.
Can I pay ChatGPT or Google for a better position?
Not for organic results. Google states there is no way to request or pay for a better local ranking. For ChatGPT, we know of no honest way to pay for a mention in an answer. Treat any such offer with care.
How do I check what ChatGPT says about my business?
- Ask ChatGPT, with web search on: “Who is the best [your trade] in [your town], Ontario? Name specific companies.”
- Write down which companies it names and in what order.
- Open the sources it cites. Note which review sites and directories appear.
- Check whether your company has a complete, accurate listing on each of those sites.
- Repeat the question on another day. Answers can change, so keep a record.
Where Georgian Bay SEO fits
Georgian Bay SEO runs this site. We are a local SEO agency in Collingwood, Ontario. Judge any agency, including us, by the checks on this page: no promised rankings, no fake reviews, and clear work on your listings and your own profile.
Questions people also ask
Does ChatGPT give the same answer every time?
Not always. Answers can change between questions and between days. Our study asked each question once, so it shows a pattern and not a fixed result.
Does my own website matter for ChatGPT?
Yes, but it is not the main source. Our study found ChatGPT cited the company's own site in 6.6% of the questions. Your site still helps Google and gives clear facts about your services.
Should I ask customers to review me on HomeStars as well as Google?
Ask on the sites that matter for your trade. HomeStars was the most cited third-party site in our study. Never offer payment for a review, and follow CASL when you ask by email or text.
Can I stop ChatGPT from naming a competitor?
No. You can only improve the information about your own business on the pages that ChatGPT reads. Keep your listings complete and accurate.
Want this checked for your own business?
Georgian Bay SEO, the agency that runs this site, does a free Growth Roadmap for Ontario businesses: where you rank, what the AI answers say about you, and what to fix first.
Get the free Growth Roadmap