Which websites does ChatGPT cite when it recommends local businesses in Ontario?

Which sites does ChatGPT cite most often?

ChatGPT cites a small group of directory and review sites. Our August 2026 study asked ChatGPT, with web search on, one question for each of 39 Ontario towns and 10 trades. That gave 390 questions. The table shows the eight third-party domains that ChatGPT cited most.

The top five domains made up 67.1% of all third-party citations. A business that wants to appear in ChatGPT answers needs a clean presence on these sites.

Does ChatGPT cite the business’s own website?

Rarely. A business’s own site was cited in 6.6% of the 390 answers. ChatGPT relies more on what other sites say about a business than on what the business says about itself.

Does ChatGPT pick the same business as Google Maps?

Not often. We also ran a Google Maps search for each town and trade. The Google Maps leader was named anywhere in the ChatGPT answer in 66.4% of cases. It was in the ChatGPT top three in 50.3% of cases. ChatGPT named it first in 28.2% of cases.

Review counts were also not decisive. The median review count for the business that ChatGPT named first was 54. The median for the most reviewed business was 230. A business with fewer reviews can still win a mention.

What should a business owner do?

Google’s help pages say that Google compiles business information from several sources. These include crawled web content, licensed third-party data, and contributions from users. We have no Google statement about ChatGPT. The practical advice is the same: make every source agree.

1. Search for your business on HomeStars, Birdeye, ProScore, ThreeBestRated and BBB. Note which listings exist.
2. Claim each listing that you can. Fill in every field.
3. Check that the business name, address, phone number and trade category are identical on every listing and on your own site.
4. Verify and complete your Google Business Profile. Google says complete and accurate information makes a business more likely to appear in local results.
5. Ask real customers for reviews on the sites above. Reply to each review.
6. Ask the question yourself in ChatGPT: “Who is the best [trade] in [town], Ontario?” Note which sites it cites.

What are the rules for asking for reviews in Canada?

Do not buy, write, or trade for fake reviews. The Competition Bureau treats fake reviews as misleading advertising. If you ask customers for reviews by email or text, CASL applies. You need consent, or a valid basis such as an existing business relationship. Every message must identify you and give a way to opt out.

How far can one study be trusted?

Treat the study as a snapshot. We asked ChatGPT one question for each town and trade. ChatGPT answers can change from one run to the next. The figures show a pattern across 390 questions. They do not predict the result for one business, and no one can promise a ranking.

Google also says there is no way to request or pay for a better local ranking. Google says local results are mainly based on relevance, distance, and prominence. Prominence includes how many websites link to a business and how many reviews it has.

Where Georgian Bay SEO fits

Georgian Bay SEO is a local SEO agency in Collingwood, Ontario. Georgian Bay SEO runs this site. Judge any agency, including us, by the checks on this page. Look at the listings, the match between sources, and your own test question.