How do people find local businesses now?

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Searching has split into a few routes. Many people still type a few words into Google and browse the map listings and results. A growing number ask an AI tool such as ChatGPT, Gemini, or Perplexity for a recommendation in a full sentence, like "Who builds custom websites in the Comox Valley?"

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Both routes reward the same thing: a business that is easy to understand and easy to trust. That is good news, because one round of clear groundwork helps you in both places.

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What do Google and ChatGPT look for before they recommend a business?

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Three things come up again and again:

• A clear description of what you do and where you do it. The more specific your wording, the easier it is for a tool to match you with a question.
• Matching details everywhere you appear. Your business name, address, phone number, and hours should read the same on your website, your Google listing, and your directory pages.
• Signs that real people trust you. Reviews, mentions on other sites, and a website that looks cared for all count.

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Each one you strengthen makes it easier for a tool to feel confident naming you.

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How do you show up in "near me" searches on Google?

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Start with your Google Business Profile. It is a free listing, and it is the source for most of what appears on Google Maps and in the local results at the top of a search page.

• Claim your profile and choose the main category that best describes your business.
• List every service you offer and add your service area.
• Add recent photos of your work, your team, or your space.
• Keep your hours current, including holidays.
• Reply to reviews, including the great ones.

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Then check that the name, address, and phone number match your website exactly. Small differences, like "Street" in one place and "St." in another, are worth tidying up.

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What should your website say so AI tools can quote it?

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AI tools quote content that is easy to lift out and use. Here is how to write for that:

• Give each main service its own page. A page about branding and a page about websites will each answer more questions than one page trying to cover everything.
• Open each page with a short answer. One or two sentences covering what the service is, who it helps, and where you offer it.
• Name your area naturally. Mention the Comox Valley, Vancouver Island, or your town where it fits the sentence.
• Write headings as questions. "How much does a new website cost?" matches how people actually ask.
• Add a short FAQ. Five to eight real questions with direct answers is a great start.

Plain, friendly language works best. If a customer could read your answer out loud to a friend, you are on the right track.

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Do reviews and mentions on other websites matter?

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Yes, they matter a lot. Ask happy clients for a Google review that describes what you did for them and where, in their own words. Those details help tools connect your business to the right searches.

Mentions elsewhere add to it. A listing with your local chamber of commerce, a supplier's "find a pro" page, a feature in a local article, or a podcast guest spot each gives another place that confirms who you are and what you do.

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Does the way your website is built make a difference?

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It does. Search tools read the behind-the-scenes parts of each page: the page title, the short description, the headings, and the descriptions attached to your images (called alt text). They also notice how quickly a page loads and how it looks on a phone. A site that is fast, tidy, and well labelled is easier for Google to read and more enjoyable for visitors to use.

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How long does it take to start showing up?

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Updates to your Google Business Profile can show results within days to a few weeks. Website content usually builds momentum over a few months, and AI tools vary in how quickly they pick up new information. Think in months and keep a steady rhythm: a new page, a new review, a refreshed service description. The small actions add up.

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What does a website built to be found look like?

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A Greaterthan website begins with a sitemap that gives every service a home of its own. Headings read like the questions your customers ask, and the launch checklist covers page titles, descriptions, image descriptions, redirects, and speed settings. Before anything goes live, the site passes a quality checklist of more than 150 items, and you leave with a training session and video guides so you can add pages and posts yourself as your business grows.

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Frequently asked questions about showing up on Google and ChatGPT

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Do I need to pay for ads to show up?

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Ads are optional. They bring visits quickly, while the steps above build visibility that keeps working month after month.

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Which AI tools should I think about?

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The main ones right now are ChatGPT, Google's AI Overviews, Gemini, Perplexity, and Microsoft Copilot. They all draw on clear, trustworthy web content, so the same foundations help you across every one of them.

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How can I check whether my business shows up?

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Once a month, type the questions your customers ask into Google and into an AI tool, using your area in the question. Note which businesses appear and which of their pages get mentioned. It is a quick way to see where you stand and what to improve next.

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Does my Google Business Profile matter if I work from home or travel to clients?

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Yes. Service-area businesses can set the towns they cover and keep their home address private, so you still get a listing that helps people find you.

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Does my business need a blog?

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A blog gives you a natural way to answer customer questions, and each post is another page that can be found. Start with five posts that answer the questions you hear most often, then add more over time.

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What to walk away with

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Showing up on Google and ChatGPT comes down to being easy to understand and easy to trust. Say clearly what you do and where. Keep your details the same everywhere. Collect reviews that describe your work. Give your customers' questions a home on your website.

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Start this week with your Google Business Profile, then pick one service page and rewrite its opening in two plain sentences. From there, every page you improve helps people and AI tools find you.

Greaterthan builds websites designed to perform in search, in AI, and in the real world. If you would like a site that helps your business show up, Let's talk.

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