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AI Search Β· 5 min read

ChatGPT Is Sending Customers to Your Competitors, Here's How to Fix It

By Kevin Potter Β· 18 February 2026, Over 100 million people use ChatGPT every month. When they ask "who's the best plumber near me?" AI gives one direct answer. Is it you, or your competitor?

By Kevin Potter Β· Potter Gold Digital

What Is AI Search?

When someone asks ChatGPT "Who's the best plumber in Manchester?", the AI doesn't show a list of 10 blue links like Google. It gives a direct answer, recommending specific businesses by name. If your business isn't one of those recommendations, you're losing customers. There's no page two to fall back on.

What Is GEO?

GEO, Generative Engine Optimisation, is the process of making sure your business gets mentioned when people ask AI for recommendations. While traditional local SEO helps you rank on Google, GEO gets you recommended by ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, and 46 other AI search engines.

Why This Matters Right Now

  • Over 100 million people use ChatGPT every month, doubling year on year
  • Google AI Overviews appear in 47% of UK searches
  • AI visitors convert 4.4x better than organic search visitors
  • Most competitors have no idea GEO exists, that's your competitive advantage right now

How Our GEO Service Works

  • AI-indexable content, 40–60 word direct-answer paragraphs that AI models prefer to cite. Sites with structured H2β†’H3 hierarchies are 40% more likely to be cited
  • LLM citation building, getting your business referenced on platforms ChatGPT pulls from: directories, Reddit, industry sites
  • Brand authority building, brand search volume is the strongest predictor of AI citations (0.334 correlation)
  • Content freshness, content updated within 30 days gets 3.2x more AI citations

Our National Plan at Β£1,600/month includes full GEO alongside traditional SEO. Or add our GEO add-on to any plan from Β£200/month. Don't wait, see our current special offer β†’

Key Numbers
800M+ChatGPT weekly active users
4.4xbetter conversion from AI visitors
527%AI referral traffic growth 2025
40%of local queries trigger AI Overviews
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