When someone asks an AI assistant for a local recommendation — “a good electrician near me” or “the best café in Newtown” — the AI often draws on the same trusted local signals that power Google’s map results. At the centre of those signals is your Google Business Profile. Optimising it well is one of the highest-leverage things a local Australian business can do for both AI and local search.

Why your Business Profile matters for AI

AI engines favour businesses they can clearly identify and trust. A complete, accurate, active Google Business Profile gives them consistent facts — your name, location, category, hours, services and reviews — that corroborate what’s on your website. That corroboration builds the confidence an AI needs to recommend you.

How to optimise it

1. Complete every field accurately

Fill in your business name, primary and secondary categories, address or service area, hours, phone, website and attributes. Accuracy and completeness both matter — leave nothing blank.

2. Keep your NAP consistent

Your name, address and phone number must match exactly across your website, your profile and every directory. Inconsistency erodes the confidence AI and search engines place in your business.

3. Choose the right categories

Your primary category strongly influences which prompts you appear for. Pick the most specific category that fits, and add relevant secondary categories.

4. Earn and respond to reviews

Genuine reviews are a powerful trust signal. Encourage satisfied customers to leave honest reviews, and respond to them professionally — never buy or fake reviews.

5. Add services, products and descriptions

Describe your services and products clearly, using the language your buyers actually use. This feeds the question-and-answer matching AI relies on.

6. Keep it active

Post updates, add current photos and keep hours accurate — especially around public holidays. An active profile signals a real, operating business.

Connect it to the bigger picture

Your Business Profile is a cornerstone, but AI recommendations also depend on your website’s clarity, structured data and citations across the wider web. Together these form your Generative Engine Optimisation foundation.

Not sure how AI sees your local business today? Get a free AI ranking report from AIRank.au and see exactly where you stand.