More and more people no longer search on Google — they ask ChatGPT "who do you recommend for X in Puerto Rico?" And Google's AI answers (AI Overviews) show up before the regular results. The natural question for a business owner: how do I get AI to mention me? The honest answer might surprise you.
First, the bad news (which is actually good)
There's no trick. And anyone selling you one is selling you hype or —worse— something that can get you penalized.
In 2026, Google confirmed two key things:
- Optimizing for AI is SEO. There's no separate layer of "AI" tricks.
- Manipulating AI mentions is spam. Buying citations, building biased lists to harvest mentions, or "poisoning" recommendations carries the same risk as buying links: a penalty.
The good news: if you do things right, you don't need tricks. And since most people chase shortcuts, doing it right puts you ahead.
What actually gets AI to mention you
1. Original content from real experience
The test is simple: "could the AI write this on its own, without my input?" If yes, it's generic content that adds nothing. If no —because it takes your experience, your data, your real cases— that's what's valuable. AI cites what adds something, not what it already knows.
2. Everything important in visible text
The AI systems that read pages live process visible text — they skip hidden code (JSON-LD). If your key information only lives in the schema or behind heavy JavaScript, the AI doesn't see it. Put it in the HTML that gets read.
3. Concrete and verifiable data
Numbers, dates, real names, measurable results. Research on AI visibility identified "data density" as one of the main drivers. Vague claims don't get cited; concrete data does.
4. YouTube (the strongest lever)
The 2026 studies found that YouTube has the strongest correlation with visibility in AI answers. Your own video —not generic stock— with a transcript is one of the highest-return investments for getting AI to consider you. This is where video content stops being optional.
5. Genuine presence: reviews and authority
Real reviews, a consistent presence, and being recognized as a reference on your topic feed both Google and AI. There's no shortcut — there's building.
What NOT to do (it penalizes you)
- llms.txt — no evidence it works.
- Artificially chopping up content or rewriting "for AI."
- Buying mentions or building biased lists — spam.
- Hiding key info only in the schema — live AI ignores it.
The bottom line: genuinely be the best resource
Showing up in AI isn't a game of technical tricks — it's the same work that makes you genuinely good: honest content from real experience, a video presence, reviews, and clarity. It's SEO done right, not some separate magic.
Next step
If you want your business to show up when people ask AI —built on real foundations, not hype— book 15 minutes and we'll build the content, video, and presence strategy that makes it happen.