Yes, for most local businesses. Google's AI answers can only link to pages that are indexed in Search, and ChatGPT search shows websites its search crawler can reach. A free Google Business Profile helps a lot. A simple website gives those tools, and your customers, a page you own with the full story.
What changed in how people find a business
People still search for a plumber, a bakery or a hair salon. What's new is the first thing they often read. Google now shows AI Overviews and AI Mode for some searches. ChatGPT has its own search feature. Instead of ten blue links, people may read a short summary first.
That sounds like it could make websites matter less. In practice, it works the other way. These tools don't make up a list of businesses from nothing. They pull from pages and listings they can find and read. If there's no page about you, there's less for them to work with.
What AI answers need from you
Google is direct about this. In its guidance for site owners, it says a page must be indexed and eligible to show in Google Search with a snippet to appear as a supporting link in AI Overviews or AI Mode. It also says there are no extra technical requirements beyond that.
OpenAI says something similar for ChatGPT. It runs a crawler called OAI-SearchBot that is used to surface websites in ChatGPT's search features. Sites that block it won't be shown in ChatGPT search answers, though they can still appear as plain navigation links.
So the plain version is this. An AI answer can only point people to a page it can reach. A website is the page you control.
Your Google Business Profile matters, and it's free
If you do one thing this week, make sure your Google Business Profile is claimed and complete. Google says creating a profile and listing your business is free.
Google also explains how local results are picked. It says they're mainly based on relevance, distance and prominence. Relevance is how well your profile matches the search. Distance is how far you are from the person searching. Prominence is how well known you are. Google says prominence draws on things like how many websites link to your business and how many reviews you have.
A complete profile helps with relevance. Reviews help with prominence. A website helps too, because it gives other sites something to link to.
What a website does that a profile can't
A profile is a great summary. A website is where the full story lives. Here's what it adds:
- It's yours. Profiles and social pages run on someone else's rules. Your site stays put.
- Room for real answers. Service areas, how quotes work, what to expect on the first visit, the questions you answer every day.
- Clear signals for search. Google says LocalBusiness structured data lets you tell it about things like your business hours and departments.
- One place to send people. Your profile, your chamber listing and your social pages can all point back to it.
None of this needs to be fancy. It needs to be accurate, easy to read on a phone, and kept up to date.
What "simple" can look like
For most local businesses, a small site is plenty. One to five pages usually covers it:
- A home page that says what you do and which towns you serve.
- A services page, written in the words customers actually use.
- An FAQ page with honest, short answers.
- A way to get in touch or ask for a quote.
Keep your hours, address and services the same on your site and your profile. Google's AI features guidance tells site owners to make sure structured data matches the visible text on the page, and to keep Business Profile information up to date.
When you might not need one yet
We'd rather be honest than sell you something you don't need. If you're fully booked through word of mouth and plan to stay that way, a complete Google Business Profile may be enough for now. The same goes if you only sell through a marketplace that already handles your customers.
A website starts to matter when you want new people to find you, compare you and trust you before they reach out. That's most local businesses, most of the time.
Questions
Is a Google Business Profile enough on its own?
It's a strong, free start, and every local business should have one. A website adds room for full answers, a page you own, and something other sites can link to. Google says links from other websites are part of how it judges prominence.
Do I need special AI files or code to show up in AI answers?
Not for Google. Its guidance says you don't need new machine-readable files, AI text files or special schema to appear in AI Overviews or AI Mode. The normal basics apply: a page that's indexed, helpful and accurate.
Does a Facebook page count as a website?
It helps people find you, and it's worth keeping current. But it runs on Facebook's rules and layout. A website gives you a page you control, with room for services, service areas and FAQs.
Can anyone guarantee my business shows up in AI answers?
No. Google says meeting every requirement doesn't mean it will crawl, index or show your content, and that there's no way to pay for a better local ranking. Be wary of anyone who promises placement.
Sources
- https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/ai-features: Pages must be indexed and snippet-eligible to be supporting links in AI Overviews/AI Mode; no extra requirements; no AI text files or special schema needed; structured data should match visible text; keep Business Profile info up to date; indexing and serving not guaranteed. (checked 2026-10-27)
- https://platform.openai.com/docs/bots: OAI-SearchBot surfaces websites in ChatGPT search; sites opted out won't be shown in ChatGPT search answers. (checked 2026-10-27)
- https://www.google.com/business/: Creating a Google Business Profile and listing a business is free. (checked 2026-10-27)
- https://support.google.com/business/answer/7091?hl=en: Local results mainly based on relevance, distance and prominence; prominence uses links from websites and review count; no way to request or pay for better local ranking. (checked 2026-10-27)
- https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/structured-data/local-business: LocalBusiness structured data can tell Google about business hours, departments and more. (checked 2026-10-27)