How to Get Your Business Recommended by Perplexity and Gemini
More customers now ask Perplexity or Gemini to recommend a supplier before they ever visit Google. Neither tool sells places in its answers. Here is how each one chooses businesses, and the practical steps that make you more likely to be named.
How to get recommended by Perplexity and Gemini: the short answer
To get recommended by Perplexity and Gemini, let their crawlers reach your site, explain your services in clear sentences, keep your business details consistent everywhere, and earn mentions in trusted coverage, genuine lists and reviews. Perplexity relies on its own index and live page fetches; Gemini relies on Google Search. No one can buy or guarantee a recommendation.
- Allow PerplexityBot and keep Googlebot crawling
- Clear, consistent facts help both tools
- Coverage, lists and reviews give them sources
- Check monthly with the same questions
How Perplexity and Gemini decide which businesses to recommend
Both tools answer questions by searching the web, reading the most useful pages and writing a summary that names businesses and links to sources. Neither sells places in its answers. That means the way to be recommended is to be described well, and often, on pages these tools can reach and trust.
| Perplexity | Gemini | |
|---|---|---|
| Where answers come from | Its own search index plus live page fetches | Google Search results and Google’s own data |
| How sources appear | Numbered citations beside almost every claim | Source links and cards, often shown below or beside the answer |
| Crawler to allow | PerplexityBot (for search results) | Googlebot (for Google Search) |
| Separate AI training control | PerplexityBot is not used to train AI models | Google-Extended (does not affect Google Search) |
| Strong influences | Clear, quotable pages and recent coverage | Google rankings, Business Profile, reviews, Reddit and forums |
Recommendation questions such as “best family solicitor in Leeds” or “which payroll software suits a 20-person company?” pull heavily on comparison articles, reviews, directories and forum discussions, not just company websites.
What you can and cannot influence
You can influence
- Whether these tools can access your website
- How clearly your site explains what you do
- How consistent your business details are online
- Coverage, lists and reviews that mention you
- How you respond to complaints and discussions
You cannot control
- Exactly which sources a tool picks
- The wording of any answer
- Whether you appear for every question
- How quickly changes are picked up
- What other people say about you
How to get your business recommended by Perplexity and Gemini
Let the right crawlers in
Perplexity says sites should allow PerplexityBot in robots.txt to appear in its search results. For Gemini, make sure Googlebot can crawl and index your key pages. Blocking Google-Extended controls some AI training and grounding uses but does not affect Google Search.
Explain what you do in plain sentences
Each service page should say who you help, where, and how, near the top. Answer the questions customers ask in full sentences that make sense on their own.
Keep your details identical everywhere
Use the same business name, address, services and founder names on your site, Google Business Profile, directories and social profiles.
Earn mentions on trusted, relevant sites
Coverage in industry publications, local news and genuine “best of” lists gives these tools independent sources to quote.
Build genuine reviews
Ask real customers to review you on the platforms people use in your sector, and reply to every review professionally.
Take part honestly in discussions
Gemini cites Reddit and forums often. Answer questions where you have real expertise and always say who you are. Never post fake accounts or reviews.
Keep information fresh
Recent coverage and updated pages are used more than old ones. Plan a steady flow of news and updates.
Check results regularly
Ask both tools the same set of buying questions every month and note whether you appear, how you are described and which sources are cited.
Perplexity: the details that matter
- PerplexityBot builds Perplexity’s search index and, according to Perplexity, is not used to train AI models
- Perplexity-User fetches pages live when a user asks a question
- Robots.txt changes can take up to 24 hours to be reflected
- Answers cite sources inline, so a clear, quotable passage matters
- Comparison pages and recent articles are frequently used
- Check the cited sources when you appear, or when a competitor does
Gemini: the details that matter
- Gemini relies on Google Search, so normal SEO still matters most
- Your Google Business Profile and reviews shape local answers
- A May 2026 study found Reddit was Gemini’s most-cited domain
- Google says no special files or markup are needed for its AI features
- Google-Extended does not change your Google Search rankings
- AI feature traffic is included in Search Console’s web search data
Mistakes that keep businesses out of AI recommendations
Security plugins and firewalls sometimes block AI crawlers without anyone noticing.
“We deliver solutions” tells an AI tool nothing. Say exactly what you do and for whom.
Different trading names, old addresses and outdated services confuse the tools.
They break platform rules and UK law, and can remove you from results altogether.
Become the business AI assistants recommend
United Press has helped businesses get featured since 2001. Our AI visibility work combines coverage on trusted publications, genuine list placements and clear, consistent information about you, so AI tools have good sources to draw on.
AI search visibility
A plan for ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and Google AI. See our GEO agency service.
Trusted coverage
Guaranteed placements on named titles, live within 14 days of approval or a 100% refund. See guaranteed media placement.
List placements
Genuine “best of” lists your customers read. See listicle placement.
Knowledge panel
Correct facts about you in Google. See our Google Knowledge Panel service.
Perplexity and Gemini recommendations: frequently asked questions
How do I get my business recommended by Perplexity?
Allow PerplexityBot in your robots.txt, explain your services clearly on your website, keep your details consistent, and earn mentions in trusted coverage, lists and reviews. Perplexity cites sources inline, so clear, quotable pages help.
How do I get my business to show up in Gemini?
Gemini relies on Google Search, so strong SEO, an accurate Google Business Profile, genuine reviews and mentions on trusted sites matter most. Google says there are no special files or markup needed for its AI features.
Should I block AI crawlers?
Blocking PerplexityBot is likely to keep you out of Perplexity’s results. Blocking Google-Extended controls some AI training and grounding uses but, according to Google, does not affect your inclusion or ranking in Google Search.
Can I buy a recommendation from Perplexity or Gemini?
No. Neither tool sells places in its answers. You can only improve the sources they draw on: your website, coverage, lists, reviews and discussions about you.
How long does it take to appear in AI recommendations?
It varies. Robots.txt changes can take a day to reflect in Perplexity, but new coverage and reviews may take weeks or months to influence answers. Check monthly with the same questions.
Why does Gemini recommend my competitor instead of me?
Usually because more trusted sources describe them clearly: comparison lists, reviews, news and forum threads. Look at the sources cited next to the answer to see where your competitor is mentioned.
Do reviews affect AI recommendations?
Often, yes, especially for local and service businesses. AI tools draw on review platforms and discussions, so genuine reviews and professional replies help.
Can United Press improve my AI visibility?
Yes. We combine coverage on trusted publications, genuine list placements and consistent information about you. Guaranteed placements go live within 14 days of approval or a 100% refund.
When customers ask, be the name they hear.
The question your next customer asks an AI assistant is already being answered somewhere. Make sure the sources it reads tell your story clearly and fairly.