Clients want a firm they can trust, and more of them now ask ChatGPT to name one. The firms that get named are not always the biggest or the loudest. They are the ones AI can confirm are the right fit for a specific need.
On the Be-Picked Podcast, Andrew Colsky talked with Tyler Henn, founder and CEO of Henn House Digital Growth Studio, about how that recommendation actually happens, and how a brand-new company reached the top six of about 3,300 competitors.
ChatGPT Searches Before It Recommends
Tyler describes ChatGPT as a "glorified Googler." When someone asks it to recommend a business, it breaks the question into several smaller searches, a process called query fan-out, and reads what comes back.
That changes where the work goes. AI recommends the firms whose information it can find and confirm across those searches. Your website, your Google Business Profile, your reviews and your mentions on other sites are the raw material it works from.
Own A Niche Nobody Else Is Talking About
The company that reached the top six did not out-post its competitors. It talked, clearly and with pride, about something specific it did that others in its market did not mention at all.
Tyler's example is a roofing company. Every roofer offers free inspections and help with insurance claims, so saying so sets no one apart. What set his client apart was a protective system it used on every job, and a dedicated page explained it and showed photos of it in use.
The same principle applies to a law firm, an accounting practice or a therapy practice:
- Name the thing you do that others in your field and city do not.
- Put it on the page for the service it belongs to, not only on your About page.
- Show it, with examples, photos or real outcomes, so a reader and an AI can both see it is true.
Finish Your Google Business Profile
Tyler points to Google Business Profile steps most owners skip. One example: when Google asks a yes-or-no question about your business, answering "no" is better than leaving it blank. A complete profile gives search engines and AI tools fewer gaps to guess about.
Fresh, Detailed Reviews Beat A Big Old Pile
Review count matters less than many owners think. A steady stream of recent reviews can outweigh a larger collection of old ones, because it shows the business is active today.
The content of each review matters too. Reviews that describe the actual work, the problem a client brought and how it was solved, give AI the details it needs to match you to the right question. Ask clients to say what you helped them with, in their own words.
Get Mentioned Where AI Can Find You
Podcasts, speaking and other third-party mentions are credibility signals AI can find. Tyler believes in podcast guesting strongly enough to offer it as a service. Andrew added a point beyond backlinks: every show you appear on is another trusted source saying who you are and what you know.
Skip The Magic Fix
Tyler's warning is about the promise that "AI will post everything for you." Automated volume does not replace being excellent, staying consistent and making it right when something goes wrong. Those are the habits that create the reviews, mentions and specifics AI looks for.
Where To Start
Pick one service and write down what you do differently. Make sure that page shows it. Complete your Google Business Profile, and ask your next three clients for a review that describes the work.
To see which of these signals you already have and which are missing, take the free 20-question AQ assessment. You'll get your score and the first gaps to close.
Listen to the episode
New Company, 3,300 Rivals, Top 6: The Niche Trick Any Firm Can Copy
With Tyler Henn, Founder and CEO, Henn House Digital Growth Studio. Watch, listen or read the full transcript.