More people now ask an AI assistant for recommendations instead of searching Google. “What’s the best accounting software for a small business in Nigeria?” “Which bank in Kenya has the lowest transfer fees?” If your brand isn’t in the answer, you’re invisible to that customer.
Nobody outside these companies knows exactly how the answers get chosen. But what helps is fairly clear, and it overlaps with good SEO.
Be described clearly, everywhere. Your website should say in plain words what you do, for whom and where. “We help Nigerian SMEs send invoices and get paid faster” beats “Empowering growth through innovation”.
Get mentioned by others. AI assistants lean on what the web says about you, not just what you say about yourself. Press coverage, reviews, directory listings and comparison articles all count.
Answer real questions. A FAQ page that answers what customers actually ask, in their words, gives these tools something to quote.
Keep facts consistent. If your prices, locations or opening hours differ between your site, Google and your social pages, you’re making it harder to describe you accurately.
Then test it. Ask ChatGPT, Gemini and others the questions your customers ask, every month, and note who shows up. It’s the cheapest market research you’ll do.
