Have you caught yourself opening ChatGPT to search for something instead of heading straight to Google? If you have, we get you. This shift represents something significant happening in how people find information online. Some of us now instinctively reach for AI-powered search tools like ChatGPT and Claude for clear answers, recommendations, or even local business suggestions, and this behavioural change has real implications for how businesses get discovered.
At Netplanet Digital, we noticed this trend among our own team and local clients, which led us to ask an important question: if people are starting to use ChatGPT for search, do businesses need to optimise for AI search differently than they’ve been optimising for Google? Are the ranking factors completely different? Do businesses need to start over with their digital marketing strategies?
We decided to stop speculating and start testing.
We spent weeks comparing Google Search, Google Maps, and ChatGPT Search results across Sydney and Western Sydney, specifically looking at how local businesses appeared on each platform. Businesses that are keen to get found and stay competitive are now trying to figure out how to leverage AI search results alongside traditional search, and we wanted to understand whether that requires an entirely new set of strategies or whether the fundamentals remain the same.
What we discovered was genuinely interesting and has practical implications for how you should think about your online visibility in these modern times. In this blog, we’ll walk you through exactly what we found during our research, explain why it matters for your business, and share what you should actually focus on to maintain visibility as search behaviour continues to evolve across both traditional and AI-powered platforms.
What We Found When Comparing Google and ChatGPT Search Results
We started small – running searches for “marketing agency in Western Sydney” across Google Search, Google Maps, and ChatGPT Search.
After the first few queries, something caught our attention. The businesses showing up weren’t scattered randomly across each platform – they were surprisingly consistent. We’d see the same names appearing in Google’s local pack, then again when we checked ChatGPT, then once more in Maps results.
At first, we thought maybe we were just searching at odd times or that our results were somehow skewed. But the pattern held. We tested different variations, tried searches from different devices, even had team members in different suburbs run the same queries. The overlap was evident.
ChatGPT wasn’t uncovering businesses that Google had overlooked, which honestly would have been interesting from a competitive angle. It also wasn’t using some completely different set of ranking criteria that would require businesses to start fresh with their optimisation efforts. What actually seemed to be happening was more straightforward: ChatGPT appeared to be drawing from the same pool of trusted sources Google has spent years building credibility around. We’re talking about Google Business Profiles primarily, but also well-structured business websites and those authoritative directories that have been around for ages.
What We Saw When Comparing Google and AI Search Results
To give you a concrete sense of what we’re talking about, let’s look at the actual search results we reviewed during our research.
When we searched for “marketing agency in Western Sydney” on Google, the local map pack consistently showed businesses like Netplanet Digital in Liverpool, BC Digital in Liverpool, and Q Agency in Penrith at the top of the results.
These weren’t random selections or businesses that just happened to rank well on that particular day. They appeared consistently across multiple searches, and they all shared one key characteristic: strong, well-optimised Google Business Profiles with accurate information, regular updates, and genuine customer reviews.
When we took the exact same search query and ran it through ChatGPT, we found something that we were expecting by now. The tool referenced the same businesses we’d seen in Google’s results, here’s a snapshot, also you can check link in ChatGPT search Marketing Agencies in Western Sydney
It didn’t create a completely new list based on different criteria, and it didn’t somehow discover businesses that Google had overlooked. Instead, it reflected the trust signals and authority markers that Google had already established for those businesses.
This pattern tells us something important about how AI search actually works. If your business isn’t showing up in Google’s local results and map pack, it’s extremely unlikely to suddenly appear when someone searches for you using ChatGPT or other AI-powered tools. The foundation of visibility remains the same across both platforms.
Also, for business owners in NSW who’ve been worrying about whether they need to learn an entirely new set of rules for AI search, this is actually encouraging news. It means you don’t need to start from scratch or abandon everything you’ve built. If Google already trusts your business and considers it authoritative in your field, AI tools & platforms are going to follow that same trust rather than reinventing the wheel.
Based on our analysis, here are five important takeaways for you:
- Google Business Profiles are Critical for AI Search
Google Business Profiles have always been important for local visibility, but what we’re seeing now is that they’re becoming essential for AI search recommendations as well, and the reason makes sense when you think about how AI systems make decisions.
Google Business Profiles essentially act as a verification layer for your business. They help both Google and AI platforms confirm several important things about your business that generic website content can’t always validate on its own. When an AI tool is trying to decide whether to recommend your business to someone, it looks for structured, verified information that it can trust.
Here’s what a complete Google Business Profile helps confirm:
- Your business is legitimate and currently operating: The profile shows you’re an established entity, not just a website that could be outdated or inactive
- Your location is accurate and verifiable: AI tools need to know exactly where you’re located when someone searches for local services
- Your services are clearly defined and categorised: The business category and service descriptions help AI understand what you actually do
- Customers actively engage with your business: Reviews, questions, and photos from real customers provide social proof that your business is genuine and trustworthy
AI tools strongly prefer this kind of structured, trusted data over unverified website content because it reduces the risk of recommending businesses that might not actually exist, might have moved, or might not provide the services they claim to offer.
- ChatGPT isn’t Replacing Google But Building on Its Information
According to recent data from Google’s AI and Shopping blog, people are now making more than 5 trillion searches each year. That’s a massive amount of queries being processed, and in this AI era, the trust signals that influence those results matter more than ever before.
After analysing search results across different queries and locations, we reached a conclusion that’s both straightforward and significant: ChatGPT search results closely mirror Google’s results because both platforms rely on the same underlying trust ecosystem rather than operating independently.
AI search doesn’t replace traditional search or create an entirely new ranking system. Instead, it builds on top of the trust signals, authority markers, and verification systems that Google has been developing and refining for over two decades. This means that if Google doesn’t trust your business enough to show it in search results and local listings, AI platforms won’t have sufficient confidence to recommend it either.
- Traditional SEO is Still Important for AI Search
Despite all the attention being paid to AI-powered search platforms, traditional SEO remains absolutely critical for visibility.
From our analysis of how ChatGPT surfaces business recommendations, we found that it still relies heavily on well-structured websites with clear service and blog pages, strong internal linking that helps search engines understand site architecture, clean technical SEO that ensures pages load quickly and work properly, and location-based content that demonstrates local relevance and expertise.
These elements work together to help both search engines and AI models understand what your business actually does, confirm your topical relevance and expertise in your field, and validate that the information about your business is consistent across different platforms and sources.
- Authority Directories Still Matter (Especially Australian Ones)
Authoritative business directories still play an important supporting role in how both Google and AI-powered search tools assess trust and legitimacy. These platforms provide structured, third-party verification of business details, helping search engines and AI systems cross-check information such as location, services, and contact details. While directories are no longer a major traffic driver, they remain valuable as part of the broader trust ecosystem.
Australian directories that support visibility include:
- Yellow Pages Australia: One of Australia’s top-rated, most established directories used for business verification.
- True Local: Strong local relevance with consistent business categorisation.
- Hotfrog Australia: Helpful for reinforcing industry and service classification.
- AussieWeb: One of the most long-running directories with editorial standards and broad coverage.
- LocalSearch: Commonly referenced for local service verification and NAP consistency.
- Oneflare
- Hipages
When business information is consistent across these trusted platforms, confidence increases. That consistency helps Google validate a business’s legitimacy and allows AI tools to surface recommendations with greater certainty, reinforcing visibility across both traditional and AI-driven search results.
- Reviews, SEO, and Directories Work Together
Our research shows that visibility today is not driven by one single factor. Businesses that appear consistently across Google and ChatGPT tend to share the same foundation.
They have a complete and active Google Business Profile, genuine customer reviews, consistent NAP and well-structured website content. Further, they also have updated listings on trusted Australian and industry directories, ensuring the legitimacy and credibility of their business.
What we mean to explain is that no single element guarantees visibility. However, when these signals align, Google develops confidence in the business, and AI platforms reflect that same confidence in their recommendations.
This is particularly relevant for any marketing agency operating in competitive local markets, where trust signals often determine which businesses are shortlisted.
Final Thoughts
After spending weeks analysing search results across Sydney and Western Sydney, comparing how businesses appear in Google versus ChatGPT, we’ve reached a conclusion that’s both simple and significant: ChatGPT search results closely mirror Google’s results because both platforms rely on the same underlying trust ecosystem rather than creating separate ranking systems.
The businesses that will succeed in this evolving landscape are the ones that understand they need to build trust across multiple channels simultaneously. If you focus on earning Google’s trust through these combined efforts, AI platforms will naturally follow because they’re drawing from the same data sources and trust signals. It’s not about choosing between traditional SEO and AI optimisation. It’s about understanding that they’re part of the same ecosystem.
Frequently Asked Questions
Both platforms rely on the same trusted public data sources when surfacing business recommendations. For local searches, this includes Google Search, Google Maps, and verified business listings, which is why you’ll often see similar businesses appearing in both.
Not directly, but it reflects information from reliable public sources across the web. Google Business Profiles are one of the strongest sources of verified local business data, which is why businesses with complete profiles tend to appear more frequently.
Absolutely! Your Google Business Profile helps confirm your legitimacy, location accuracy, and service relevance for both traditional Google search and AI-powered platforms. It remains a cornerstone of local visibility.
Yes, they are.
Reviews simply demonstrate active customer engagement and help build the kind of trust that influences both Google rankings and AI recommendations. Recent reviews with honest feedback make a real difference.
It certainly does!
Clear site structure, better loading times, well-written service pages, and solid technical SEO support your visibility across all search environments, whether traditional or AI-powered.
Yes, they do. Authoritative directories help verify your business details across multiple sources and strengthen the trust signals that both Google and AI platforms look for when making recommendations.
No, it’s not. ChatGPT is known to build on the existing search trust ecosystem rather than replacing it. If your business isn’t visible in Google Search and Maps, it’s unlikely to appear in AI search results either.
Ready to Build Trust Across Google and AI Search?
At Netplanet Digital, we help Western Sydney businesses strengthen their online presence across both traditional and AI-powered search platforms. From optimising your GMB profiles and building solid local SEO foundations to managing directory listings and developing exciting social media marketing strategies, we create comprehensive approaches that address the full trust ecosystem both Google and AI platforms rely on.
If you want your business to stay visible as search continues to evolve, we’d be happy to discuss your specific situation. Get in touch with our SEO consultants today or book a free discovery call to talk about how we can help strengthen your search presence across all the channels that matter.
