For the past couple of years, homeowners have been asking ChatGPT things like “who’s the best roofer near me?” and getting real answers. If you owned that roofing company, you had zero say in what ChatGPT said about you. Wrong hours, an old phone number, a service you stopped offering three years ago. You might never even know it happened.
That just changed. On November 10, 2026, OpenAI launched a beta called Businesses in ChatGPT, and for the first time you can claim your business on ChatGPT, prove you own it, update your information, and see how often it shows up. If you’ve ever set up a Google Business Profile, the idea will feel familiar.
I’ve spent years helping local service businesses get found on Google, so I dug into what this new tool actually does, who can use it right now, what it won’t do for you, and how to get your business on ChatGPT’s short list even if you can’t claim it yet. Here’s the straight version, without the hype.
Key Takeaways
- OpenAI’s new Business Hub lets owners claim, verify, and update their business information inside ChatGPT.
- Verification works through your business phone, business email, website domain, or Shopify store, followed by an ID check.
- Right now, local businesses can only claim a listing ChatGPT already has, and only in the US.
- Claiming your profile does not move you up in ChatGPT’s recommendations. ChatGPT still makes its own picks.
- What gets you recommended is the same foundation that wins on Google: consistent listings, strong reviews, and a clear website.
What Claiming Your Business on ChatGPT Actually Means
OpenAI built a dashboard called Business Hub. You’ll find it in the ChatGPT sidebar or at chatgpt.com/business-hub. Inside it, a verified owner can do three main things:
- Manage your information. Update key details about your business so ChatGPT has accurate facts to work with.
- See insights. Track how often ChatGPT mentions you, how many people click through to your website, and the common topics that come up when your site gets cited.
- Get a verified badge. Once your identity check is approved, your profile gets a blue check.
There’s also a Business Agent feature, basically an AI rep that answers customer questions inside ChatGPT. More on that in a minute.
Why should you care? Scale. In its announcement of Businesses in ChatGPT, OpenAI says ChatGPT reaches 1.2 billion people every week. Some of those people are in your service area right now, asking for a plumber, an electrician, or a painter.
Why This Matters for Local Service Businesses
According to BrightLocal’s 2026 Local Consumer Review Survey, 45% of consumers now use ChatGPT or other AI tools for local business recommendations. The year before, that number was 6%. That’s one of the fastest behavior shifts I’ve seen in local marketing.
Here’s the part that should get your attention. SOCi’s 2026 Local Visibility Index found that ChatGPT recommends just 1.2% of local business locations. Google shows a map pack and pages of results. ChatGPT usually hands someone a short list of two or three names. If you’re not on that list, you don’t get a second look.
Who Can Claim a Business Right Now
This is a beta, and the rules are narrower than a lot of the headlines suggest. Here’s what OpenAI and the launch coverage say so far:
- You have to own the business or be authorized to represent it. You’ll prove that during verification.
- Your business needs a website. Claiming is limited at first to eligible businesses that have one.
- Eligibility isn’t automatic. OpenAI says it depends on your industry, your location, and its own verification and integrity checks.
- Local businesses can only claim what already exists. Local stores and restaurants can claim an existing US listing, but can’t add a new one yet.
- Business Agents are not for local businesses yet. At launch, they’re limited to eligible US ecommerce and online service companies.
On cost, VentureBeat, citing Digiday’s briefing with OpenAI, reported that claiming and managing a profile is free at launch. OpenAI hasn’t ruled out charging later.
For a painter, roofer, or HVAC company, that means one big thing: if ChatGPT doesn’t already have a listing for you, there may be nothing to claim yet. That’s not a reason to ignore this. It’s a signal that ChatGPT hasn’t found enough about you online.
How to Claim Your Business on ChatGPT, Step by Step
Here’s the process based on OpenAI’s setup guide. Since this is a brand new beta, expect a few screens to look different by the time you go through it.
Step 1: See what ChatGPT says about you today
Before you claim anything, open a fresh chat and ask the questions your customers ask. “Best plumber in [your city].” “Is [your business name] any good?” “Who does emergency roof repair near [your town]?” Screenshot the answers. This is your baseline, and it tells you what needs fixing.
Step 2: Open Business Hub with the right account
Sign in to ChatGPT and open Business Hub from the sidebar. Use an account tied to your business email, not a personal login you’ll forget about. Whoever owns that account will be managing your listing.
Step 3: Search for your business and pick your listing
Search by your business name, select the listing that matches, and confirm which ChatGPT account will manage it. If you see a “Contact support” message instead, your listing is locked and you’ll need to go through OpenAI support.
Step 4: Verify your connection to the business
OpenAI will offer one or more verification methods: a code sent to your business phone or business email, a TXT record added to your website’s domain settings, or connecting a Shopify store. For most service businesses, phone or email will be the easiest. Then OpenAI reviews and approves the claim.
Step 5: Complete the identity check
After your claim is approved, you’ll verify your identity through a service called Persona. Have your ID ready. You can’t publish changes, view insights, or get the blue check until this step is done.
Step 6: Clean up your details and check your insights
Update anything that’s wrong or missing. Make sure your name, phone number, website, and services match exactly what’s on your Google Business Profile and website. Then check back on your insights over the next few weeks.
What Claiming Won’t Do for You
I can already see the “get ranked #1 on ChatGPT” sales pitches coming, so let me be honest.
Claiming doesn’t guarantee better placement. ChatGPT keeps making its own independent recommendations. OpenAI also says ChatGPT may use other sources when it answers questions about your business. Claiming your profile gives you a voice in the conversation. It doesn’t hand you the microphone.
The insights are limited. Business Hub shows aggregate numbers from the past 28 days, and data only appears after minimum thresholds are met. A smaller local business may see blank metrics for a while. For local businesses, a mention counts when ChatGPT shows your location in a result, even if nobody clicks.
You won’t see customer conversations. OpenAI doesn’t share what people typed or said with businesses. You get counts and themes, not transcripts.
So treat claiming like setting up your Google Business Profile. Do it, but know it’s step one, not the whole strategy.
How to Get Your Business on ChatGPT and Actually Get Recommended
Here’s the good news. The things that get you recommended by ChatGPT are mostly the same things that get you found on Google. ChatGPT builds its picture of your business from your website and from what other sites say about you. Industry testing points to sources like Bing Places, Yelp, and other directories as places it pulls from.
Here’s where I’d focus:
- Make your business info identical everywhere. When your name, address, and phone number don’t match across listings, AI tools get confused about who you are. If that sounds like you, start with our guide on why NAP consistency matters for local SEO.
- Claim your other listings too. Bing Places, Yelp, Apple Business Connect, and your industry directories all feed the same ecosystem.
- Keep earning reviews. Reviews are proof that real customers trust you, and AI tools lean on that. Here’s our playbook on how to get more Google reviews without being pushy.
- Don’t neglect Google. BrightLocal found that 75% of people who get a recommendation from AI head to Google to check that business out further. Your Google profile is still where a lot of decisions get made, which is why it’s still the best free marketing tool a local business has.
- Make your website easy to understand. Clear service pages, the towns you serve, and straightforward answers to common questions help both people and AI figure out what you do. A professionally designed website built for local search makes that a lot easier.
None of this is new. It’s the same foundation we build with every local SEO client. The difference is that it now pays off in two places instead of one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it free to claim my business on ChatGPT?
Yes, for now. Launch coverage reported that claiming and managing a profile is free during the beta. OpenAI hasn’t ruled out charging for some features later, so it’s worth claiming while it’s free.
Can a home service business like a plumber or roofer claim a profile?
Possibly, but only if ChatGPT already has a listing for you. Local businesses can currently claim existing US listings, and eligibility depends on your industry, location, and OpenAI’s verification checks. If you can’t find your business, focus on your listings and website so ChatGPT has more to work with.
Will claiming my business make ChatGPT recommend me more?
Not by itself. ChatGPT still makes independent recommendations and may use other sources about your business. Claiming helps make sure the information is accurate, but your reviews, listings, and website are what earn the recommendation.
Can I set up a Business Agent for my local business?
Not yet. At launch, Business Agents are limited to eligible US ecommerce and online service businesses. OpenAI says it plans to expand to more markets and business categories, so this could change down the road.
Find Out Where You Stand Before You Claim
Claiming your business on ChatGPT is a smart move, and I’d do it as soon as you’re eligible. But a verified profile can’t fix messy listings, thin reviews, or a website that doesn’t clearly say what you do. That’s what decides whether ChatGPT, or Google, puts your name on the short list.
If you’re not sure how your business looks online right now, let’s find out. Get a free Online Presence Audit and I’ll show you where your listings, reviews, and website stand, plus what to fix first. No pressure and no pitch. Just a clear picture of where you are.
