Do Google reviews affect whether ChatGPT recommends you?

For local businesses, probably yes, but we can't yet prove how much. When we asked ChatGPT "which clinic" questions on 7 October 2026, another clinic came first in 6 of the 12 answers, and in 5 of those 6 ChatGPT opened with a map and Google ratings. So the first thing a customer sees is often your Google profile and your reviews. What we haven't tested is whether adding reviews changes who ChatGPT names.

Below is what we saw, what we don't know, and how to set up a Google Business Profile and ask for genuine reviews.

What we saw

On 7 October 2026, asked once each on logged-out ChatGPT from Singapore, GetLean Clinic was named in 9 of 12 questions about which GLP-1 clinic to use, and first in 6. In the other 6, a different clinic came first. In 5 of those 6 answers, ChatGPT opened with a map and Google ratings.

That is a small sample: one type of clinic, one day, one answer per question. Treat it as a pattern worth acting on, not a rule.

What it means for clinics, tutors and contractors

If you serve a neighbourhood, whether you are a clinic, a tutor or an aircon contractor, many customers ask broad questions such as "best dentist near me" or "recommend a renovation contractor in Jurong". In our tests, a broad question of that kind could be answered with a map first.

Two practical points follow:

• If you don't have a Google profile, you are missing from the part of the answer customers see first. A profile that is claimed, accurate and complete is the minimum.
• Reviews are part of what customers see next to your name. A business with no reviews sits beside businesses with plenty. Customers can compare ratings at a glance, whatever ChatGPT does with them.

ChatGPT also cites your own pages. Every time it cited GetLean, the page was a sales page (the homepage, about, pricing or a guide). So your profile and your website do different jobs, and you need both. For the website side, read How to get your business recommended by ChatGPT in Singapore.

What we don't know yet

We would rather say this plainly than guess:

• Whether more reviews change who ChatGPT names. We haven't run a before-and-after test.
• How ChatGPT weighs a rating against the number of reviews, how recent they are, or how close you are. We can see the map, but we can't see how the ordering is decided.
• Whether other types of business look the same. Our results come from questions about one kind of clinic. Tutors and contractors may behave differently.
• Whether the map appears for every kind of question. In our tests it led the broad "which one" questions. We haven't mapped every question type.
• How stable the answers are. ChatGPT's answers vary from run to run, and we ran each question once.

How to set up your Google Business Profile

You can do this in about an hour.

1. Find or create your profile. Search for your business name on Google Maps. If a profile exists, claim it; if not, create one at business.google.com. Google will ask you to verify that the business is yours.
2. Use your real business name. Match your signboard and website. Don't add keywords such as "Best Cheap Aircon Singapore" to the name, because that goes against Google's guidelines.
3. Choose the most specific main category. "Physiotherapist" is better than "Health".
4. Add your address and opening hours. If you travel to customers, such as an aircon servicing company or a home tutor, you can list the areas you serve instead of showing a shop address. Update hours before public holidays such as Chinese New Year and Hari Raya.
5. List your services, with "from" prices. Use the same prices as your website. Our article on why ChatGPT gets your prices wrong explains why they must match.
6. Write a clear description. Say plainly what you do, who it's for and what makes you different. See step 1 of how to get your business recommended by ChatGPT.
7. Add real photos. Your premises, your team and your work, not stock images.
8. Link your website and check your phone number. Both should match your site exactly.

How to ask for genuine reviews

1. Ask every happy customer, soon after the service. Ask in person, or send a WhatsApp message the same day.
2. Send the direct review link. Your profile has an option to share a link that opens the review box. It saves customers hunting for you.
3. Ask for an honest review in their own words. Don't script it or tell them what to write.
4. Reply to every review, good or bad. Be polite and specific. Future customers read the replies.
5. Never offer something in return. No discounts, vouchers or free items in exchange for a review.
6. Never write your own, ask friends who were never customers, or buy reviews. Google's rules don't allow fake or incentivised reviews, and they are the wrong thing to do. We don't recommend them to anyone.
7. Check your own rules first if you are a regulated professional. Doctors, dentists and some other professionals in Singapore have rules on how patient feedback can be used in their marketing. Check with your professional body before you ask for reviews or share them.

Don't expect reviews overnight. Ask steadily and let them build up.

Check where you stand

Once your profile is complete, ask ChatGPT the questions your customers ask, logged out, and see whether a map comes up and where you sit in it. Our guide to checking what ChatGPT says about your business takes ten minutes and gives you a table to record the answers. Repeat it every week so you can see whether your changes make a difference.

To see whether ChatGPT names your business today, run our free ChatGPT check. See AI Visibility for how we help, or email DK at dk@targetguru.net.