Podcast Summary: The Side Hustle Show

Episode 717: How to Get ChatGPT to Recommend Your Business
Host: Nick Loper | Guest: Tonya Van Gastel, RankingonAI.com
Date: January 8, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode, Nick Loper brings back AI SEO expert Tonya Van Gastel to tackle a pressing shift in online discovery: how business owners can get their company recommended by AI tools like ChatGPT. With Google’s search dominance waning and a “zero-click” environment threatening traditional SEO, the conversation zeroes in on tactical strategies to get your business surfaced, cited, and recommended by large language models and other generative AI. By the end, listeners leave with a concrete, actionable roadmap to boost visibility in an AI-driven search landscape.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why Getting Recommended by AI Matters

• The Landscape Has Changed:
  Google’s shrinking market share and evolving customer search behavior mean businesses must adapt. Fewer search clicks = fewer website visits. However, people still need solutions—they’re just asking AI instead of searching traditionally.

  “We've really gone to a bit of a zero click environment right now. But ChatGPT conversions—they convert at 15 times conversion rate compared to organic SEO.” (Tonya, 01:45)

2. 3-Step Roadmap for AI Recommendations

Step 1: Establish Your “Source of Truth” Website

• Own Your Online Identity:
  Create or strengthen your own website—even if you’re selling on Amazon or operating elsewhere. Clearly detail your brand, products/services, FAQs, and contact info.
• Depth Matters:
  Don’t just tick boxes with a superficial about page. Create a landing page and a robust FAQ to correct AI misinformation.
• Tactical Example:
  If ChatGPT says “Nick Loper always wears purple T-shirts,” add a FAQ answering “What kinds of T-shirts does Nick Loper wear?” to set the record straight.
• Quote:

  “You are the ultimate source of truth for your website, and ChatGPT recognizes that. That’s how you can go and correct misinformation.” (Tonya, 03:39)

Step 2: Strategic Outreach to Cited Sources

• Audit the AI Recommendations:
  Ask ChatGPT (and Google’s AI summaries) for “best podcasts in [your niche]” or “best [your service/product].”
  Identify the sources it cites—Reddit threads, listicles, local directories.
• Get Yourself Included:
  Engage in cited Reddit threads (without dropping links), reach out to authors/webmasters of “best of” listicles, and ask for inclusion, providing authority arguments (e.g., stats, testimonials).

  “You can count on like a 2 or 3% conversion rate… The way that you stand out is by letting them know how much they can actually earn on you, by saying how well your business performs.” (Tonya, 06:35)

• Reddit Nuance:
  Engage as the founder, avoid dropping links to prevent being banned.

  “Just be super honest. Don’t put a link in there—that’s going to get you banned immediately.” (Tonya, 09:42)

Step 3: Create Content That Ranks and Gets Cited

• Focus on Content Types AI Pulls From:
  • YouTube videos, especially listicles and “how-to” content, are less susceptible to being replaced by AI-generated text.
  • Write authentic, honest listicles—even when it means mentioning competitors.
• Multichannel Approach:
  Double/triple dip content: Create both written and video versions, syndicate them on platforms like Medium, Substack, and post on your own website.
  • Embed your YouTube video in your article for a bounce rate boost.
  • Explicitly type out authority claims (not just logos) for better AI indexing.
• Why It Works:
  “If someone searches ‘best custom wooden toothbrushes’ and there’s only one listicle, you are 100% going to be included.” (Tonya, 13:25)
• Content Structure:
  Use the BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front) approach—give the answer immediately. Add a detailed FAQ matching conversational AI queries.

  “With ChatGPT, you want to put the answer up front immediately. Then you want to do an FAQ where you answer a bunch of related questions.” (Tonya, 19:03)

3. Avoid This Big Mistake: Don’t Rely on AI-Generated Content

• Google’s Detection:
  Google can now spot AI-generated content and may penalize it (especially in reviews and listicles).
• Human Content Wins:
  Use transcription tools or talk your articles out loud to generate natural, conversational text.

  “Don't AI generate your content... Google’s become really good at discerning what is AI generated.” (Tonya, 20:56)

4. Advanced Hacks & Technical Foundations

Technical SEO Essentials

• Site Speed Matters:
  Ensure your website loads quickly so AI and search crawlers can index your content efficiently.
• Schema Markup:
  Add structured data (FAQ, article, review schemas) to help AI crawl and understand your pages.

  "Schema markup is like how robots talk to robots. Implementing it is as easy as copy-pasting from a schema generator." (Tonya, 39:50)

• SEO Tools:
  • SEO Optima, Ahrefs (premium), SEO Gets (free and highly recommended for seeing clicks/impressions by page type).

Parasite SEO & Syndication

• Leverage High-Authority Platforms:
  Publish your content on Medium, Substack, and as custom GPTs or Cloud Artifacts. These can rank high quickly because of the platform’s domain authority.

  “Parasite SEO is basically SEO where you use an existing website’s domain rating to bump your own service.” (Tonya, 33:23)

Content Refreshes

• Update Existing Content:
  Refresh older posts to get cited more often and improve rankings. Recent studies show a 60% higher pickup rate for newly refreshed content.

  “Content that has recently been refreshed gets 60% more pickup.” (Tonya, 46:41)

Bing Webmaster Tools

• Easy Win:
  Add your site to Bing Webmaster as well as Google—setup is fast and can pay dividends as Bing powers many AI tools.

  “It’s the easiest thing to do. Do the Google one first, then you can import everything to Bing Webmaster.” (Tonya, 45:04)

Optimize for Click-Throughs

• Impressions vs. Clicks:
  If your page has lots of impressions but low clicks, update the title and meta description to make it more compelling.

  “The way to get your clickthrough up is by changing your title and meta description.” (Tonya, 43:40)

5. Press Releases: An Underused Tactic

• Why Use Them?
  Syndicated press releases can generate authority backlinks and get cited by AI, increasing your site’s trust.
• Angle Matters:
  Focus on milestones or newsworthy events, and use AI tools like ChatGPT to brainstorm impactful press release angles.

  “Think about the angle really well. Use GPT to brainstorm what the angle is. Ask it: ‘My business is X, what newsworthy angles can you find?’” (Tonya, 52:24)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On AI-driven Discovery:

  “ChatGPT conversions, they convert at 15 times conversion rate compared to organic SEO.” (Tonya, 01:45)

• On Outreach Strategy:

  "Count on a 2 or 3% conversion rate... Stand out by telling them how much they can earn with you." (Tonya, 06:35)

• On Content Honesty:

  “Mention yourself and nine others. Don’t be like, ‘Mine’s the best and all the others are terrible.’” (Tonya, 10:39)

• On Writing Style:

  “The AI doesn’t care. It just wants the answer. Give the answer directly and conversationally.” (Tonya, 19:03)

• On Avoiding AI-written Content:

  “Google’s become really good at discerning what is AI generated... If Google allowed it, the whole Internet would become AI-generated.” (Tonya, 20:56)

• Content Refresh Wisdom:

  “It’s easier to refresh the archives than to create new. And you can implement your BLUF structure on those old pieces.” (Tonya, 47:15)

• On Self-compassion for Side Hustlers:

  “Don’t beat yourself up. Take it one day at a time. A lot of people are doing side hustles for freedom—skip the stress, make it sustainable.” (Tonya, 54:33)

Structured Summary with Timestamps

[00:03] Opening Context & Importance of AI Discovery

• Google’s market share shrinking, new behavior.
• The need for businesses to show up in AI-generated answers.

[01:45] The "Zero Click" Challenge and Opportunity

• ChatGPT conversions 15x traditional SEO.
• Presented 3-step path: Source of truth, Outreach/Listicle Inclusion, Content Creation.

[03:39] Step 1: Make Your Website the Source of Truth

• Full about page, FAQ to correct misinformation.

[06:35] Step 2: Outreach & Listicle Inclusion

• How to find and get onto influential listicles and Reddit threads.

[10:39] Step 3: Create Multimedia Content That Ranks

• Video (listicle/how-to), honest written listicles, FAQ structure, and BLUF.

[19:03] Content Structure for AI SEO

• Answer up front (BLUF), follow with FAQs tailored for conversational queries.

[20:56] The Big Mistake: Avoiding AI-Generated Content

• Use human voices/writing, AI only to assist with structure, not content.

[33:23] Parasite SEO Tactics

• Leverage “borrowed authority” from Medium, Substack, custom GPTs, and cloud artifacts.

[39:50] Technical SEO: Schema Markup

• Use free generators, copy-paste results, don’t overcomplicate.

[43:40] Maximizing Click-Through Rates

• Revamp titles and meta descriptions for under-clicked pages ranking well.

[44:58] Bing Webmaster Tools

• Simple, high-return setup; especially worthwhile as Bing feeds many AI platforms.

[46:41] Content Refreshes

• Updated content gets more citation and pickup; a worthwhile alternative to new posts.

[47:46] High-citation & Bottom-of-Funnel Content

• Stats pages and studies get links, but better for authority than conversions.
• To drive business, create more bottom-funnel comparison/content pieces.

[50:06] Press Releases to Boost Citations & Visibility

• Use AI to draft, syndicate via a newswire (EIN Newswire recommended), focus on real milestones or news.

[54:33] Final Advice: Side Hustling with Self-compassion

• Don’t overburden yourself; prioritize sustainable growth and well-being.

Actionable Takeaways

1. Audit Your Brand Presence:
   Ask ChatGPT about your business and your category—note what it says and which sources come up.
2. Build or Improve Your Website:
   About page, detailed FAQ, and clear service/product info—be exhaustive and authoritative.
3. Identify & Contact Listicle Sources:
   Get on Reddit, into cited listicles, and outreach with compelling, conversion-centric arguments.
4. Create Unique & Honest Content:
   Publish listicles and how-tos as both articles and videos. Answer questions directly (BLUF).
5. Spread Content Across Platforms:
   Syndicate your listicles/videos to platforms with high domain authority (Medium, Substack, YouTube).
6. Refresh Old Content:
   Systematically update old articles to improve rankings, add FAQs, and use the BLUF structure.
7. Technical Fundamentals:
   Use schema markup, site speed checks, and SEO-friendly structuring for new and refreshed content.
8. Press Releases for Authority:
   Use newswires for legitimate milestones or news to get picked up and cited.
9. Set Up Bing Webmaster:
   Quick and easy win for more AI-driven visibility.
10. Take Care of Yourself:
    Sustainable side hustling beats burnout—pace yourself for the long game.

Further Resources

• Tonya's Agency: RankingonAI.com
• Tonya’s Content: @foundertania on Instagram and YouTube
• AI SEO Checklist: [Find the link in the episode show notes]

Want to dig deeper?
Check out episode 700 for more from Tonya, covering the story behind building and exiting an AI-powered headshot business.

“Skip to the part where you’re super stressed and get to the part where you feel good about what you’re doing. Make it sustainable.” — Tonya Van Gastel (54:33)