Restaurants can now create profiles for their business on ChatGPT, much like they do on Google.
The chatbot from OpenAI launched Businesses in ChatGPT this week, which will allow businesses to manage their information and learn more about how consumers are finding them on the platform.
The company said it’s “an early step in bringing businesses more deeply into ChatGPT.” The chatbot is increasingly becoming a place for consumers to search for and even buy things online.
Once a business has claimed its ChatGPT profile, it’ll be able to update details such as website, hours, location, and description. Businesses can also add a list of products with prices and availability if they sell online. (It was not clear whether this could include restaurant menus. NRN has reached out to OpenAI for clarification.)
When a restaurant shows up in a ChatGPT search result, the user can click to open the profile.
The feature is similar to Google’s Business Profiles, which appear when a customer searches for a restaurant on Google. The profiles act as a digital storefront, with hours, pictures, reviews, and other info. They play an important role in restaurants’ online visibility.
After setting up their profile on ChatGPT, restaurants will also be able to view a dashboard of aggregated search data, including the number of mentions and website clicks they’re getting from ChatGPT, as well as what types of conversations are leading to those hits.
ChatGPT said the intel will help restaurants understand how they’re showing up on ChatGPT and how they can improve their profiles.
However, it noted that creating a profile doesn’t guarantee that a business will show up better in search results.
Some businesses will also be able to add a Business Agent that can chat with consumers and answer questions. This feature is currently available only to e-commerce and online services businesses.
ChatGPT business profiles are available now in beta. Restaurants can claim theirs by signing in to ChatGPT, opening Business Hub, and searching for their business by name. Not all restaurants will have an existing ChatGPT listing to claim, the company said.
OpenAI says search traffic on ChatGPT is growing, announcing earlier this week that its search volume is now one-fifth the size of Google’s. (Outside estimates have produced lower numbers.)
The company said 1.2 billion people now use ChatGPT every week.
