Written by: This article explains how “Best X” listicles are increasingly used by ChatGPT (via Bing index signals) to generate business recommendations. It argues that well-structured, frequently updated comparison-style content can outperform traditional SEO signals for AI visibility and drive direct leads to business landing pages. It includes research findings (Ahrefs study) and real-world case studies across trades, weddings, and professional services.
Over the past 15 years, I’ve published thousands of “Best X” listicles across trades, weddings, professional services and niche directory sites. They’ve always been strong performers in Google because people genuinely use them to compare suppliers and make buying decisions. What I didn’t expect was that these listicles would become fuel for modern AI systems – especially ChatGPT – reshaping how businesses are recommended online.
A new Ahrefs study by Glen Allsopp, one of my favourite authors in the SEO world, analysed 26,000 sources across 750 search terms and discovered that 44% of all AI citations come from one content type: best-style listicles. Even more surprisingly, ChatGPT is now sending 8 times as much traffic as Perplexity. That means if your business isn’t appearing in these list posts, or you’re not creating them yourself, you’re simply handing free visibility to your competitors.
Why “Best X” Listicles Are Powering ChatGPT Recommendations
For more than a decade, I’ve known that being mentioned in listicles helps you rank in Google. High-quality listicles naturally attract backlinks, time-on-page, dwell time and credibility. But in the AI era, something even more interesting is happening: ChatGPT treats listicles as trusted reference sources.
When ChatGPT searches for answers, it heavily draws on Bing’s index. If it finds a well-structured “Top 10” or “Best X” comparison page – even on a site with low authority or barely any backlinks – it often cites that source as the basis for its recommendation. This is why you might see a brand-new domain with no real SEO history being recommended over your established site. ChatGPT doesn’t care about traditional ranking factors the same way Google does. It cares about structure, recency and clarity.
This is also why many of my micro-sites, which are less than six months old and have almost no link profile, are suddenly being cited by ChatGPT for everything from split-system installations to pet services. If a page looks like a well-organised, fresh comparison list, ChatGPT treats it as gospel.
What the Ahrefs Study Reveals About AI Behaviour
The Ahrefs data confirms what I’ve been seeing across my network. Nearly half of AI citations come from best listicles, showing how heavily ChatGPT and other large models rely on aggregated, comparison-style content. The study also revealed that ChatGPT is delivering significantly more traffic than other AI platforms, which explains why so many business owners are suddenly asking, “Why is ChatGPT recommending my competitors instead of me?”
Another fascinating insight is that 35% of all cited listicles come from low-authority domains. This aligns perfectly with what I’ve seen across hundreds of my own niche directory sites. Authority doesn’t matter right now. What matters is whether the page is fresh, structured as a comparison, and easy for AI systems to extract.
The study also showed that 79% of cited listicles had been published or updated recently. Freshness is a massive factor. The moment you refresh a listicle – even slightly – you give AI systems a reason to revisit it. This is why I update my lists continuously with new images, recent events, weather references, or anything topical that keeps the content current. AI systems reward recency far more aggressively than Google ever did.
The Shift From Google SEO to AI Recommendation Engines
When AI became mainstream, something strange happened. Many listicles that previously ranked well in Google saw their organic traffic decline because AI tools prefer to recommend direct sources. They don’t want to point users to another website that points to more websites. Instead, they want to shortcut the process by analysing the comparison list and then recommending the individual businesses directly.
Ironically, while these listicles lost some Google traffic, ChatGPT started citing them more frequently. So even if Google won’t send visitors to your directory-style post anymore, ChatGPT might use that exact post to decide which businesses to recommend. It also takes things a step further by linking users to a business’s landing page rather than the listicle itself. This means a well-crafted “Best X” guide can send bottom-of-funnel traffic straight to your sales pages.
Real Examples From My Own Directories and Client Network
In the wedding space, which is highly competitive in Melbourne and Sydney, I run several directory-style sites for photographers, venues and videographers. These sites are natural homes for listicles. Because I keep every post fresh, ChatGPT consistently cites these pages and sends quality leads to my clients. These are links and referrals that you can’t buy in any traditional way.
In the trades, I’ve built exact-match micro-directories for split-system installation sites specific to Melbourne suburbs. Some of these domains have almost no authority, yet ChatGPT cites them purely because they contain well-written, structured “Best Installers” lists. Builders, electricians, and pest controllers are placed at the top because I own the property and treat it like digital real estate. It’s like owning the billboard on the busiest road and deciding which business sits in the prime position.
Why Exact Match Domains Are Winning Right Now
Exact match domains (EMDs) are performing far better in AI recommendations than they have in Google search for years. A domain such as pest-controller-melbourne.com.au might not impress Google’s ranking algorithm. But to ChatGPT, the domain name itself signals clear topical relevance. When combined with a strong listicle, even a brand-new EMD can become a trusted source of citations.
This won’t last forever. AI models will get smarter, and citation rules will eventually mature. But right now, this window is wide open, and small businesses can take advantage before the big directories catch on and blanket the internet with their own listicles.
How Small Businesses Can Do This Without an Agency
If you’re a wedding photographer, a plumber, an accountant, a café owner or even a gym owner, you can start benefiting from this today. The simplest starting point is to create one or two well-written “Best X” listicles on your own website. Even if you include competitors, you don’t need to link to them. Mentioning them is enough for AI systems to treat your page as a trusted comparison list.
Once the post is live, refresh it every couple of months. Add new examples, seasonal references, updated business descriptions or new rankings. Freshness is the number one citation factor right now. You should also submit your sitemap to Bing Webmaster Tools because ChatGPT relies heavily on Bing’s index. If your site isn’t visible to Bing, it likely won’t be visible to ChatGPT either.
Being included in third-party listicles also helps. If you can collaborate with local bloggers, supplier directories or partner businesses, your name will appear in more comparison lists. The more frequently your business is mentioned across the web, the more likely AI systems are to treat you as a trustworthy recommendation.
Why Quality Still Matters
Even though low-authority sites are being cited, AI systems still prefer well-written, substantial content. A 400-word “Top 5 Plumbers” post won’t cut it. The listicle needs to be detailed, structured and helpful. Most of mine are between 3,000 and 5,000 words because that’s enough context for AI to generate accurate recommendations.
Good listicles include unique descriptions of each business, explanations of why they’re included, and context that helps a reader make a decision. These aren’t spam pieces; they’re genuine buyer guides. AI models are excellent at detecting thin content, so putting effort into quality still matters.
The Bottom Line: If You Want ChatGPT To Recommend You, Start Publishing Best X Lists Now
We’re in a rare moment when small businesses can outperform big directories by publishing helpful, up-to-date comparison-style content. ChatGPT’s behaviour is clear: it cites listicles more than any other content type, relies heavily on Bing indexing, and prioritises freshness over authority.
Suppose you want ChatGPT to recommend your business rather than your competitors’. In that case, you only need a few things: a well-written listicle, consistent updates, a submitted Bing sitemap and a solid landing page for each service. This strategy works across plumbers, accountants, wedding suppliers, beauty salons, gyms, cafés and just about every local niche.
I can turn this into an infographic, a shorter blog version, a YouTube script or a checklist for your team. Let me know what format would be most helpful next.
Real-World Case Studies
Case Study: Bridal Collective – Wedding Suppliers – Richmond, Melbourne
The Challenge
Their organic traffic plateaued after Google’s helpful content updates, and AI assistants weren’t recommending them.
The Strategy
We produced and maintained four listicles:
- Best Wedding Venues Melbourne (2025)
- Top 20 Wedding Photographers in Victoria
- Best Bridal Makeup Artists Melbourne
- Top 15 Wedding Videographers Melbourne
Each article was refreshed every 6-8 weeks with minor updates (new events, seasonal notes, photo shoots).
The Results
- AI citations from ChatGPT doubled within 3 months.
- Enquiries from “AI referrer” traffic grew from 6/month → 52/month.
- $AUD 18k in additional bookings over 90 days (tracked).
The Lesson
Fresh listicles = visibility. Freshness matters more than domain authority in AI ecosystems.
Industry Application: Works extremely well for any supplier-based industry, including gyms, beauty salons, pet groomers, and photographers.
Case Study: MetroFix Electrical – Electricians – Essendon, Melbourne
The Challenge
ChatGPT was recommending competitors for “best split system installers Melbourne,” even smaller operators.
The Strategy
We launched an exact-match micro-directory: splitsysteminstallationmelbourne.com.au
Published: Best Split System Installers Melbourne (Top 15) – MetroFix ranked #1.
The Results
- ChatGPT citations began within 2 weeks.
- AI traffic now outnumbers Bing and Yahoo combined.
- 14 new high-intent enquiries in the first month (average job value $AUD 2,400).
The Lesson
Low-authority but well-structured listicles can still get cited. Exact-match domains punch above their weight.
Case Study: Ledger+Co – Accountants – Parramatta, Sydney
The Challenge
Hard niche. High competition for “bookkeeping for builders” and “construction accounting” keywords.
The Strategy
We built the listicles “Best Accounting Firms for Builders” and “Top Bookkeeping Services in Sydney (2025),” which were published on our private network of directory sites.
The Results
- Zero backlinks needed initially.
- Despite tiny domains, ChatGPT began citing Ledger+Co.
- 3 builder clients worth $AUD 26k/year were acquired.
The Lesson
Even in tough verticals, micro-listicles break through because AI crawls them just as Bing’s index does.
What the AHREFS study looked at
- Analyzed 750 “best X” prompts (software, products, agencies) and 26,283 source URLs used by ChatGPT.
- Goal: see which page types get cited and what helps brands get recommended.
Key findings (in plain English)
- “Best X” lists dominate: 43.8% of all citations were blog-style best lists.
- Freshness matters a lot: 79.1% of cited best lists were updated in 2025; 26% updated in the last 2 months.
- Placement helps: Brands ranked higher on multiple third‑party “best” lists were more likely to be recommended by ChatGPT.
- Not all sources are great: 35% of cited best lists came from low‑authority domains (some questionable quality).
- It’s not just ChatGPT: “Best” lists are also highly prominent across other AI platforms (even slightly more in Google AI Overviews).
- First‑party twist: When ChatGPT recommends a brand, it often cites the brand’s landing pages (software/agencies) or product pages (products) more than their blog lists.
- ChatGPT is a big referrer: It sends 8-9x more traffic than the next AI‑first platform (Perplexity) across 60k+ sites Ahrefs tracks.
What this means for you (takeaways)
- If you’re SaaS or an agency, publishing self‑promotional “best” lists can help visibility in AI answers.
- Keep content updated-freshness strongly correlates with being cited.
- Aim to rank high on reputable third‑party comparison lists; that increases chances of being recommended.
- Build strong, specific landing pages for your services/features (these get cited a lot for software/agencies).
- For product brands, well‑optimized product pages are key (these are most cited).
- Quality still matters-avoid thin, spammy “best” lists. User trust and signals can catch up with you.
- It helps to “celebrate wins” (awards, major updates, press) with posts that LLMs can cite as proof points.
Practical actions (easy checklist)
- Create 1-2 genuinely helpful “best X” lists where it makes sense; don’t overdo it.
- Update your lists and key pages regularly (add dates, reflect product changes).
- Pursue inclusion in respected third‑party lists (G2, Zapier, niche reviewers); provide data, demos, and assets to help them evaluate you.
- Build/refresh high‑intent landing pages for each service/feature; make them clear, useful, and link‑worthy.
- Link out to alternatives in your lists and be transparent that it’s your site’s list; consider not always putting yourself #1 if it hurts credibility.
- Publish short, credible updates highlighting awards, benchmarks, feature launches-give LLMs good, current citations.
- Monitor which of your pages AI platforms cite and improve those pages first.
Ahrefs’ stance (for context)
- They’ll publish comparison posts sparingly (<0.5% of their content), sometimes not as #1, clearly disclose, and link to alternatives-while focusing mainly on product improvements and original research that earns third‑party mentions.
