Perplexity is the AI engine people use when they want an answer with the receipts attached. Every answer includes numbered citations linking to the original sources, so the businesses it names usually come with a link the customer can click.
How does Perplexity find and choose businesses?
Perplexity searches its own web index, reads the pages that best answer the question, and names the businesses those sources describe clearly and agree on.
Perplexity says its answer engine runs on its own infrastructure covering hundreds of billions of webpages. It is not simply repeating Google or Bing, so a page Google ranks well can still be missing from Perplexity if Perplexity has not crawled it.
Which Perplexity crawler do I need to allow?
Allow PerplexityBot in robots.txt; it is the crawler that puts your pages into Perplexity's results, and Perplexity says it is not used to train AI models.
Perplexity documents two agents:
- PerplexityBot indexes pages for Perplexity's results and follows robots.txt. Allow it.
- Perplexity-User fetches a page when a user asks about it. Perplexity says it generally ignores robots.txt, because a person requested the page.
Also check your firewall or CDN. Bot protection that challenges unknown crawlers with a CAPTCHA can block PerplexityBot even when robots.txt allows it. Our AI Crawler Checker shows what your robots.txt allows.
Where does Perplexity get local business data?
Perplexity has added Yelp data for local results (maps, reviews and photos), Tripadvisor for hotels and OpenTable for restaurant booking, alongside the web pages it cites.
That makes your Yelp listing unusually important for Perplexity, even if Yelp brings you few calls directly. Claim it, match your name, address, phone, hours and categories exactly to your Google Business Profile and website, add photos, and keep earning reviews. Hotels should do the same on Tripadvisor; restaurants on OpenTable.
How do I become one of Perplexity's cited sources?
Publish pages that answer one question clearly in the first sentences, back claims with specifics, and earn mentions on the local lists and directories Perplexity already cites for your service.
- Answer first. "We repair and replace residential garage doors in Plano and Allen, usually the same day" is citable. "We are passionate about excellence" is not.
- State facts plainly: service areas, price ranges, hours, licenses, warranty terms.
- Keep pages fresh and dated when facts change, such as prices or service areas.
- Get on the cited sources. Ask Perplexity your customers' questions and look at the numbered sources. Those directories and roundups are where you need to appear.
Perplexity labels some sources as Government, Academic or Trusted. Licensing boards and chambers of commerce that list your business can carry extra weight.
How do I check whether Perplexity recommends me?
Ask Perplexity the questions your customers ask, note whether you are named and which numbered sources it cites, and repeat the same questions every few weeks.
Because Perplexity shows its sources, each check doubles as research: the cited pages tell you exactly what to fix or where to get listed. For the same work on other engines, see our guides for ChatGPT, Gemini, Microsoft Copilot and Claude, or let our AEO service track all six engines for you every week.
Frequently asked questions
Does Perplexity use Google or Bing?
Perplexity says its answers run on its own search infrastructure covering hundreds of billions of webpages. That is why a business can rank differently in Perplexity than on Google, and why letting PerplexityBot crawl your site matters.
Does Perplexity use Yelp reviews?
Yes. Perplexity added Yelp data in 2024 for local results, including maps, reviews and photos. A complete, accurate Yelp listing with recent reviews is one of the most direct ways to feed Perplexity's local answers.
Does blocking PerplexityBot stop Perplexity from using my content for AI training?
Perplexity says PerplexityBot is used to show sites in its results and is not used to crawl content for AI foundation models. Blocking it mainly removes you from Perplexity's index, which is the opposite of what a local business wants.
Why does Perplexity cite a directory instead of my website?
Usually because the directory answers the question more clearly than your page does, or your page is not in Perplexity's index. Make sure PerplexityBot can crawl your site and that each service page states the facts plainly in its first lines.
Are there ads in Perplexity?
Perplexity tested ads but, according to reporting in February 2026, plans to wind them down by the end of 2026, citing trust concerns. For local businesses, organic citations are the path to show up.
Can anyone guarantee a spot in Perplexity answers?
No. Perplexity decides what it cites, and answers vary by question and time. You control the evidence: crawlable pages, clear facts, consistent listings and reviews on the sites it reads.
Sources: Perplexity, crawlers · Perplexity, Search API infrastructure · Perplexity Help Center, how Perplexity works · Perplexity Help Center, source labels · Maginative, Perplexity and Yelp data (2024) · Engadget, Perplexity and Tripadvisor (2025) · Campaign, Perplexity winding down ads (Feb 2026)