ChatGPT is becoming another place where customers discover businesses. Now, for the first time, you can claim and manage your business profile directly within ChatGPT.
On 10 November 2026, OpenAI launched Business Hub, a new feature that allows business owners to claim their business, update important information and see how people are discovering them through ChatGPT.
If you run an online store or service-based business, this is worth paying attention to.
I've already started receiving enquiries for Nutmeg Studio from people who found my business through ChatGPT. It's an interesting shift in how people search online, compare businesses and make purchasing decisions.
And with the introduction of Business Hub, we finally have a little more visibility into what's happening.
You might be asking: What exactly is ChatGPT Business Hub?
Think of it as a business profile for ChatGPT, although it works a little differently from something like Google Business Profile.
Business Hub allows eligible businesses to claim their listing and manage the information ChatGPT can use when answering questions about their products or services.
Once your business is verified, you can:
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Add or update your business description, website and other key details.
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Manage information about your products or services.
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See how often ChatGPT mentions your business.
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Track clicks through to your website.
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Explore the topics associated with people discovering your business.
For online retailers, there's also the option to provide product information, including pricing and availability, through a product feed.
It's currently in beta, so features and availability may change as OpenAI develops the platform.
Why should you create a ChatGPT Business Profile?
1. Your customers are already using AI to research their options
Think about how someone might look for a product or service.
Instead of searching Google for "Shopify designer South Africa", they might ask ChatGPT:
"Can you recommend an experienced Shopify designer in South Africa who works with small businesses?"
Or, if they're shopping:
"I'm looking for a South African skincare brand that makes products for sensitive skin. What would you recommend?"
These are quite specific questions. The person has already explained what they need, and they're looking for help narrowing down their options.
ChatGPT can respond with relevant businesses, explain what they offer and help the person compare their choices.
Having an accurate business profile gives you another way to provide information about your business.
2. You can have more control over your business information
Until now, businesses have had limited direct control over how their information appears in ChatGPT.
ChatGPT can draw on information from websites and other sources, but that information isn't always complete or up to date.
Business Hub allows you to supply details about your business directly.
This is particularly useful if you've changed your services, updated your product offering or repositioned your brand.
It doesn't mean you control what ChatGPT says about your business. But it does give you another way to make accurate information available.
3. You can start understanding your visibility in ChatGPT
This is the part I'm interested in.
One of the challenges with AI search has been understanding whether your business is actually being discovered.
Business Hub introduces insights that can show how often your business is mentioned, how many people click through to your website and which discovery topics are associated with those mentions.
The reporting currently covers aggregate activity over the previous 28 days.
It isn't the same as Google Analytics, and you won't see individual conversations or the exact questions people asked.
But it offers another useful piece of information about how customers are finding your business.
How to create or claim your ChatGPT Business Profile
The process is relatively straightforward.
Step 1: Open ChatGPT Business Hub
Visit https://chatgpt.com/business-hub and sign in to your ChatGPT account.
You can also look for Business Hub in the ChatGPT sidebar.
Step 2: Search for your business
Enter your business name and look for an existing listing.
If your business appears, select it and follow the instructions to claim it.
If it doesn't appear, eligible online businesses may have the option to add a new listing.
Step 3: Verify your connection to the business
ChatGPT will offer one or more verification methods, depending on your business.
These may include:
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Business email verification
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Phone verification
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Website domain verification using a DNS record
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Shopify verification if you have a Shopify store
Choose one of the available options and follow the instructions.
Step 4: Complete your business information
Provide a clear, accurate description of what your business does.
For example, if you sell skincare products, don't simply describe yourself as a beauty brand.
Explain what you sell, who your products are designed for and what makes your offering different.
The same applies to service businesses.
Be specific about your services, areas of expertise and the types of clients you work with.
Step 5: Complete identity verification
OpenAI also requires identity verification through Persona before you can publish business information changes and access insights.
You may need to provide identification, business registration details or proof that you're authorised to represent the business.
Once approved, you can manage your profile and access the available features.
A note for Shopify store owners
If you run a Shopify store, there's an additional feature worth exploring.
Eligible retailers can connect their product information to ChatGPT, allowing details such as product names, prices and availability to be shared.
This gives ChatGPT access to more current information about what you sell.
It's particularly relevant for product-based businesses because customers are increasingly using AI to research products, compare alternatives and narrow down their choices.
OpenAI has also introduced Business Agents, which allow customers to have a dedicated conversation with a business about its products and policies.
At launch, Business Agents are available to eligible eCommerce and online service businesses in the United States. The broader business profile feature is available to eligible businesses in other supported markets, including South Africa.
Will creating a business profile improve your ChatGPT visibility?
Not necessarily, and I think this is an important distinction.
Claiming your business doesn't guarantee that ChatGPT will recommend you, rank you higher or send more traffic to your website.
ChatGPT still makes its own recommendations based on the question being asked and the information available.
Your business profile is one part of a much bigger picture.
Your website still needs to explain clearly what you do, who you serve and why someone might choose you.
That means paying attention to the fundamentals:
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Clear descriptions of your products or services.
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Well-organised website content.
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Useful information that answers customers' questions.
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Accurate product details and business information.
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A website that is easy to navigate and understand.
These are things I've always considered important when designing websites, long before AI search became part of the conversation.
My thoughts on ChatGPT Business Hub
I don't think business owners need to rush into every new AI tool or feature.
But I do think this one is worth the few minutes it takes to get started.
If people are already using ChatGPT to research products and services, it makes sense to ensure your business information is accurate and accessible.
I'm particularly interested to see how the insights develop over time and whether they can help businesses better understand the questions and topics that lead customers to them.
For now, I'd recommend claiming your business, completing your profile properly and continuing to focus on creating a useful, informative website.
Good design, clear information and a genuinely helpful shopping experience still matter, regardless of where your customers begin their search.
Nutmeg Studio is an independent Shopify design and development studio based in Cape Town, South Africa. I work with product-based businesses to design, build, redesign and migrate Shopify stores that look beautiful, make shopping easier and are simpler to manage.