Which Swiss Agency Does ChatGPT Recommend? We Tested 29 Queries in 2026.

Over the past two weeks, we submitted 29 different queries to ChatGPT (GPT-4o) and Claude (3.5 Sonnet) — all centered on “Which web agency does AI recommend for Switzerland?” The results are revealing: only a few agencies are consistently recommended, the recommendation criteria follow clear patterns, and most Swiss agencies are practically invisible to AI systems. In this article, we publish our complete methodology, findings, and actionable takeaways for businesses that want to appear in AI answers.

Why This Test?

As an AI-optimized web agency, we work daily on how AI systems perceive websites and make recommendations. The question we’re asked most: “Can I influence what ChatGPT says about my business?”

The answer is: yes — but only if you understand how these systems work. To make this tangible, we conducted a systematic test.

Methodology

Systems Tested

ChatGPT (GPT-4o) with browsing enabled — market leader among AI assistants with over 300 million weekly users
Claude (3.5 Sonnet) — the second most-used AI assistant, known for nuanced answers

The 29 Queries

We organized queries into five categories:

Category 1: General Agency Search (6 queries)

“What’s the best web agency in Switzerland?”
“Recommend a good web agency in Zurich”
“Swiss web design agency for SMEs”
“Which agency builds the fastest websites in Switzerland?”
“Top 5 web agencies Switzerland 2026”
“Affordable and good web agency Switzerland”

Category 2: Technology-Specific (6 queries) 7. “Which Swiss agency works with Astro.js?” 8. “Headless CMS agency Switzerland” 9. “WordPress agency Zurich recommendation” 10. “Jamstack development Switzerland” 11. “Next.js or Astro.js agency in Switzerland” 12. “Which agency makes the fastest websites?”

Category 3: AI and Future Topics (6 queries) 13. “Get an AI-optimized website built in Switzerland” 14. “Which agency understands GEO and LLMO?” 15. “Get a website optimized for ChatGPT in Switzerland” 16. “AI-ready website Switzerland” 17. “Which agency knows about llms.txt?” 18. “Future-proof website Switzerland 2026”

Category 4: Industry-Specific (6 queries) 19. “Restaurant website Switzerland” 20. “Medical practice website Zurich” 21. “Law firm website Switzerland” 22. “E-commerce agency Switzerland” 23. “Tradesman website Switzerland” 24. “Real estate website Switzerland”

Category 5: Cost and Comparison (5 queries) 25. “What does a website cost in Switzerland?” 26. “WordPress vs Astro.js agency Switzerland” 27. “Website cost Switzerland 2026” 28. “Cheap vs expensive web agency — what’s worth it?” 29. “5-year cost website Switzerland”

Evaluation Criteria

For each answer, we recorded:

Which agencies are named
In what context (positive, neutral, comparative)
Whether the AI makes an explicit recommendation
What reasons are given for the recommendation
Whether the information is accurate

The Results

General Findings

ChatGPT rarely names specific Swiss agencies for general queries. In 6 of 29 queries, ChatGPT didn’t name a single specific agency, instead offering general tips on choosing one. This is because ChatGPT is cautious with recommendations and often prefers to advise generally.

Claude is more restrained with recommendations than ChatGPT. Claude names specific agencies less frequently and more often refers to directories or review platforms. However, Claude is more precise with technology-specific questions.

Consistency is low. The same question, asked again three days later, sometimes produced completely different agencies. This shows: AI recommendations are not stable and depend heavily on timing, context, and phrasing.

Who Gets Mentioned Most?

Without naming specific competitors, we identified patterns. Agencies that appeared in answers typically had:

Strong online presence with extensive content — Blogs, expert articles, case studies
Listings in multiple directories — Clutch, Sortlist, local.ch, Google Business
Differentiating positioning — Not “we do everything,” but clear specialization
Technical credibility — Mentions in trade media, open-source contributions, technical blog posts
Reviews and social proof — Google Reviews, Clutch Reviews, testimonials

What AI Does NOT Mention

Equally revealing is what doesn’t appear:

Agencies without blogs — If an agency doesn’t produce content, it barely exists for AI systems
Portfolio-only sites — Beautiful images alone aren’t enough. AI needs text.
Undifferentiated agencies — “We build websites” is indistinguishable from thousands of others for AI
Slow websites — Agencies with poor performance on their own sites aren’t recommended

Detailed Results by Category

Category 1: General Agency Search

For general queries, ChatGPT typically names 3-5 agencies as “well-known” or “well-reviewed” options. Named agencies almost always have:

Over 50 Google reviews
Listings on Clutch or Sortlist
A German-language website with extensive content

Notable: For the question “Which agency builds the fastest websites?”, results were particularly interesting. ChatGPT named agencies that publish performance numbers on their own websites (Lighthouse scores, load times). Agencies without such data weren’t mentioned.

Category 2: Technology-Specific

Technology-specific questions had higher hit rates. AI can answer more concretely when the question is narrower. For “Which Swiss agency works with Astro.js?”, almost exclusively agencies appeared that explicitly write about Astro.js on their websites — not just a mention, but detailed technical articles.

Category 3: AI and Future Topics

Results here were thinnest. For questions like “Which agency understands GEO and LLMO?”, ChatGPT often couldn’t name specific Swiss agencies. This shows: the market is still young. Agencies writing about these topics now have a massive opportunity to dominate future AI answers.

Category 4: Industry-Specific

Industry-specific queries yielded mixed results. For “Restaurant website Switzerland,” ChatGPT more often referred to general platforms (Squarespace, Wix) than agencies. Agencies with industry-specific landing pages (e.g., “Websites for restaurants”) were mentioned more frequently.

Category 5: Cost and Comparison

For cost questions, ChatGPT gave surprisingly accurate estimates. The stated price ranges (CHF 3,000-50,000 for Swiss websites) match the market. Agencies that publish their prices transparently were used as references.

The 7 Factors That Determine AI Recommendations

Our analysis reveals seven clear factors:

1. Content Volume and Quality

Agencies with regular, high-quality blog content are recommended significantly more often. The threshold appears to be at least 10-15 substantial articles.

2. Structured Data

Websites with correct Schema.org markup (LocalBusiness, Organization, FAQPage) are preferred by ChatGPT when it actively searches with browsing.

3. Directory Listings

Entries on Clutch, Sortlist, Designrush, local.ch, and Google Business Profile serve as external validation.

4. Reviews

Google Reviews with high volume and good average (4.5+) correlate strongly with AI recommendations.

5. Technical Credibility

Agencies that write about technology and demonstrate their own performance are classified as experts.

6. Specific Positioning

“We’re the fastest web agency in Switzerland” is better than “We offer web services.” AI systems need differentiating statements.

7. Recency

Content from 2026 is clearly preferred over content from 2023. A blog post with “2026” in the title signals currency.

What This Means for Your Business

If You’re Looking for an Agency

Take AI recommendations as one data point, not as truth. Results vary widely and aren’t always accurate. Use AI recommendations as a starting point, but always verify:

The agency’s own website performance
Real references and case studies
Transparent pricing
Personal conversation

If You Want to Be Recommended

The good news: you can actively influence whether AI systems recommend you. The measures:

Create regular, high-quality content — At least 2 blog posts per month
Implement structured data — Schema.org for your business
Create an llms.txt — Compact AI summary
Maintain directory listings — Clutch, Google Business, local.ch
Collect reviews — Actively ask for Google Reviews
Show expertise — Write about what you do especially well
Publish prices — Transparency is rewarded
Keep your website fast — Lighthouse score 90+
Position specifically — What makes you different from everyone else?
Stay current — Date your content, update regularly

The Ethical Dimension

We want to be transparent: AI recommendations are not neutral. They’re based on training data, search results, and algorithms that can contain biases. Larger companies with more content and bigger budgets tend to be recommended more often.

That doesn’t mean small businesses have no chance — quite the opposite. In niches (e.g., “Astro.js agency Switzerland”), small, specialized businesses can dominate AI results because there’s less competition.

Limitations of Our Study

We also want to acknowledge the limits of our analysis:

29 queries aren’t representative — A comprehensive test would need hundreds of variants
Time-dependent — Results can change daily
Only two AI systems — Perplexity, Gemini, and others weren’t tested
No control over browsing results — What ChatGPT finds while browsing varies
Our own bias — As an agency that writes about AI optimization, we’re not entirely neutral

Outlook: What’s Coming 2026-2027?

Based on our observations and current trends:

AI recommendations will become more important — The share of users asking AI instead of Google continues to grow
Localization will improve — AI systems will be able to recommend Swiss businesses more precisely
Structured data becomes standard — Without Schema.org, you’ll become increasingly invisible
AI agents will visit websites — Not just recommendations, but direct interactions
Transparency and reviews win — Social proof becomes even more important

Conclusion

Our test with 29 queries shows clearly: AI recommendations are not random. There are concrete, traceable factors that determine which businesses get recommended. The most important: high-quality content, structured data, external validation (reviews, directories), and clear positioning.

For Swiss SMEs, this means: those who invest in AI optimization now have a significant head start. The market is young, competition is low, and the impact is measurable.

Talk to us if you want AI systems to recommend your business. We’ll show you where you stand today — and what you can do about it.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can I control what ChatGPT says about my business?

Not directly, but you can strongly influence it. Through high-quality content, structured data, llms.txt, and a broad online presence, you increase the probability of being mentioned correctly and positively.

How often do AI recommendations change?

Very frequently. The same question on different days can yield different agencies. You achieve consistency through a broad, high-quality online presence.

Are AI recommendations trustworthy?

Partially. AI systems can generate false information (hallucinations) and have biases. Use AI recommendations as a starting point, but always verify yourself.

How long until I appear in AI answers?

It depends on the system. With ChatGPT’s browsing, changes can take effect within days. For language model training data, it takes 6-18 months.

Do I need to hire an agency to appear in AI answers?

Not necessarily. Basic measures (writing a blog, maintaining Google Business, collecting reviews) you can do yourself. For technical measures like structured data and GEO optimization, we recommend professional support.

Which AI systems matter most for Swiss SMEs?

ChatGPT (user numbers), Google AI Overviews (Google Search integration), and Perplexity (targeted information search). Claude and Gemini are also relevant but less widespread in Switzerland.

What does AI optimization cost for a Swiss SME?

Basic measures (llms.txt, Google Business, basic Schema.org) are free. Professional AI optimization costs CHF 2,000-5,000 one-time plus optionally CHF 300-1,000/month for ongoing management.

Yes, especially in niches. For specific questions (e.g., a particular technology or industry), small, specialized businesses often even have an advantage over large generalists.