How to get into the 'best of' lists AI quotes
By the Pickgap team · Updated Oct 15, 2026 · 3 min read
Local 'best of' articles, awards and roundups are among the pages AI assistants cite most for recommendation questions, and their picks often become the AI's picks. Find the lists cited for your category, learn how each one chooses businesses, and earn a place through nominations, outreach to the writer, local awards and a strong review profile. Avoid pay-to-play lists that exist only to sell badges.
Why these lists carry weight
When someone asks "best HVAC company in Phoenix", the pages that best match that phrase are often pages titled "The best HVAC companies in Phoenix". AI assistants read them and frequently repeat their picks. A competitor who appears on three such lists has three independent sources saying they're among the best; you have none.
Step 1: Find the lists cited for your category
Ask your customers' questions on Perplexity, ChatGPT and Google's AI and collect every list-style source: local magazines, newspapers, city guides, comparison sites, award pages. Note:
- Who publishes it, and when it was last updated.
- How businesses are chosen: editor's picks, reader votes, nominations, data, or payment.
- Who's on it, and whether those are the businesses AI names.
Step 2: Sort them by how they choose
| Type | How to get on |
|---|---|
| Reader-voted awards (local magazine "best of" polls) | Get nominated, then ask customers to vote during the voting window |
| Editor's picks (newspaper or magazine roundups) | Pitch the writer with something newsworthy; be easy to verify |
| Data-driven lists (based on ratings and reviews) | Improve the data they use: review count, rating, licensing |
| Comparison and lead-gen sites | Read their criteria; many accept submissions or profile claims |
| Pay-to-play "awards" | Usually skip; see below |
Step 3: Pitch the writer properly
Editors and writers update lists when they have a reason. Give them one:
- Be specific. "We're a family-owned roofer in Charlotte, 15 years, 600 Google reviews at 4.8, GAF certified, and we did free repairs for 40 homes after the March storm."
- Be relevant to their readers. Local angle, recent news, something useful.
- Make it easy. A short email, a link to your reviews and licenses, a contact who answers.
- Don't demand. Ask to be considered for the next update, and offer to answer questions.
Step 4: Earn the signals lists use
Most legitimate lists lean on the same evidence AI does: reviews, ratings, licensing, years in business, local reputation and community presence. Work on your reviews, your directory listings and local involvement (sponsorships, events, charity work that gets covered). They help you get on lists and get named directly.
Step 5: Local news and community coverage
Local news sites are cited often and are trusted. Coverage of your business, a quote from you as an expert in a story, or a community project you led all create independent mentions. Offer yourself as a source on topics in your field ("what to check before hiring a contractor after a storm").
Be careful with pay-to-play awards
Some "awards" email businesses to say they've won, then charge for the badge and listing. These pages are rarely the ones AI cites, and paying for them adds little. Check: is the list cited in AI answers for your category? Does it have real editorial standards? If not, skip it.
Keep it honest
Don't create fake list sites or pay for placements presented as editorial. Search systems are built to discount manipulative pages, and being caught costs trust with customers too.
Questions
- How long does it take to get on a list?
- Reader-voted awards run on an annual cycle, so plan around their nomination dates. Editorial lists are updated irregularly; pitch now for the next update. Expect months, not weeks.
- Should I create my own 'best of' list that includes my business?
- No. A list on your own site ranking yourself first isn't independent, and AI assistants and readers treat it that way.