I built the largest collection of knowledge for Hajj and Umrah, and yet I wasn’t showing up on ChatGPT. It didn’t make sense.
Over the last few weeks, we have been taking a closer look at how Pilgrim Support is recognised online and how people searching for guidance on Umrah find reliable information.
We realised that tools like ChatGPT and other large language systems look for clear, verifiable evidence of what a charity actually does. We spend one afternoon, fixed a bunch of things and lo and behold - we were showing up!
Something big is already happening quietly.
When people want to give, they aren’t typing “best charities for Gaza” or “Zakat donation UK” into Google anymore. They’re asking ChatGPT.
And when they do, most charities vanish.
Even the big ones.
Not because they’re irrelevant.
Because AI doesn’t know they exist.
It’s the same mistake people made a decade ago when they ignored social media.
Back then, it didn’t seem urgent either - until it was too late.
So let’s fix this before that happens again.
Why this matters
ChatGPT doesn’t read the web like a human or a search engine. It doesn’t care about fancy website design or long blog posts filled with keywords.
It cares about clarity, consistency, and structure.
If your data is clean, your charity gets recognised.
If it isn’t, you disappear.
And the fix is actually simple.
Step 1: Make sure your charity details match everywhere
AI cross-checks your data across multiple sources.
That means your name, registration number, website, and social links need to match perfectly.
Here’s how to check:
Go to your Charity Commission page.
Go to your website footer.
Go to your Google Business profile.
Check your Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn bios.
If even one of them says something slightly different - like “The Pilgrim Charity” in one place and “Pilgrim UK” in another- AI treats them as separate organisations.
So start with consistency. That’s the foundation.
Step 2: Add structured data to your website
This is where most charities fall short.
You and I see a beautiful website.
AI sees code.
That’s why you need to add something called Schema markup - it tells AI exactly who you are.
Here’s how:
Go to any free schema generator online, you can use this one too
Fill in your name, website, logo URL, charity number, and social links.
Copy the code it gives you.
Paste it into your website’s
<head>section.Then test it on Google’s rich results tool.
It takes 10 minutes.
Once it’s live, AI platforms like ChatGPT can finally star tto read and verify your data properly.
Step 3: Publish short answers to real donor questions
ChatGPT isn’t browsing your site like a human.
It’s looking for clear answers to specific questions.
That’s how it learns who to trust.
So write short, simple pieces on your site that answer questions people actually ask.
For example:
Does [Your Charity Name] accept Zakat?
How can I volunteer with [Your Charity Name]?
Is [Your Charity Name] registered in the UK?
Can I trust [Your Charity Name]?
Keep them conversational.
One question, one answer, under 300 words.
End with your full charity name and a link to your donate page.
That’s it.
Step 4: Give it 10 days, then start testing it yourself
This one is often missed -but it’s powerful.
When AI is trying to decide which charities to trust, it looks for who else is linking to you.
If your charity’s website is mentioned or linked from trusted domains - like the Charity Commission, fundraisers, mosques, schools, or local authorities - those backlinks act as digital votes of confidence.
Here’s what to do:
Make a list of your key partners, funders, sponsors and affiliates
Ask them to link to your website from their partners, about, or impact pages.
Make sure the link uses your full charity name (not just “click here”).
If you’ve worked with journalists or community groups, ask to be cited on their websites too.
Include backlinks to your donation and about pages wherever possible. Create as many backlinks internally on your own site.
You don’t need hundreds of links.
Even 10-15 credible backlinks from local or sector-trusted websites can dramatically improve your authority in AI search.
AI learns trust by association.
If other reliable websites mention you, you rise with them
Step 5: Give it 10 days, then start testing it yourself
After about a week and a half, open ChatGPT and ask questions that should otherwise show up your charity.
Note: Only expect your charity to show up for queries you’ve clearly answered on your website.
If you’ve done everything right, your charity should start showing up.
Sometimes it takes time to climb up the list, but it will happen.
🧠 One final build better thought...
Once AI starts recognising your organisation, it’ll include you in more search results automatically.
Donors will start seeing your name when they ask questions about your type of work.
Journalists and campaign partners will find you faster.
And you’ll build long-term trust because your data is verified and consistent.
This is how visibility will work in the next few years.
And it’s not something you can buy or boost with ads.
You just have to be ready.
The charities that act now will lead the next decade of digital giving. The ones that don’t will slowly fade from visibility.
I hope this was helpfu, see you next Friday.
Until next then, whether you’re trying to improve yourself or your organisation, keep building better.
Zain
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I share real stories, frameworks, and lessons to help charities and startups grow smarter (and a little more human).