Local SEO for contractors
We asked ChatGPT, Google's AI Mode, Gemini and Perplexity who to hire, the way a homeowner would. Then we checked what the contractors they named had that the others didn't.
What we did
On October 5, 2026, we asked ChatGPT, Google's AI Mode, Gemini and Perplexity three questions a homeowner might ask about three trades: remodelers, roofers and plumbers. That's 36 AI answers, all in one small-town market.
Then, for each trade, we took the 3 contractors the AI tools named most often and 3 contractors from the Google Maps list that no answer named. For those 18 businesses we checked the same 9 basics we fix for clients, using only their public listings and websites.
What the named contractors had
| Basic | Named by AI (9) | Not named (9) |
|---|---|---|
| Google Business Profile complete (phone, own website, hours) | 100% | 33% |
| Website says the trade, the area and the phone number | 89% | 33% |
| Local business code on the website | 78% | 11% |
| Google reviews, average (median) | about 114 (80) | about 23 (17) |
| Bing listing | 100% | 78% |
| Member of the local chamber of commerce | 44% | 33% |
| Apple Maps listing | 100% | 100% (7 checked) |
| Search and AI crawlers allowed on the website | 100% | 100% (4 with websites) |
| Same name, address and phone everywhere | 56% | 56% |
(Our own check, October 5, 2026: 36 AI answers and 18 contractors. One market, one run per question.)
The answers named about 5 businesses each (between 2 and 8). Across each trade's 12 answers, the AI tools named 35 different remodelers, 15 roofers and 18 plumbers. So there's room on the list, but not much.
What that means for local SEO for contractors
- Finish your Google Business Profile. Every named contractor had a complete profile with a phone number, their own website and hours. Only a third of the others did. This was the biggest gap. See Google Business Profile optimization.
- Ask every customer for a review, every job. The named contractors had about five times as many Google reviews. Reviews build month by month, so start now. See how to get more Google reviews.
- Make your website say what you do, where, and your phone number. In plain text near the top of the home page: your trade, the towns you work in, and a number people can tap.
- Add local business code to your website. Most named contractors had it, and few of the others did. It isn't required, though: some named contractors had none. See local business schema, explained.
- Claim your Bing and Apple Maps listings. Bing showed a small gap. Apple Maps showed none in our check, but it's free and it's where iPhone users look. See Bing Places and Apple Business Connect.
- Show your real work. Photos of real jobs on your profile and website show customers what you do. Never use stock photos as if they were yours.
What this doesn't prove
It's a small check: 9 named contractors against 9 others, in one market, on one day, with one run per question. AI answers change from run to run. The named contractors were likely bigger and older businesses, so some of the gap may come from size, not from these basics. It shows the difference exists. It doesn't show that fixing these basics will get any one contractor named, and no honest company can promise that. We're testing it the only fair way: before-and-after checks with screenshots.
How we help contractors
We ask the AI tools the questions your customers ask, show you who gets named, and fix the basics above for your business. Then we ask again every month and show you the before and after.
Related guides
Common questions
What is local SEO for contractors?
It's the work that helps nearby customers find your contracting business when they search Google, look on Google Maps or ask an AI tool who to hire: your Google Business Profile, your reviews, your listings and your website.
What matters most for contractors to show up on Google Maps and in AI answers?
In our check of 36 AI answers, the contractors who got named had three things the others mostly didn't: a complete Google Business Profile, far more Google reviews, and a website that says their trade, their area and their phone number.
How many Google reviews does a contractor need?
There's no magic number. In our check, the contractors AI named had about 114 Google reviews on average (median 80), and the others had about 23 (median 17). Ask every customer, every job.
Do contractors need schema code on their website?
It helps search engines read your details, and most named contractors in our check had it. But some named contractors had none, and Google says no special schema is needed for its AI features. It's one basic, not a switch.
Can AI tools like ChatGPT recommend my contracting business?
Yes. When homeowners ask, the AI answers we checked named about 5 contractors each. Being one of them takes the basics above, and AI tools decide their own answers, so no one can guarantee a spot.
How long does local SEO take for contractors?
It varies, and anyone who promises a timeline is guessing. Reviews and listings build month by month. We re-check every month and show you the before and after, so you can see whether it's working.