Plain English, no jargon
Your next customer doesn't search anymore. They ask.
For twenty years the game was Google: show up in the map pack, collect the call. That game changed. Millions of people now ask ChatGPT, Gemini, Siri, or their car — and instead of ten links, they get one answer with about three names in it. Here's exactly how that works, and where you stand.
That's the whole event. No search results page, no scrolling, no "page 2". The homeowner calls one of those three names — usually the first — and the job is gone. The brutal part: you never find out it happened. There's no missed-call log for calls that never came.
How does AI decide who to name?
It's not magic and it's not paid placement. Engines read the public internet and recommend whoever looks safest to recommend. Four things drive it:
Reviews — and what they say
AI engines read your Google reviews like a person would. Star count matters, but so do the words: "showed up in 20 minutes", "fixed it same day". A 4.9 with 40 detailed reviews beats a 4.9 with 6 empty ones.
Being listed everywhere, consistently
HomeStars, Yelp, BBB, local directories — engines cross-check them. Same business name, same phone number, same city everywhere. One mismatch and the engine loses confidence naming you.
A website that answers questions
Engines read your site. If it clearly says what you do, where you work, and what you charge — in text, not just pictures — you become quotable. A photo gallery with a phone number is invisible to them.
Getting mentioned by other people
Reddit threads, local news, "best plumber in Brampton" listicles. When other sites name you, engines treat it as a vote. This is the one most trades have zero of.
Notice what's not on the list: ads. You can't buy your way into the answer today — which is exactly why claiming your spot early is worth so much. Whoever the engines trust now keeps getting recommended, and every recommendation makes them look more trustworthy.
Where do you stand? Find out in one scan.
Run the free scan — 60 seconds to set up. We ask all 4 engines 72 real customer questions about your trade and city.
Your report card shows your grade, who AI names instead of you, and your 3 fastest fixes.
Fix it yourself with the report — or take the Fix seat and we do it for you. One business per trade, per city.
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