Hey Blue Collar Boss,
A homeowner’s water heater just failed.
A few years ago they would’ve opened Google and searched:
“Water heater repair near me.”
Today?
They’re asking Google AI, ChatGPT, Gemini, or Perplexity:
“Who is the best plumber near me for a water heater repair that is open now?”
And that’s where things get interesting.
Because AI isn’t scrolling through search results the same way people do.
It’s choosing. It’s making recommendations.
And one of the biggest places these AI systems are getting information from is your Google Business Profile.
Most contractors still think of their Google Business Profile as something they set up years ago and occasionally update when holiday hours change.
That’s a mistake.
Google is increasingly using Business Profile data to power AI-generated recommendations, local search results, Maps, and conversational search experiences. Reviews, photos, services, categories, business descriptions, and profile activity all help AI understand who you are and when to recommend your company.
Here’s the question:
If an AI assistant was asked today…
“Who’s the best HVAC company in Houston for a high-efficiency system replacement?”
Would it have enough information to confidently recommend your business?
Or would it recommend your competitor?
What AI Is Looking At
AI systems are increasingly evaluating:
- Review quality, not just star ratings
- Detailed service descriptions
- Photos that show actual work
- Complete service listings
- Accurate business information
- Recent profile activity and updates
- Strong local relevance signals
Businesses with complete and active profiles have a much better chance of appearing in AI-powered recommendations than businesses with outdated or incomplete information.
The Problem We Keep Seeing
Many home service companies spend thousands every month on Google Ads and Local Service Ads.
But their Google Business Profile hasn’t been touched in six months.
Missing services. Old photos. No recent posts. Generic business descriptions.
Meanwhile, homeowners are starting to rely on AI-generated answers before they ever click a website.
What To Do This Week
Take 15 minutes and check:
✓ Are all your services listed?
✓ Have you added new job photos recently?
✓ Are your reviews mentioning specific services?
✓ Is your business description current?
✓ Are your hours and service areas accurate?
✓ Have you added new job photos recently?
✓ Are your reviews mentioning specific services?
✓ Is your business description current?
✓ Are your hours and service areas accurate?
Simple stuff.
But simple stuff is often what separates the companies getting recommended from the companies getting ignored.
One Final Thought
For years, the goal was getting your business to rank.
Now the goal is getting your business recommended.
That’s a very different game.
And most marketing agencies haven’t adjusted yet.
If you’re wondering whether your Google Business Profile is helping or hurting your visibility in AI search, we’d be happy to take a look.
For our clients who are reading, this is already taken care of. We are on top of everything that Google is throwing at us. For any questions, reach out to your Account Manager.
Avi | Founder True Blue Collar Marketing
Talk to you next week,
