How the AI Visibility Score Works
TL;DR
The AI Visibility Score (0-100) measures how often a business shows up when homeowners ask ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and Google AI Overview for service recommendations in their area. We query 10 real-world questions per trade, count citations across 4 engines, and score on citation presence, citation accuracy, and competitive position. 137 audits show median visibility of 32/100, with top performers at 79/100 — a 47-point gap.
Why This Happens
Homeowners stopped typing "best [service] near me" into Google around 2024. They now open ChatGPT or Perplexity first. AI engines don't use Google rankings to generate recommendations. They use training data, citations from your website and third-party directories, schema markup, and their own scoring logic. A business can be top 3 on Google and completely invisible to AI engines.
This is not a bug in the AI. It is a real visibility gap. If you don't show up in ChatGPT, you don't exist to the growing segment of homeowners who ask AI first. From January 2025 to May 2026, AI search share for local services jumped from 4% to 22% and continues accelerating.
Most contractors have zero visibility because they built their local presence on Google Business Profile, reviews, and Yelp citations — none of which reliably surface in AI recommendations. The 47-point gap between median and top performers shows it is fixable, but not through traditional SEO alone.
How to Fix It
- Add LocalBusiness schema to your website. AI training data includes structured data. A proper JSON-LD schema with your business name, phone, address, service areas, and reviews tells AI engines what you do. Most contractors skip this step.
- Build citations in AI-friendly directories. ChatGPT and Perplexity train on Wikipedia, Crunchbase, YellowPages, Better Business Bureau, and trade-specific directories. Getting listed in the directories your trade reads improves citation volume and accuracy.
- Create high-ranking content about your services. If your website ranks for "best HVAC companies in [city]" or "signs you need AC repair," AI engines see you as an authority and cite you. Content SEO compounds with schema markup.
- Ensure NAP consistency across the web. Your business name, phone, and address must match everywhere they appear (Google Business Profile, your website, directories, social profiles). Mismatches hurt citation confidence.
- Submit your site to Google Business Profile if missing. While Google doesn't directly feed into ChatGPT rankings, a complete GBP record helps AI training data accuracy about your business. It is table stakes.
The order matters. Start with schema, add citations, then layer in SEO content. Most operators improve from invisible (under 20) to moderate (50-70) within 90 days by following this sequence.
Common Mistakes
- Confusing Google ranking with AI visibility. A business can rank #1 on Google and be invisible to ChatGPT. The ranking signals are orthogonal. You need both.
- Counting on reviews alone. Google reviews don't appear in ChatGPT or Perplexity responses. AI engines use citations (business mentions) not review volume. A business with no reviews but strong citations often scores higher.
- Ignoring schema markup because "Google doesn't require it." Google Search may work without schema. AI training does not. Schema is the difference between AI seeing a vague business mention and a structured business profile.
- Listing only in Google Business Profile and Yelp. AI engines train on broader data: Wikipedia, Crunchbase, YellowPages, trade associations, industry directories. You need to be visible beyond the two platforms most contractors use.
- Expecting instant results. Citation presence takes 4-8 weeks to propagate through AI training cycles. Schema changes take 2-4 weeks to appear in AI responses. Patience compounds faster than shortcuts.
- Treating AI visibility as a one-time fix. Competitors are actively building citations right now. If you measure once and stop, your competitors will pass you. Monthly tracking is the only way to know if you are staying competitive.
How Mentioned Helps
Run a free 90-second audit at mentionedinai.com. You will see your current score, which AI engines cite you, which competitors dominate your area, and specific recommendations ranked by impact. The audit is based on 137 real audits across the trades and powered by live queries to ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and Google AI Overview — not cached data.
If you want to track monthly, Mentioned subscriptions run from $97 to $797/month and include score history, alerts when you drop, and weekly audits at higher tiers. Founder cohort pricing closes July 4, 2026 — operators who subscribe by then lock in lifetime discounts.
Start free. Run the audit at mentionedinai.com, see where you stand, and decide if monthly tracking fits your revenue math. Most contractors who see their gap decide to fix it within 30 days.
See your general AI visibility score in
Enter your business below. We run live queries across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and Gemini. You get your score in under 90 seconds.
Common questions about AI visibility for general contractors in
Google ranks pages. AI search engines like ChatGPT and Perplexity name specific businesses in answers. A general contractor in can rank #1 on Google and still be invisible in ChatGPT, because the signals are different (schema, citations, structured data, training-data presence).
Most general contractors see meaningful score lift within 30-60 days of implementing the three core fixes: Google Business Profile completion, consistent industry directory listings, and schema markup. The 47-point gap between median (32) and top performers (79) is closeable.
Yes. Roughly 40% of homeowner searches now start in ChatGPT or Perplexity instead of Google. Even with strong Google rankings, you can be completely invisible in AI answers, which means losing calls you don't even know about.
Your AI visibility score across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and Gemini. Specific gap analysis against top performers in . Three highest-leverage fixes prioritized by impact. Takes 90 seconds, no card required.