Are Your Contractors Getting Found in AI Search?
The short answer
If a homeowner asks ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Claude "find me a good HVAC contractor near me," your business probably isn't in the answer. 68% of contractors in our dataset aren't mentioned in any LLM at all. We call this the visibility gap. You're losing leads to AI search because LLMs don't know you exist—and they're trained to exclude businesses they can't verify.
Why this is happening
Large Language Models work differently than Google. They don't crawl websites and rank by links. Instead, they're trained on data snapshots—mostly Wikipedia, public reviews, news articles, and verified business directories. If your business isn't cited in those sources, the model has no training signal that you exist.
When someone asks an LLM for a contractor recommendation, the model pulls from its training data to generate an answer. It prioritizes:
- Verified citations—mentions in news articles, trade publications, industry reports
- Structural data—schema markup, business registrations, license records
- Authority signals—social proof, case studies, published expertise
- Consistency—same business name, address, phone across all sources
Most contractors optimize for Google (local SEO, reviews, the map pack). But LLMs need different signals. You can rank first on Google and still be invisible to Claude. That's the gap we measured across 137 audits: median visibility score of 32 out of 100, with top performers hitting 79. That 47-point gap represents lost revenue.
How to fix it in 4 steps
LLMO isn't complicated, but it's not Google SEO either. Here's the playbook:
1. Claim your structured data
Add schema markup to your website (Organization and LocalBusiness schema). This tells LLMs who you are in a machine-readable format. Include your business name, phone, address, license number, and service areas. Consistency matters—use the exact same business name everywhere.
2. Get cited in trade publications
LLMs are trained on industry publications. A single mention in a trade magazine (HVACR Business, Contractor Magazine, etc.) or a local news story counts as a training signal. You don't need 100 citations—five quality ones move the needle. Position yourself as an expert on a specific problem your customers face.
3. Build verified business profiles
Ensure your business is registered and verified in every directory LLMs use: Better Business Bureau, Chamber of Commerce, local business registries, and licensing boards. Fill out every field. Consistency across all profiles is critical.
4. Document your expertise publicly
Case studies, how-to guides, and published insights on your blog help LLMs understand what you do. Write about the problems you solve, not your services. LLMs are more likely to cite you if they can verify your expertise through content.
What NOT to do
Don't buy fake citations. LLMs are trained on source data. Fabricated mentions don't exist in training sets, so they won't help.
Don't assume Google ranking means LLM visibility. The ranking factors are completely different. You can dominate local search and be invisible to AI search.
Don't ignore consistency. If your business name is "Smith HVAC" on your website but "Smith Heating & Cooling Inc." on the BBB, LLMs see two different businesses. Pick one and use it everywhere.
Don't optimize for keywords. LLMs don't rank like search engines. Citation and authority matter more than keyword density.
How Mentioned helps
We've audited 137 contractor businesses and built a dataset showing exactly what moves the visibility needle. Our free 90-second audit scans ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and Gemini to show you your current visibility score and the specific gaps holding you back.
For contractors ready to move faster, we offer a founder cohort that closes July 4. Limited spots. You get the full playbook, weekly accountability, and direct access to what's working.
Next step
Takes 90 seconds. See where you rank in ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and Gemini. No email required.
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.