We audited 100+ trade contractors across HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and roofing for how often AI search engines (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini) name them when homeowners ask for service recommendations. 87% scored below 25/100 on the AI Visibility Index, meaning they are functionally invisible to AI search. Median score: 14/100. Top score: 67/100 (Brand X). The gap between visible and invisible contractors correlates almost entirely with mechanical factors (schema markup, citation density, structured content), not budget, scale, or years in business.
| Year | Median | % Invisible | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 4/100 | 96% | Pre-ChatGPT-Search era. Citation surface limited to brand-name queries. |
| 2025 | 7/100 | 92% | ChatGPT Search launches. Early adopters with schema markup begin appearing. |
| 2026 | 14/100 | 87% | Perplexity + Gemini reach scale. Median doubles but 87% of trade contractors are still invisible. |
Leaderboard publishes 2026-06-03.
Leaderboard publishes 2026-06-03.
Leaderboard publishes 2026-06-03.
Leaderboard publishes 2026-06-03.
Leaderboard publishes 2026-06-03.
30 standard homeowner queries per company, run across ChatGPT (GPT-5), Perplexity, and Gemini. Queries spanned three categories: "Best [trade] in [city]" (10 variants), "Who should I call for [problem]" (10 variants), and "Top-rated [trade] near [zip]" (10 variants). Scoring: 1 point per engine for being named, 2 points per engine for being named first. Normalized to 0-100 across 90 query-engine combinations.
The methodology was reviewed by three independent practitioners with no equity in Mentioned. Each received the full query set, scoring formula, and raw audit output for spot-check verification. Reviewers received a flat consultation fee and hold no ongoing financial interest in the publisher.
Beyer, N. (2026). The 2026 AI Visibility Index for Trade Contractors. Mentioned. https://mentionedinai.com/benchmark