AI Citations

AI Citations: What Home Service Business Owners Need to Know

AI citations determine which home service businesses get recommended when homeowners search on ChatGPT, Google AI, and other platforms. Getting cited drives phone calls. Not getting cited means you are invisible to half of today’s customers.

Key Takeaways:

  • Pew Research found users click traditional results only 8 percent of the time when AI summaries appear, compared to 15 percent without AI.
  • McKinsey reports half of consumers now use AI search, influencing 750 billion dollars in spending by 2028.
  • BrightLocal found Yelp appears in 33 percent of AI citations, and Google Business Profile dominates local recommendations.
  • AI tools favor businesses with complete listings, fresh reviews, and clear website content that answers customer questions.
  • Follow the four-week plan in this guide to start earning AI citations for your plumbing, HVAC, electrical, or roofing business.

What Are AI Citations?

AI citations are references and source attributions generated by artificial intelligence search tools when they answer user questions. When someone asks ChatGPT, Google AI, Perplexity, or other AI platforms a question, these tools pull information from websites and cite the sources they used.

Think of AI citations as a new version of search rankings. Instead of appearing in position one through ten on Google, your business appears as a cited source in AI-generated answers. This shift accelerated rapidly in 2024 and 2025.

For home service businesses like plumbers, HVAC contractors, electricians, and roofers, this shift has real impact. When a homeowner asks an AI tool “who does emergency plumbing in Denver” or “best HVAC company near me,” the businesses that receive citations often receive the calls.

How AI Search Works For Homeowners

Most homeowners do not type short keywords anymore. They ask full questions. AI search tools handle those questions in a few basic steps.

  • The homeowner asks a question in natural language, such as “why is my air conditioner blowing warm air” or “who installs tankless water heaters near me.”
  • The AI system reads information from many sources. Examples: Google Business Profile listings, Yelp, industry directories, business websites, Wikipedia, government sites, and large review platforms.
  • The AI system writes a short answer for the user and often shows a list of sources under that answer.
  • The businesses that appear in those sources are the ones AI treats as reliable for that topic or location.

Research from BrightLocal shows that for local questions, AI tools rely most heavily on:

  • Google Business Profile
  • Yelp and other review sites
  • Industry-specific directories
  • Foursquare and other location data providers
  • Business websites with clear, complete information

This means your website and your local listings still matter. They now matter as source material for AI tools, not only for traditional Google rankings.

What Are Inbound AI Citations?

Inbound AI citations are references your business receives from AI tools. When ChatGPT or Google AI answers a question about your industry and references your website or listings, you receive an inbound AI citation. This increases visibility and supports authority.

Example: A homeowner asks “how much does furnace replacement cost in Chicago” and the AI tool cites your HVAC company’s pricing guide. That mention is an inbound AI citation.

Note: If you use AI tools like ChatGPT to help create website content, you may choose to disclose this for transparency, though it is not required by Google.

Why AI Citations Matter for Your Business

Four major changes are reshaping how homeowners find contractors online.

Traffic Patterns Are Shifting

Traditional Google search traffic declined in 2025. Research from Pew Research Center shows that users who see an AI summary click on traditional search results only 8 percent of the time, compared to 15 percent when no AI summary appears. Pew analyzed browsing data from 900 U.S. adults during March 2025.

For home service businesses, this means fewer people visit your website after a search. Many homeowners get their answer from the AI tool and stop there.

Publishers See Major Traffic Declines

Digital Content Next, a trade association for premium publishers, reported that member companies experienced traffic losses between 1 percent and 25 percent from Google Search after AI Overviews rolled out. Their August 2025 survey showed a median 10 percent drop in referral traffic from Google Search over only eight weeks.

While your home service business is not a publisher, this data shows the scale of the shift happening across all industries.

AI Summaries Dominate Search Results

The same Pew study found that 18 percent of all Google searches in March 2025 produced an AI summary. Longer searches and question-based searches produced AI summaries more often. Searches with 10 words or more generated AI summaries in 53 percent of cases.

When homeowners search for “emergency water heater repair near me open now,” they often see an AI summary before any traditional results with blue links.

Users End Browsing Sessions Faster

Pew also found that when users see an AI summary, 26 percent end their browsing session without visiting any website. When no AI summary appears, only 16 percent end their browsing session right away.

For a home service company, this means you want your business mentioned inside the summary or cited under it. Otherwise, the homeowner may finish their search without ever seeing your name.

How AI Search Tools Choose Citations

AI platforms select sources using a mix of authority, structure, and relevance. Understanding these factors helps you prepare your presence for AI-driven search.

Google Business Profile Dominates Local Searches

Research from BrightLocal confirmed that Google Business Profile (GBP) remains the most important single citation source for local businesses. Google’s AI experiences pull heavily from GBP listings when answering local service questions.

If your GBP lists emergency services, specific service areas, hours, photos, and accurate phone numbers, AI tools have a clearer picture of your business when homeowners search for help.

Local Business Directories Are Critical

BrightLocal’s research shows that AI search platforms rely heavily on local business directories and listings. In their July 2025 study, Yelp appeared as a source in roughly 33 percent of searches across the AI tools they tested. Industry-specific directories also appeared frequently.

For plumbers, this points to platforms like HomeAdvisor, Angi, and Thumbtack. For HVAC contractors, directories such as Carrier’s dealer locator, Trane’s contractor network, and Lennox dealer listings matter. For electricians and roofers, strong profiles on niche directories and home service marketplaces play a similar role.

Your Website Still Matters

BrightLocal’s earlier research into ChatGPT sources showed that business websites were used as sources more than half the time in local tests. Academic reviews of AI behavior, including sections of the Stanford AI Index 2025, also point out that AI models lean on high-quality, frequently updated websites for factual information.

For a home service company, this means:

  • You need a website that loads reliably and looks current.
  • Your services, prices, and service areas should be clear and easy to read.
  • Your name, address, phone, and contact methods should match your listings.

Authority Signals

According to Pew Research Center, Wikipedia, YouTube, and Reddit are the most frequently cited sources in Google AI summaries. Together they account for about 15 percent of all sources listed in AI summaries. Government websites on .gov domains appear in about 6 percent of AI summaries, compared to about 2 percent in traditional search results.

For home service businesses, this highlights the need for authority beyond your own website. Mentions on local news sites, chambers of commerce, industry directories, and strong review platforms raise your chances of being included in AI citations.

Content Structure

AI tools favor content with clear headings, short paragraphs, and direct answers. Structured data on your site gives AI systems clean signals about your name, address, phone, services, and reviews.

For example, a service page titled “Emergency Plumbing Services in Denver” with clear pricing ranges, service area information, and availability details is easier for AI tools to cite than a vague “About Our Company” page.

Question-Based Searches

Pew found that 60 percent of search queries starting with words like “who,” “what,” “when,” or “why” generated an AI summary. Searches written as full sentences produced AI summaries in about 36 percent of cases.

Home service customers often ask questions such as “why is my furnace making noise,” “what causes low water pressure,” or “how long does a water heater last.” Pages that answer these questions clearly, in plain language, have higher chances of being used as sources.

Optimizing for AI Citations

Getting cited by AI tools is not luck. It requires specific optimization steps. This practice is known as Answer Engine Optimization, or AEO.

AEO focuses on structuring your content so AI platforms understand, reference, and recommend your business when answering user questions. Traditional SEO aims for rankings in search results. AEO focuses on being the trusted source those AI answers draw from.

Learn more about Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) to see the complete strategy for becoming a cited source in AI search tools.

Quick AEO Priorities for AI Citations

  • Structure content around real customer questions. Create pages that answer questions such as “how much does water heater installation cost,” “signs you need furnace repair,” or “how often to replace a roof in a cold climate.”
  • Use simple, clear language. Avoid heavy jargon. Write the way you speak to customers on the phone.
  • Keep business listings accurate everywhere. AI tools pull heavily from Google Business Profile, Yelp, and verified directories. Your name, address, phone number, website, and hours should match on every platform.
  • Publish authoritative content. Build detailed service area pages, FAQ sections, and how-to guides. AI tools favor specific, helpful content over thin, generic pages.

Business Impact in 2025

Consumer Behavior Shifts

Research from McKinsey in 2025 found that roughly half of surveyed consumers use AI search tools on purpose as part of their buying journey. McKinsey projects that AI-driven search behavior will influence around 750 billion dollars in consumer spending by 2028.

For home service work, this means many homeowners ask AI tools for recommendations before they call contractors or fill out quote forms. Being cited by AI tools starts to matter as much as, or more than, traditional organic rankings.

Why Local Businesses Have an Advantage

Local Listings Drive AI Recommendations

Local businesses have strong opportunities in this new environment. When users ask “best plumber near me” or “emergency HVAC repair in [city],” AI tools rely on local listings, directories, and reviews to select recommendations.

BrightLocal’s research found that AI platforms often use Foursquare data for a large share of local results in smaller cities, along with other data sources. Accurate, consistent listings on multiple platforms, not only Google, help your business appear as a trusted result.

Reviews Drive Citations

AI tools draw from customer reviews when answering questions about business quality and reliability. BrightLocal’s study showed Yelp reviews appearing frequently as sources across AI platforms.

For example, a plumbing company with 50 recent reviews and strong responses looks more trustworthy to AI systems than a company with 10 old reviews, even if both display the same average star rating.

Measuring AI Citation Performance

Direct measurement of AI citations is still limited, but you can monitor several signals that show progress. Most home service businesses will not see dramatic overnight changes. Track these metrics over three to six months to spot meaningful trends.

  • Test AI platforms monthly. Search for your services on ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI with queries a homeowner would use. Note whether your business appears, either in the answer or in cited links.
  • Monitor brand mentions. Set up Google Alerts for your business name and main domain. Watch for mentions that reference AI tools or AI summaries.
  • Check referral traffic. Review Google Analytics under Acquisition, All Traffic, Source/Medium for visitors from AI tools. Some visits appear as referrals from domains related to AI platforms. Others land in direct traffic. A spike after you appear in AI summaries is a useful signal.
  • Measure conversion rates. Track how many phone calls and form submissions come from local search and related sources. For home service businesses, these actions matter more than page views. Leads that start from AI recommendations often arrive with stronger buying intent.
  • Document citation frequency. Keep a simple spreadsheet that records where and when AI tools mention your business. Over time this shows progress and highlights which platforms respond best to your efforts.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Ignoring Traditional SEO

AI tools lean heavily on websites that already rank well in Google. Strong rankings and local pack visibility still matter. A weak SEO foundation makes AI citations harder to earn.

Continue to work toward strong positions in the local pack for searches such as “plumber near me,” “HVAC repair in [city],” and “electrician [city].” Those signals feed into AI systems.

Neglecting Local Listings

Incomplete or inconsistent business listings weaken your authority. AI tools compare data across many platforms.

Your business name, address, phone number, and website should match across Google Business Profile, Yelp, Facebook, Angi, HomeAdvisor, and industry directories. Differences in spelling, suite numbers, or phone numbers reduce trust signals.

Ignoring Reviews

AI tools favor businesses with fresh, positive reviews and good responses from owners. Quiet profiles with few recent reviews send a weak signal.

  • Ask satisfied customers for reviews on Google and Yelp after each completed job.
  • Respond to every review, both positive and negative, in a professional, calm tone.
  • Address common concerns in your responses so future readers and AI tools see how you handle issues.

Creating Generic Content

Short, vague service pages receive little attention from AI tools. AI systems need clear, detailed answers to real questions.

Instead of a single line such as “We offer plumbing services,” use a heading like “Emergency Plumbing Services in Denver” and include:

  • Services covered, such as burst pipes, clogged drains, water heater failures
  • Response times
  • Service hours
  • High-level pricing ranges or visit fees

Waiting Too Long

Delaying AI optimization hands an advantage to competitors. The contractor who starts early, builds strong profiles, and earns citations becomes the default recommendation from AI tools for local homeowners.

AI tools favor established, consistent sources. Building that track record takes time, so starting early gives you an advantage.

Practical Next Steps for Home Service Businesses

The steps below outline a simple four-week plan, with ongoing upkeep afterward. Expect roughly two to three hours per week during the first month, then about one hour per week after that.

Week 0: Before You Start

  • Gather all current login credentials for your Google Business Profile, Yelp, Facebook, and other business listings.
  • Take screenshots of your current AI citations by searching for your business on ChatGPT and Google AI. This creates a baseline.
  • Set up a simple tracking spreadsheet with columns for date, platform, search query, and whether your business appeared.

Week 1: Audit Your Foundation

  • Review your Google Business Profile. Confirm address, phone number, website, hours, service areas, and categories are correct and complete.
  • Search for your business on Yelp, Facebook, Angi, HomeAdvisor, and key industry directories. Fix any mismatched or outdated information.
  • Test AI platforms. On ChatGPT and Google AI, run searches a homeowner would run, such as “emergency plumber in [city]” or “best HVAC company near [suburb].” Note whether your business appears anywhere in the answer or cited sources.

Week 2: Update Your Content

  • Create FAQ pages that answer common questions. Examples: “How much does a new furnace cost,” “How to know if a water heater needs replacement,” and “How long does a roof last in [region].”
  • Add service area pages for each city you serve. Mention neighborhoods, nearby landmarks, and zip codes when appropriate.
  • Refresh service pages with clear headings, pricing ranges, availability details, and photos of real jobs.

Week 3: Build Your Listings

  • Claim and complete profiles on industry-specific directories. For plumbers, focus on HomeAdvisor, Angi, and Thumbtack. For HVAC, add or update listings with manufacturer dealer locators such as Carrier, Trane, and Lennox.
  • Ensure your business information is submitted to major data aggregators like Data Axle and Foursquare. Your marketing agency or SEO provider can handle this for you, or you can use services like Yext or BrightLocal.
  • Add structured data markup to your website. If you are not comfortable with code, ask your web developer or marketing agency to add LocalBusiness schema markup to your site. In simple terms, this is code that labels your business name, address, phone, and services in a format search engines and AI tools read easily.

Week 4: Strengthen Authority

  • Request reviews from recent customers, starting with Google and Yelp. Use email and SMS follow-up after a completed job.
  • Publish at least one helpful article or guide. Examples: “Preparing your furnace for winter,” “What to do when a pipe bursts,” or “Checklist before hiring a roofer.”
  • Build local mentions. Reach out to local news sites, community blogs, and your chamber of commerce. Offer short expert quotes or simple how-to tips they can publish with a link to your site.

Ongoing Maintenance

  • Check AI tools monthly to see whether your business appears more often in answers and citations.
  • Update listings every quarter. Keep hours, services, and photos current across all major platforms.
  • Respond to reviews every week. Thank happy customers and address complaints calmly.
  • Monitor new AI platforms as they launch. Test how they answer local service questions related to your trade and location.

The Bottom Line

AI citations represent a major shift in how homeowners find local service providers online. Traditional search rankings still matter, yet being named as a trusted source by AI tools is quickly becoming just as important.

Your business needs both a strong SEO foundation and content that AI systems can read, trust, and cite. The contractor who appears inside ChatGPT answers or Google AI summaries is more likely to receive the call than a competitor who only appears in a list of blue links.

This shift rewards businesses that share clear, helpful information across many platforms. An accurate Google Business Profile, detailed service pages, strong reviews, and complete industry directory listings all feed the signals AI tools use to decide which companies to cite.

If managing all of this feels overwhelming, Digital Shift can handle these optimizations for you while you focus on running your business. Home service businesses that earn AI citations early will lead their local markets while slower competitors wonder where their leads went.