For contractorsRoofing · plumbing · electrical · HVAC · painting · remodeling
When homeowners ask AI for a contractor, who gets the call?
“Who's the best roofer in Boston?” is increasingly typed into ChatGPT, Gemini or Claude instead of Google. The answer names about five companies. Here's what those answers rely on for Greater Boston contractors, from our own measurements, and what a contractor can do about it.
Where AI answers about contractors come from
Share of the 24 answers that cited each source (Claude with web search; roofing, HVAC, electrical, painting, plumbing and remodeling questions across Boston, Everett, Norwood, Stoneham and Watertown):
For a contractor, that's a clear picture: the AI is reading review platforms and contractor marketplaces, not magazines or blogs. A thin or missing profile on those sites is a missing vote in the answer.
What to fix first, as a contractor
- Yelp. Claim the page. Use the exact business name, phone and service area you use everywhere else, list every service you actually do, and keep reviews coming.
- Angi and HomeAdvisor. Same company now, both heavily cited. A complete profile with your licensing, service area and real project photos.
- Houzz, especially for remodeling, painting and roofing: project photos with town names in the descriptions.
- Google Business Profile. The right primary category (“Roofing contractor”, not “Contractor”), every service listed, and your service area, not just your address.
- Your own site. One page per service, the towns you serve in plain text, your license number, and LocalBusiness structured data. Two of the eight contractors we audited had no business structured data at all. Run our free check to see where your site stands.
- Reviews that mention the job. “Fixed our boiler on a Sunday in Medford” gives an AI something specific to repeat; “Great service!” doesn't.
How AIMS helps contractors
The free fix pack asks Gemini and Claude the questions your customers ask, in your trade and towns, three times each. You get who was named instead of you, the exact sources those answers cited (which marketplaces, which profiles), and the specific fixes, by email within two business days. If you'd rather we make the changes, the fix kit is $400, paid only once they're live.
Limits: one assistant (Claude with web search), one month (September 2026), 8 Greater Boston contractors chosen for audits rather than at random. Gemini and ChatGPT may weigh sources differently; we're measuring Gemini now too.
Is AI recommending your company?
Find out for your trade and your towns. Free, by email, within two business days. No call, no card.
Get your free fix pack