In the age of AI search, enhancing your home improvement company’s website and brand visibility is more important now than ever.
In 2023, the digital landscape was transformed by AI-powered search experiences brought to life by OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, and other tech giants. The traditional “ten blue links” model for organic search has evolved into generating direct, conversational answers drawn from a myriad of sources—some of which might never even garner a click.
This new search paradigm can intimidate home improvement contractors who rely on online visibility for leads and revenue. How do you thrive when it feels as though the digital ground is shifting beneath your foundation?
At FatCat Strategies, our expertise lies in elevating home improvement businesses by navigating the complexities of digital marketing. We position ourselves as your on-demand project manager for the digital realm. In this article, we unpack the essentials of “AI search visibility,” explaining its significance for contractors that do roofing, siding, bathroom remodels, kitchen remodels, and more.
From Traditional SEO to AI Search Optimization: A Paradigm Shift
SEO traditionally focused on nailing down a spot in organic search results following a user query- also known as keywords. However, AI search engines like Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) and ChatGPT have redefined this concept. They instantly provide information, pulling details, statistics, and branded mentions from numerous pages to construct conversational answers. This change raises new challenges:
- How can you ensure your brand is selected by the AI?
- How do you gain recognition when answers are directly displayed on search results without navigation to your site?
- How do you maintain a steady flow of leads if web traffic declines?
Navigating these challenges requires moving from keyword-centric content to a sophisticated visibility plan tailored to large language models (LLMs), knowledge graphs, and conversational prompts.
SEO Strategy Has Changed
Forget about tracking individual keywords. What matters nowdays is being able to answer high and low level questions on a given topic. Keywords help you understand the intent of the user and the volume certain keywords are searched, but writing entire posts with the intent to rank for a single keyword doesn’t work anymore.
Instead, your main service pages need to be more comprehensive and easy to navigate. For examples, if some goes to a roofing pages, you would want to include information on the roofing services you provide, the installation process, materials, warranty information, brands, and anything else that could help a user – and AI search engine – understand what you offer.
The Three Layers of AI Search Visibility
Achieving visibility in AI search entails mastering three interconnected layers:
- Source Citations: Your content, brand name, or URL is featured as a clickable reference within the AI-crafted answer.
- Answer Inclusion: Your site’s specific data—such as services offered, pricing, hours, credentials, project timelines, or service areas—are integrated into the AI’s response.
- Follow-Up Suggestions: The AI recommends your website as logical next steps, leading users further into your marketing funnel.
Dominating all three layers is akin to having your brand prominently displayed at every corner of a neighborhood.
Why AI Search Visibility Is Crucial for Home Improvement Contractors
Before bringing a contractor into their homes, or writing a substantial check, consumers engage in thorough research. They ask complex questions such as:
- “What is the ROI of replacing old vinyl windows in my city?”
- “Is a curbless shower worth it for seniors in a two-story home?”
- “Best time of year to replace a roof in humid climates?”
These queries align perfectly with the capabilities of AI search engines, which thrive on delivering detailed, conversational responses. By ensuring your insights Influence these answers, you establish authority before a potential client picks up the phone.
Key Advantages for Contractors
- Higher Lead Quality: Prospects are pre-educated through AI-generated summaries, fostering more informed discussions.
- Brand Trust: AI endorsements, like quotes from Google, serve as third-party validation for homeowners.
- Competitive Edge: While some contractors remain skeptical about digital strategies like social media, AI search is a frontier for early adopters.
Four Tactical Steps to Elevate Your Content for AI Search Visibility
Below is a proven approach used by FatCat Strategies to boost client visibility across AI platforms:
1. Emphasize Topic Clusters over Isolated Posts
Content is still the most important part of your website. Hands down. Regardless of what happens with search and AI, people will still have needs. Your customers will still search for companies like you, whether through traditional Google search of AI search engines.
LLMs seek cohesive contexts. Interlinking content—such as connecting a kitchen remodel cost guide to cabinetry comparisons, then to countertop analyses—showcases topical mastery. Google’s Helpful Content System rewards this comprehensive approach, increasing the likelihood that your entire content cluster appears in AI-generated responses.
2. Master Data Structuring
AI relies on structured data, or schema markup, to understand and leverage your content effectively. Deploy <script type="application/ld+json"> markup for critical elements like:
- Service areas: Cities, counties, zip codes.
- Business details: Hours, pricing models, license numbers.
- Project portfolios: Before/after images, material specifications.
- Reviews and ratings: Aggregate scores, review counts.
Schema acts as the blueprint enabling AI to interpret your site accurately and efficiently.
3. Prioritize E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness)
AI prioritizes content with strong E-E-A-T signals. Not only do you want to make sure every page on your website meets these standards, but anywhere else your business is listed. Highlight:
- Experience: Showcase real project photos, step-by-step videos, and time-lapse installations.
- Expertise: Credentialing, certifications, and ongoing education badges.
- Authoritativeness: Involvement in your community, relevance in your industry, backlinks, awards, and accolades.
- Trust: Verified customer reviews, BBB accreditation, and transparent warranties.
Such signals assure the AI of your competence and reliability. This so many companies doing the same thing you do, it’s more important than even to not only stand out, but show up where others may not.
4. Track and Assess AI Search Mentions
Traditional rank-tracking emphasizes ten blue links. Instead, establish:
- Brand Alert Monitoring: Use tools like Google Alerts to track citations within AI responses.
- Zero-Click Impression Tracking: Monitor visibility with tools like Google Search Console and GA4’s “Engaged Sessions.”
- Conversation Analysis: Regularly query AI systems to gauge your domain’s presence.
Data-driven insights foster continuous refinement and competitiveness.
Avoiding Common Pitfalls in AI Content Creation
We still need content to rank. Both for traditional Google searches, but also in AI search engines. With so many companies now turning to AI to crank out content, we thought it best to warn you that just because you can produce more content, it does not mean that content is better. Be weary of the following:
- Thin AI-Generated Content: Content lacking depth and original insights can undermine E-E-A-T.
- Neglecting Local Nuances: Highlight specific local aspects like climate and codes in every post.
- Set-It-Forget-It Approach: Regular updates to your content and schema are necessary as AI models advance.
- Companies that Overpromise: We see it more and more, terrible AI content that doesn’t rank. In fact, much of this low quality content actually harms websites.
📊 Case Study: The Pitfalls of Quantity Over Quality
We recently onboarded a bathroom remodeling contractor who came from another marketing agency that promised over 10 blogs a month. Initially, the client was ecstatic, imagining how fast their website would grow. But after a long stretch with little to no traction, they turned to us for answers.
Our team conducted a thorough audit and analyzed data from Google Search Console for every page on their website. Here’s what we discovered:
After a year of publishing, the client’s website had a total of 175 blog posts — many of which had completely AI generated content and images. We looked at the performance and it was terrible. Those 175 blog posts had generated just 11 organic clicks from Google. Not only were the blogs failing to rank, but Google wasn’t even crawling most of them. This impacted the entire site’s authority — including their Google Business Profile.
Despite having over 200 five-star reviews, this contractor ranked poorly in local map listings. Meanwhile, competitors with fewer and lower-rated reviews ranked higher.
Our first move? We pruned over 100 underperforming blog pages. It was a bold step — but a necessary one to begin rebuilding their online presence.
Partnering with FatCat Strategies: Your Path to Success
Securing AI search visibility parallels the ongoing maintenance needed for a home. Our role as your digital guide ensures that every element aligns for maximum digital impact.
Our Comprehensive Support Includes:
- AI Site Audit and Visibility: We meticulously inspect your site using AI-sensitive tools to uncover issues and opportunities.
- Strategy Blueprint: Collaboratively, we prioritize the elements that promise the highest AI search gains.
- Implementation and Optimization: Our team executes the plan, ensuring your brand’s essence remains front and center.
- Performance Monitoring: Monthly reports track your progress in AI panels, citations, and conversions.
Just as you wouldn’t expect perfection by merely handing over tools, we deliver a full-service approach to elevate your online presence, coordinating every specialty on your behalf.
Embrace AI Search as Your Competitive Advantage
The shift to AI-driven search is unfolding now through smartphones and voice assistants. Contractors who adapt will gain remarkable authority and lead opportunities, while late-adopters may resort to costly pay-per-click strategies.
If your goal is to seize AI search visibility and solidify your status as a market leader, contact FatCat Strategies online. We’re ready to guide, implement, and celebrate every achievement with you because in both construction and marketing, your success is built on solid foundations.
