Google has dominated the search market for decades, but OpenAI’s ChatGPT is reshaping how people find information.
With ChatGPT’s rise, home service businesses must ask some pretty big questions:
- Does ChatGPT threaten Google’s stronghold in search?
- How does it impact local SEO strategies?
- Can we start getting ourselves onto more ChatGPT answers, intentionally?
ChatGPT’s Rapid Growth – A Disruptive Force
ChatGPT’s growth has been explosive. As of October 2024, ChatGPT boasts over 180 million active users, a steep climb from just 100 million earlier this year. According to SimilarWeb, ChatGPT’s website sees 1.5 billion visits per month, outperforming Bing and rivaling some Google properties.
Microsoft’s integration of GPT-4 into Bing has fueled this growth. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella stated that every 1% shift from Google to Bing brings an additional $2 billion in annual revenue. This puts substantial pressure on Google to maintain its dominance, especially in sectors like home services where local searches are critical.
Is ChatGPT a Real Threat to Google?
The answer is nuanced. Google still commands 91.5% of the global search market, but cracks are showing:
- Younger users (18-34) are increasingly relying on AI chat tools for recommendations.
- Bing’s share of the search market has grown by 10.5% since integrating ChatGPT.
- ChatGPT-powered searches are more conversational, targeting long-tail queries often overlooked by traditional SEO.
Yet, Google remains unmatched in data volume, speed, and indexing. Google processes 8.3 billion searches daily – dwarfing ChatGPT’s scale. But ChatGPT’s advantage lies in direct answers without relying on traditional web pages.
Google’s Strategic Response – Enter SGE
Google isn’t standing still. The Search Generative Experience (SGE), rolled out in 2024, blends AI chat into search, offering interactive and personalized results. Google’s generative AI will integrate directly with Google Maps, Local Service Ads, and Shopping – areas crucial to home service businesses.
Despite SGE’s potential, user adoption lags. Only 12% of Google users actively use SGE, compared to 22% using ChatGPT for search.
Key Differences:
- ChatGPT: Direct answers, powered by OpenAI models, skews conversational.
- Google SGE: Merges AI chat with traditional search results, focusing on products, services, and local listings.
SEO Aggression Translates to AI Visibility
The work you’re putting into aggressive SEO strategies isn’t just for Google – it benefits ChatGPT visibility too. When you dominate search results, ChatGPT scrapes and integrates your content more frequently.
Why This Works:
- Content Dominance: More content means higher chances for ChatGPT to find and use your material.
- Keyword Clustering: Target multiple variations of long-tail keywords in different formats. AI favors layered, comprehensive content over isolated keywords.
- Local Authority: Building authority on platforms like Google My Business and Bing Places directly feeds ChatGPT’s pool of references.
Doubling Down on Reviews and Testimonials
Positive reviews and detailed testimonials serve a dual purpose – boosting Google rankings and enhancing AI recognition. ChatGPT often references businesses with strong reputations, so amplifying client feedback plays a key role in AI-driven search.
Action Items:
- Encourage Reviews: Automate follow-up emails or texts requesting reviews after service completion.
- Video Testimonials: Embed client videos on your site and YouTube, increasing the content AI can crawl.
- Aggregate Reviews: Use structured data to show reviews prominently in search results and chat responses.
How ChatGPT Affects Home Service SEO
SEO isn’t dead, but it’s evolving. ChatGPT’s responses increasingly favor authoritative, content-rich websites. Home service providers should adapt by:
- Create ‘Best of’ Lists Featuring Your Business
ChatGPT pulls from lists like “Best Roofers in Austin.” Create content that references your own business within these lists. Self-referential content boosts visibility. - Write Long-Form Content Answering Common Queries
Long-tail queries drive ChatGPT responses. Address questions like “How much does AC repair cost in Dallas?” to increase AI-driven visibility. - Focus on Content Velocity
Publishing frequently around niche home service topics improves ChatGPT recognition. Use tools like Surfer SEO and Jasper.ai to scale content creation. - Optimize for Bing
Since ChatGPT pulls from Bing, focus on Bing SEO by enhancing Bing Places listings, using schema markup, and building citations.
Actionable Tools to Dominate ChatGPT and Google SEO
- Surfer SEO: AI-powered content optimization.
- AnswerThePublic: Identify long-form search queries.
- Jasper.ai: AI-driven blog and web content creation.
- Ahrefs/BrightLocal: Analyze local keyword trends and backlinks.
Final Take – Can ChatGPT Overtake Google?
While ChatGPT disrupts search patterns, Google’s infrastructure is too vast to crumble overnight. However, ignoring ChatGPT’s influence is risky for home service marketers.
Winning in this evolving landscape means mastering both. Build Google-focused SEO while experimenting with AI-driven strategies to rank on ChatGPT. By increasing content output, integrating local keywords, and leveraging ‘best of’ lists, your home service business can thrive across both platforms.
