When a homeowner needs a roofer, plumber, or HVAC company, they're increasingly asking AI instead of searching Google. ChatGPT. Perplexity. Google's AI Overviews. These tools don't show a list of ten results — they recommend specific companies.
If you're not one of those recommended companies, you're invisible to a growing segment of homeowners. And that segment is growing fast.
AI Search Growth
52%
Of Google searches now trigger AI Overviews
By 2028
-50%
Predicted drop in traditional search traffic
I Have Proof This Works
I don't just talk about this. I've lived it.
I run Lapeyre Roofing in Texas. Six weeks after optimizing our website for AI search, I asked Google Gemini a simple question:
"I need a roof replaced here in Austin, Texas. What are some companies I should call?"
Community Favorites (Highly Mentioned on Reddit/Nextdoor)
Recent threads from Austin homeowners often highlight smaller or more specialized companies that excel at communication and insurance handling.
Lapeyre Roofing
Multiple recent discussions identify this company as a strong choice for insurance claim handling (specifically with carriers like State Farm) and responsiveness. Users have noted them for being a "smaller company with good people" and for effective communication during the claims process.
Lapeyre Roofing showed up alongside companies that have been in business for 40-50 years. Kidd Roofing has been around since 1982. Ja-Mar has over 50 years of history. Wilson Roofing is another longtime Austin institution.
We're competing with decades of brand recognition — and winning — because we optimized for how AI actually selects recommendations.
What This Means For Your Business
Right now, your competitors are spending thousands on Google Ads, fighting bidding wars that get more expensive every year. They're on aggregator sites like HomeAdvisor, competing with 3-5 other contractors for every lead.
Meanwhile, AI search is quietly taking market share. And almost no one in your industry is paying attention.
The First-Mover Window
- •47% of businesses have no AI search strategy at all
- •Only 0.3% of top websites have implemented the new llms.txt protocol
- •Your local competitors are almost certainly not thinking about this
This is like 2008 when local SEO first became a thing. The contractors who figured it out early dominated their markets for a decade. The ones who waited are still playing catch-up.
Why AI Recommends Some Companies Over Others
AI doesn't just pull names from Google rankings. It looks at different signals:
- 1.Community mentions
What people say about you on Reddit, Nextdoor, and local forums matters more than you think. AI scans these for authentic recommendations.
- 2.Reputation signals
Reviews, BBB ratings, industry certifications. AI cross-references multiple sources to verify you're legit.
- 3.Structured business information
Clear, consistent details about your services, service area, and expertise. AI needs to understand what you do to recommend you.
- 4.Fresh, authoritative content
Content that demonstrates real expertise — case studies, specific examples, proof you know what you're talking about.
The Gemini response that recommended Lapeyre Roofing specifically mentioned "smaller company with good people" and "effective communication during the claims process." That language came directly from community discussions about our work.
The Bottom Line
Optimizing for AI search is complex. It requires understanding how these systems work, what signals they look for, and how to position your business across multiple platforms.
But here's what I know for certain: the businesses that figure this out now will have a massive head start. By the time your competitors realize AI search matters, you'll already be the company getting recommended.
I've done this for my own roofing company. I know what works because I've tested it with real money on the line.
Want the Full Technical Breakdown?
This article covers the "what" and "why." If you want to understand exactly how AI search works — the protocols, the citation patterns, the implementation details — read the complete guide:
The Complete Guide to Generative Engine OptimizationHunter Lapeyre
Hunter owns Obieo (SEO and AI search optimization for home service businesses) and Lapeyre Roofing. Every strategy he recommends has been tested on his own business first.