As Google and other search engines incorporate generative AI into search engine results and consumers interact differently with the AI results, your service business needs to adapt.
Do you know how customers search for and find your business online? Are you prepared to answer those changing search queries with the right content to capture every opportunity?
In a recent webinar, Andrew Adams, Scorpion Director of Integrated Marketing, explains the impact of consumers’ changing search habits and what actions you need to take to keep your business ranking high on search engine results pages.
In the following recap, you will:
Gain an understanding of how Google is changing the search experience with AI.
Learn the critical ways that AI search will mold consumer behavior and why your business should adapt.
Discover actionable steps to get your business ahead while AI search is still in its infancy.
Changing Online Search Habits
Scorpion, ServiceTitan’s preferred digital marketing partner, conducted a recent survey of about 1,000 respondents to gauge their changing search habits. Adams says the results show 79% of respondents indicated they’re looking through more search results than they did five years ago, with 54% indicating they looked through “significantly more.”
“I think we've all seen that trend. They’re scrolling through ads, trying to trust different results, and looking for the right answers,” Adams says.
A couple of other interesting findings from the survey include:
21% equate high ranking with trustworthiness
53% are more willing to consider an ad in a search result than they did five years ago
“So, no matter how trustworthy or reputable your business might be, the results at the top are the ones that searchers are trusting, just because they're ranking high,” Adams says. “And the 53% is great for anyone who's investing in PPC [pay-per-click] or online advertising.”
Another Scorpion survey found more consumers adopting AI and using artificial intelligence tools in a variety of ways, from figuring out what to make for dinner to drafting a business presentation.
“In a similar survey, we asked people their thoughts on AI. One in three considered themselves very knowledgeable about AI and 67% have some experience using AI — with the top categories being education and research, gaming and entertainment, and shopping,” Adams says.
With more consumers adopting and using AI to search for answers online, how much do they trust the AI search results? Scorpion survey results show:
14% would trust completely
33% would trust depending on the source
40% would always double check what they're seeing
14% would not trust at all
For service companies to benefit from AI search, Adams says, they need to focus on targeting the consumers who show some level of trust in the AI process.
The Future of Search
In the past few years, generative AI has transformed the way machines interact with and understand humans. Today’s AI search tools use machine learning to generate a dialogue, answer search queries, and create entirely new content. Now it’s time for contractors in the trades to embrace this concept and use it to win more customers.
“AI search results are going to become a really significant part of how consumers look for businesses online, and therefore how your business can communicate with those consumers,” Adams says.
Some fun facts about generative AI:
13 million adults in the U.S. chose generative AI as their main tool for online searches in 2023.
By 2027, over 90 million users are projected to choose AI as their main tool for online searches.
75% of Scorpion survey respondents said AI improves the experience of searching for local businesses specifically.
Of that 75%, 63% of respondents said it would definitely be beneficial in helping home services providers specifically.
“People want to use this tool,” Adams says. “They're looking to find your business and they're going to use the AI overview when they can, because it simplifies things for them.”
Generative AI, or conversational search, is available to the public in various tools like ChatGPT, Google's Gemini, Apple Intelligence, and several others. Google specifically uses this generative AI tool to help users get more of an overview of search results and a direct answer to their question when searching through Google. Google calls it the AI Overview.
“Instead of consumers having to search through multiple results to find who they want, Google gives them an overview of, ‘Here's the answer to your question. You asked: Best plumbers near me. Here's a couple,’ and they're going to pull in more information,” Adams explains.
“Instead of it just being based on your Google business profile or your SEO, it's pulling in information from several different places and giving you a synopsis of what the internet is saying about that business or those businesses that you're searching for,” he adds.
Interestingly, Google released its AI Overview in May, but then pulled back some of these features to improve their functionality after users reported a few odd and inaccurate results, such as results telling users to “glue pizza and eat rocks.”
In response to the AI Overview criticism, Google claims many of those inaccurate answers were a result of people using search terms that were really vague or had never been asked before, Adams says.
“The question, ‘Can I put glue and rocks on my pizza?’ is not something that most people would ask Google because they already know that’s a bad idea,” he says. “There was also one going around about how many cigarettes someone should smoke when they're pregnant.”
Adams says the AI Overview is still available, but Google has removed some of the user-generated content it pulled in from platforms like Quora, Reddit, and other review sites. While they’ve scaled back to make improvements, he says Google intends for it all to come back at some point.
To turn on AI Overview, click on this Google link. To test it, Google any term or phrase and the AI search overview bubble will display the generated results.
“As I've been testing this week, there are some times those aren't showing up because they focus largely on that user-generated content,” Adams says. “If you ask questions like, ‘Should I hire this type of professional?’ or more broad-based, opinion-type questions, it probably won't give you an AI overview. If you ask something like, ‘Who's the most reputable plumber in my area?’ It still might pull that kind of information in. They're treading lightly on giving advice.”
How AI is Changing Search
Just as access to the world wide web has affected our lives over the last few decades, Adams believes Google’s generative AI will truly affect the way consumers interact with search engines going forward.
But what does that mean? How is AI going to impact search overall? Adams provides a couple of examples.
1. Traditional search, before AI
A user searches for “electrician near me.” They see sponsored and ad content at the top, the map pack in the middle, and organic search results below. The data returned is based on the user’s ZIP code or area and the top results found in Google.
“The old way of search is the user looking through different sources to figure out what they need,” Adams explains.
2. Search with AI
Searching with AI allows the user to be more specific and personable, which tends to generate an expanded AI Overview with more specific answers.
For instance, you may ask, “Do I need an electrician to replace a circuit breaker?” The AI Overview generated response may include the following:
Follow safety advice and hire a licensed electrician, including cost and time involved
How-to video showing step-by-step instructions for replacing the circuit breaker
Tips for knowing when to replace a circuit breaker
The #1 newsletter for the trades.
And if you want to know the source of the information, simply click on the drop-down arrow next to each paragraph or sentence in the AI Overview.
In this case, the user clearly sees they need to hire a professional electrician so they can ask follow-up questions, like “Who’s a reputable electrician near me?” or “I need an electrician who accepts credit cards or offers financing.” Then, Google offers recommendations for local electrical businesses.
“The search terms could be more specific, and Google's going to give them an overview that really summarizes everything Google found on the internet about that topic, instead of them having to hunt for it themselves,” Adams says.
3. AI search results inspire conversation
Rather than searching online for specific keywords, AI Overview responds more to the specific situation at hand and creates a conversation or dialogue with the user making the query. The information it displays includes:
Summary: A synopsis of recommendations found online
Business profiles: A list of businesses meeting the search criteria and snippets of good reviews
Additional resources: Tips on when to hire an emergency plumber
Follow-up questions: AI suggests other questions to guide the user through the search process
“Google is really saying, ‘You asked me this one specific question, but I'm going to give you an overall view on what you need to do and how you can be prepared for whatever instance you ask,’” Adams says.
Users can also share their whole AI search experience with co-workers, spouses, and others so they can see where that journey took them and everything they learned.
“The user can go through a whole flow of information, asking additional questions, and looking to get their whole problem solved without having to go back to the search bar, asking additional questions, and starting all over again,” he adds.
7 Ways Consumers will Change Interaction with Search Engines
For service businesses to benefit the most from consumers’ changing online search behavior, Adams suggests working to optimize your website content and online presence now. Here are seven ways consumers will change their interaction with search engines.
1. Fewer search terms, and more conversation
The more specific and detailed the AI search prompt, the better the results. So, instead of asking for an “HVAC company near me,” the query might ask about a specific situation, such as “Why is my AC not cooling the whole house?”
“It's going to be more conversational,” Adams explains. “They're going to start asking longer questions with more nuances.”
2. Google uses your reviews to answer queries
If a consumer asks, “Who is the most affordable roofing company in my area?” Google will scroll through your reviews to find the answer.
“That's the only way for Google to get a really good understanding of your pricing,” Adams says. “If it's something about the customer experience or the customer's desires in financing or time, a lot of that is going to come from the review.”
For this answer, Google might search your reviews for mentions of “fair prices, fast service, and quality products.”
3. Google crawls your website for helpful content
To answer common questions with AI search, Google crawls websites to find the answer. To give your business the upper hand, create content that answers commonly asked questions to help get your website in front of more people.
“It's really a combination of your SEO, how you're ranking overall, plus if you're answering these specific questions for a user,” Adams says. “Content is super critical in this AI search.”
4. Third-party directories are still important
When answering queries about “plumbers near me,” for instance, Google often scrolls third-party directories and list-type articles for mentions of your business.
“It's important to be cognizant of where your company is mentioned or listed in places outside of your website like these types of lists because these will also play an important role in those AI search terms,” Adams says. “And Google looks to those third parties, who often have a higher SEO value for some of these generic terms, to find the right answers.”
5. Customer experience differentiates you
Customer experience and reviews play a huge role in getting your business to show up in search engine page results. Think in terms of:
How quickly you respond
What payment options you offer
Overall experience with your techs
Financing options offered
“If you offer flexible payments and financing, or if you have some sort of credence on how quickly your techs respond, those things are important. They help get you into these search results when people are looking for something really specific,” Adams says.
6. Specificity and transparency bring big advantages
“As searchers use more complicated search queries, as they're asking more questions, they want really specific information. The only way your website is going to show up is if you are also being specific around those questions,” Adams says.
Rather than focusing on keywords like “HVAC near me,” the question asked in the graphic above provides different answers to the specific question of: “Do you need to hire a professional to replace a thermostat?”
If the content on your website answers specific questions about the type of work or jobs you do, then AI search will pull that information in to provide specific answers. It also allows companies to be clear about what jobs they do really well or jobs they don’t want to do at all.
“Hitting on the things you want to expand more and talking in detail about your expertise around those things will help you really move the needle in those areas,” Adams says.
7. Demonstrating expertise will elevate results
Demonstrating how knowledgeable your team is around providing specific services also helps your business show up in AI search results.
5 Ways Your Business Can Prepare for AI Search
Adams says all of the following suggestions for preparing your business for AI search won’t harm you if consumers continue their traditional online searches.
“These are just ways to be more communicative with your customers and potential customers and to really make your business stand out with AI search,” he says.
1. Amplify your online presence
Does your website content say what you do and is it specific? Is it the kind of information that people want? And is it the information you want consumers to see?
What questions do your customers commonly ask? Does your website or blog content answer those questions clearly and concisely?
2. Be more conversational
As consumers change to more conversational search queries, it’s important your business responds in the same way and strives to create conversations around common topics. If a customer asks whether your business offers financing, respond with a few details rather than simply saying, “Yes, reach out to us to learn more.”
“Creating those conversations will help customers create a relationship with you and build trust, so once they reach out to you for a job, they already feel like they can trust you and you know what you're doing,” Adams says.
3. Create content that informs
“All of these really tie into each other, which I love from a marketing perspective. We can really get a lot done with some simple things, like creating content that informs,” Adams says.
From blogs and social media posts to FAQs and website landing pages, it’s important to provide detailed information and value that’s relevant to your customers.
4. Focus on the customer experience
If a potential customer searches for a specific thing, the information contained in your current customer reviews can help to provide specific answers. If a reviewer mentions how much they loved your company, your promptness, pricing transparency, etc., ask them to detail it all in a good review.
5. Show your expertise
If your company boasts a strong reputation in your community by giving back, tell your story.
“Those things are really important to consumers and give them a glimpse into who you are, what you do, and why they would want to work with you,” Adams says.
You can also ask AI search, “What are the pros and cons of using my business?” and add your business name and location.
“It pulls in a lot of information and can really give you a high-level overview of what the internet thinks about you. It sheds some interesting light on where you might want to pivot or things you should double down on,” he says.
Ready to learn more about AI search? Check out these additional resources:
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