TL;DR
In 2026, homeowners find contractors two ways: a "near me" Google search and, increasingly, by asking an AI like ChatGPT. To win both, a trades website needs to be fast, built around your services and service areas, and structured so AI engines can quote it. The businesses that show up in both places book the jobs.
Trades businesses get found online in 2026 through local Google search (the map pack and "near me" results) and through AI search tools that recommend businesses directly. Showing up means having a fast, well-structured website, a strong Google Business Profile, and content that both Google and AI can read and trust.
How do homeowners search for contractors now?
Most still start with Google — often a "near me" search on their phone — and a fast-growing share now ask an AI assistant for a recommendation. If you're invisible in either, you're invisible to that customer.
What does a trades website need to rank on Google?
Speed, clear service pages, dedicated service-area pages for each city you cover, a consistent Google Business Profile, and real proof (reviews, photos). Google rewards sites that load fast and clearly answer what the searcher wants.
How do you show up in AI search (ChatGPT, Gemini)?
AI engines quote content that's clearly written, well-structured, and backed by real detail. That means answer-first pages, plain question-and-answer sections, and genuine local information — the same things that help you rank on Google now help you get recommended by AI.
What's the fastest thing to fix first?
Claim and complete your Google Business Profile, make sure your site loads fast on a phone, and build a real page for each service and service area instead of one generic page.
Related reading: how AI is changing the trades business in 2026 and how AI voice agents work and cost. See what we build on the platform page.
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Written by
Founder, GLO
Tiago Jahchan is the founder of GLO, the Montréal company behind GLO OS — the AI-powered operations platform for trades. He builds and runs the AI systems that answer calls, book jobs, and handle the back office for real contractors, and writes about what actually works (and what doesn't) when you put AI to work in a trades business.
- Founder of GLO / GLO OS — Montréal, Canada
- Builds and operates AI systems for live trades businesses
- First proven on Ottawa Driveway Experts