How Plumbers Can Get Recommended by ChatGPT

Here's a question that might change how you think about marketing your plumbing business: When was the last time you asked ChatGPT to recommend a plumber in your area?

Go ahead—try it right now. Open ChatGPT and type "Who's the best plumber in [your city] for a water heater replacement?" Look at the names that come up. Are you on that list? Are your competitors?

If you're like most plumbers, you've spent years building your Google reviews, maybe running some ads, perhaps even investing in SEO. But there's a new game in town, and the rules are completely different. According to Pew Research, about one in three American adults have now used ChatGPT—and that number is growing fast. Many of them are using it to find local services, including plumbers.

The businesses that figure this out first will have a massive advantage. Here's how to be one of them.

What is AI Visibility for Plumbers?

AI visibility refers to how often and how favorably your plumbing business appears when potential customers ask AI assistants like ChatGPT, Google's AI Overviews, or Perplexity for recommendations.

Unlike traditional SEO, which focuses on ranking in search engine results pages, AI visibility determines whether you're included in the short list of plumbers that AI actually names when someone asks for help. There's no "page two" in AI recommendations—you're either mentioned or you're not.

Think of it like this: when a homeowner asks ChatGPT "Who should I call for a burst pipe in Denver?", the AI doesn't show ten blue links. It gives a direct answer—usually naming two or three businesses. Your job is to be on that list.

Why ChatGPT Recommendations Matter for Plumbers

The way people find plumbers is fundamentally changing. Here's why this matters more than you might think.

The Trust Factor

When Google shows someone ten search results, they know they're looking at a list. But when ChatGPT recommends a specific plumber, it feels different—more like advice from a knowledgeable friend. This creates an enormous amount of trust in that recommendation.

According to a study by Seer Interactive, businesses mentioned in AI-generated answers see significantly higher engagement rates. People trust AI recommendations because they feel personalized and researched.

The Zero-Click Reality

Traditional search is increasingly becoming "zero-click"—meaning people get their answer without ever visiting a website. AI takes this even further. When someone asks ChatGPT for a plumber recommendation, they often get a name and phone number right there. No clicking, no comparing, no scrolling through ads.

For plumbers, this means the competition isn't about who ranks highest anymore. It's about who gets named at all.

The Growing User Base

ChatGPT isn't a novelty anymore—it's becoming a daily habit for millions of people. From January to June 2025, ChatGPT usage grew by nearly 70%, with local service queries growing even faster. The homeowners who are comfortable asking AI for plumber recommendations today will be the majority tomorrow.

How ChatGPT Decides Which Plumbers to Recommend

Here's what most plumbers don't realize: ChatGPT isn't randomly picking names out of a hat. It's making calculated decisions based on the information it can find about your business. Understanding this process is the first step to influencing it.

Information Sources ChatGPT Uses

ChatGPT pulls from a variety of sources to form its recommendations:

The key insight here is that AI doesn't just count links or keywords. It's looking for clear, consistent, comprehensive information about your business. If you say you serve Denver on your website but your Google Business Profile says Aurora, that inconsistency hurts you.

The Role of Reviews in AI Recommendations

Reviews matter for AI visibility, but not in the way you might expect. ChatGPT doesn't just count your stars—it actually reads what customers say about you.

If your reviews consistently mention phrases like "showed up on time," "explained everything clearly," and "fair pricing," the AI picks up on those patterns. It uses this sentiment analysis to decide not just whether to recommend you, but how to describe you.

A plumber with 4.2 stars but detailed, specific reviews might outperform a competitor with 4.8 stars but generic "great service!" reviews. Quality and specificity matter more than quantity.

Geographic Relevance

When someone asks ChatGPT for a plumber in a specific city or neighborhood, the AI needs to be confident you actually serve that area. This is where many plumbers lose out.

If your online presence only mentions your main office location, AI might not recommend you for jobs in surrounding areas you actually serve. Being explicit about your service area—on your website, Google Business Profile, and other platforms—helps AI understand where you can help.

7 Steps to Get Recommended by ChatGPT

Now for the practical part. Here's exactly what you need to do to improve your chances of being recommended by ChatGPT and other AI assistants.

1. Audit Your Online Information Consistency

Start by searching for your business across the web. Is your business name exactly the same everywhere? Phone number? Address? Service area descriptions?

Inconsistencies confuse AI. If Yelp says you're "Bob's Plumbing" but your website says "Bob's Plumbing Services LLC," that creates uncertainty. Pick one version and make it consistent everywhere.

Here's a quick checklist:

• Business name matches exactly across all platforms
• Phone number is identical (including formatting)
• Address is consistent
• Service area descriptions align
• Business hours are accurate and matching

2. Expand Your Service Area Information

Don't just list your main city. Be explicit about every area you serve. Create dedicated pages or sections for each neighborhood, suburb, or region where you take jobs.

For example, instead of just saying "Serving the Denver metro area," list out: Denver, Aurora, Lakewood, Arvada, Westminster, Thornton, and so on. This helps AI confidently recommend you when someone asks for a plumber in any of those specific locations.

3. Detail Your Services Comprehensively

AI can only recommend you for services it knows you offer. Many plumbers have vague website descriptions like "We handle all your plumbing needs." That doesn't help AI understand what you actually do.

Get specific:

• Water heater installation and repair (including tankless)
• Drain cleaning and hydro jetting
• Sewer line repair and replacement
• Emergency plumbing services (24/7)
• Fixture installation (faucets, toilets, showers)
• Pipe repair and repiping
• Gas line services
• Water treatment systems

Each service should ideally have its own detailed description. When someone asks ChatGPT "Who can install a tankless water heater in Phoenix?", you want your business to clearly match that query.

4. Encourage Detailed Customer Reviews

Generic five-star reviews don't help AI understand your business. Coach your customers to leave specific, detailed feedback.

Instead of: "Great plumber, highly recommend!"

Encourage: "Called them for a water heater replacement. They showed up same day, gave me three options with clear pricing, and had the new unit installed in four hours. Very professional and cleaned up completely when done."

The second review gives AI rich information about your responsiveness, transparency, service offerings, and professionalism. That's what influences recommendations.

You can prompt better reviews by sending follow-up emails with specific questions like:

• What service did we perform for you?
• How was the communication and pricing transparency?
• Would you recommend us for similar work?

5. Build Local Authority Signals

AI pays attention to mentions of your business across the local web. Being featured in local news, mentioned on community forums, or listed in "best of" roundups all strengthen your credibility.

Ways to build local authority:

• Sponsor local events or sports teams
• Contribute expert quotes to local news outlets
• Participate in community Facebook groups (helpfully, not promotionally)
• Get listed in local business directories beyond the obvious ones
• Partner with complementary local businesses (real estate agents, contractors)

These mentions create a web of local relevance that AI uses to validate your business.

6. Create Content That Demonstrates Expertise

AI is drawn to businesses that demonstrate genuine expertise. This doesn't mean you need to become a blogger—but having helpful, authoritative content on your website makes a difference.

Consider creating:

• A FAQ page answering common plumbing questions
• Service pages that explain your process and approach
• Local guides (e.g., "Common Plumbing Issues in Older Denver Homes")
• Educational content about when to DIY vs. call a pro

This content helps AI understand you're not just another plumber—you're a knowledgeable professional who can be trusted.

7. Monitor and Adapt

AI recommendations aren't static. What gets you recommended today might change as AI models update and more plumbers start optimizing for visibility.

Pantora is an all-in-one platform built specifically for home service businesses looking to get found by AI. Pantora creates an AI-optimized website for your business with structured questions and answers designed to boost your visibility. You'll get weekly recommendations—which Pantora can implement for you—plus in-depth tracking across ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, and Perplexity. Pantora also monitors sentiment, which directly affects how AI mentions and describes your business.

Instead of piecing together multiple tools and strategies, Pantora handles the entire process from building your AI presence to tracking results.

Traditional Marketing vs. AI Visibility: What's Different?

If you've invested in traditional marketing, you might wonder how AI visibility fits in. Here's a comparison:

The good news is that many AI visibility strategies also help traditional SEO. Consistent business information, quality reviews, and comprehensive service descriptions benefit both. But the emphasis is different—AI cares less about backlinks and more about clarity and consistency.

Common Mistakes Plumbers Make with AI Visibility

Avoid these pitfalls as you work on getting recommended by ChatGPT:

Ignoring the Opportunity

The biggest mistake is assuming this doesn't apply to you yet. Every month you wait, more of your competitors are getting ahead. AI visibility is a land grab—the businesses that establish themselves now will be hard to displace later.

Inconsistent Information

Having different business information across platforms is the fastest way to hurt your AI visibility. AI interprets inconsistency as uncertainty, and it won't confidently recommend a business it's not sure about.

Focusing Only on Star Ratings

A 5.0 rating with ten generic reviews is often less valuable for AI visibility than a 4.5 rating with fifty detailed, specific reviews. Quality and specificity of review content matters more than the number at the top.

Neglecting Service Area Details

If AI doesn't know you serve a particular area, it won't recommend you there—even if you've done hundreds of jobs in that neighborhood. Be explicit and comprehensive about everywhere you work.

Trying to Game the System

Some plumbers ask about shortcuts—keyword stuffing, fake reviews, or other tricks. These approaches backfire. AI is sophisticated enough to detect manipulation, and the platforms you'd be manipulating (Google, Yelp, etc.) actively fight against it. Focus on accurately representing your genuine business strengths.

The Plumber AI Visibility Checklist

Here's a practical checklist to work through:

Information Consistency

• Business name identical across all platforms
• Phone number matches everywhere
• Address is consistent
• Service area descriptions align

Service Clarity

• Each service you offer is listed explicitly
• Service pages have detailed descriptions
• Pricing transparency (even if ranges)
• Emergency/after-hours availability is clear

Review Optimization

• Review response process in place
• Follow-up system encourages detailed reviews
• Reviews mention specific services and outcomes

Local Authority

• Listed in relevant local directories
• Some local media or community mentions
• Active in local online communities

Content & Expertise

• FAQ page with common questions
• Service process explanations
• Some educational content

Monitoring

• Know how you currently appear in AI answers
• Tracking competitor AI visibility
• Regular audits of online information

Getting Started Today

You don't need to tackle everything at once. Start with the highest-impact actions:

1. This week: Search for your business on ChatGPT. Ask it to recommend plumbers in your area for various services. See where you stand.

2. This month: Audit your business information across the top platforms (Google Business Profile, Yelp, Facebook, your website). Fix any inconsistencies.

3. Ongoing: Implement a system to encourage detailed customer reviews. Even one or two specific reviews per week compound over time.

4. Get expert help: Pantora builds your AI-optimized presence, provides weekly recommendations, and tracks your visibility across all major AI platforms—so you can focus on running your business.

The plumbers who start now—while most of the industry is still focused solely on traditional marketing—will build an advantage that compounds over time. When AI becomes the primary way homeowners find services, you'll already be established as a go-to recommendation.

The Bottom Line

ChatGPT and other AI assistants are changing how homeowners find plumbers. This isn't a future trend to watch—it's happening right now, with millions of people already using AI to find local services.

The businesses that get recommended aren't random. AI looks for plumbers with clear, consistent information, strong customer sentiment, demonstrated expertise, and local authority. These are all things within your control.

You're already great at what you do. You fix pipes, install water heaters, and solve problems that homeowners can't solve themselves. The only question is whether AI knows it too.

The plumbers who figure this out first will dominate their local markets for years to come. The ones who wait will wonder why the phone stopped ringing.

Which one will you be?

Frequently Asked Questions