AI search in 30 seconds
Instead of typing keywords into Google and scrolling through results, people are now asking AI assistants questions in plain English:
"I need a licensed electrician in Penrith who can do a switchboard upgrade this week"
The AI doesn't give you a list of links. It gives you a direct answer — often recommending specific businesses, explaining why they're a good fit, and offering to help you contact them.
This is called AI search, and it's growing fast. ChatGPT alone has over 200 million weekly users globally.
How is it different from Google?
| Google Search | AI Search | |
|---|---|---|
| Result format | List of links | Direct recommendation |
| Ranking factor | SEO + ad spend | Quality + relevance |
| User effort | Click, read, compare | Ask and get an answer |
| Follow-up | New search | Conversation |
The key difference: Google ranks websites. AI recommends businesses. One rewards SEO tactics. The other rewards genuine quality signals.
Why tradies should care
If you're a tradie, this matters because your potential clients are starting their search with AI — and if AI can't find you, you're invisible to a growing share of the market.
The good news: AI search rewards the things that *good* tradies already have — real skills, satisfied clients, proper credentials. It doesn't reward ad spend or SEO tricks.
The bad news: you need to make those things visible and structured so AI can actually read them.
What "structured" means (no tech jargon)
Think of it like this: if you wrote your business details on a napkin, a human could figure it out. But a computer needs information in a specific format — like filling out a form instead of writing a letter.
"Structured data" just means your business information is in a format that computers can read automatically:
- Your trade type: not "we do a bit of everything" but "licensed electrician"
- Your service area: not "greater Sydney" but specific suburbs
- Your credentials: ABN, licence number, insurance details
- Your reviews: with dates, star ratings, and text — not just "great tradie 5 stars"
How to get started
- Claim your Google Business Profile and keep it updated
- Create a Quoteable profile — it's built specifically for AI discoverability
- Ask happy clients for detailed reviews — "great job" is less useful than "replaced our hot water system in Marrickville, on time and fair price"
- Keep your information consistent across every platform you're on