The New Search Reality: How AI Results Are Impacting Contractor Leads and Sales
August 8, 2025AI-powered search is shaking up how homeowners find and hire contractors. It’s faster, more personalized, and more competitive than traditional search.
One of the biggest changes is the introduction of Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE), which uses AI to pull information from multiple sources and present a summarized answer at the top of the page. While convenient for homeowners, this feature can reduce clicks to individual contractor websites because much of the information is available directly in the AI-generated summary. If your business isn’t part of the data Google pulls for these summaries, you risk disappearing from the conversation entirely.
Leads Are Now Filtered by AI
Instead of homeowners browsing dozens of businesses, AI tools can instantly narrow the list to a few top recommendations. That means fewer companies are competing for the same job, but it also means you have to earn your spot on that shortlist.
Sales Come from Trust, Not Just Ads
AI doesn’t rank businesses solely on who’s paying for ads. It favors companies with a proven track record: strong reviews, detailed service descriptions, and visible proof of work.
“AI search is making lead generation more competitive,” says Don Marks of Superpath. “The contractors that win are the ones who’ve built a strong online reputation before the search ever happens.”
What You Need to Compete
- Keep your brand consistent across all online platforms.
- Encourage happy customers to leave reviews quickly.
- Publish fresh content so AI sees your business as active and reliable.
- Track leads from AI sources to see what’s working.
Turning AI Exposure into Sales
The real opportunity is converting AI-driven leads into customers. That means responding fast, following up, and providing an excellent experience from first contact to final payment.
