This article summarizes a live training from Restoration Marketing Group on how search is changing—and what restoration companies must do to stay visible and profitable as AI-recommended search ramps up. If you manage marketing, sales, or growth for a restoration business, this guide breaks down SEO, AEO (Answer Engine Optimization), and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) in plain language with actionable steps you can implement now.
Why this matters right now
Search is shifting. AI-powered overviews and generative answers (ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, CoPilot and others) are starting to appear at the top of search results. That doesn’t mean traditional SEO is dead—in fact, it’s more important than ever. But the way you structure content, show authority, and demonstrate local credibility needs to evolve so AI engines can recommend your company as the definitive answer when a homeowner asks, “Who should I call?”
Quick reality checks:
- AI-generated results are growing but still a small percentage of overall search volume (ballpark: low single digits today). Early adoption gives you an advantage.
- About 58% of searches don’t result in a click on average—AI overviews and direct answers are a major reason for that shift.
- High buyer-intent searches (e.g., “water damage company near me,” “emergency restoration 24/7”) still perform best with paid ads, LSA/Google Guaranteed, map pack placement, and strong SEO.
SEO, AEO, GEO—what’s the difference?
- SEO (Search Engine Optimization): Traditional efforts to rank in Google’s organic results and map pack—service pages, location pages, citations, reviews, page speed, schema, internal linking.
- AEO (Answer Engine Optimization): Optimizing to appear in AI-powered answer boxes and featured snippets (think: one clear answer the AI can pull into a summary).
- GEO (Generative Engine Optimization): Optimizing content for generative AI platforms (ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, CoPilot) so the AI cites or recommends your company when users ask for solutions or local options.
Where AI shows up—and why omnipresence still wins
Search results today can include:
- AI overviews / featured snippets
- Local Service Ads (LSA) and pay-per-click
- Google Business Profile (GBP) and map pack
- Organic search listings and FAQ snippets
- Generative AI recommendations (ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, CoPilot)
Your goal: be visible across multiple touchpoints. If a homeowner sees your brand in the AI answer, the map pack, paid ad, and on your website, they’re far more likely to call. We call this the “fishing poles” approach—more poles in the water equals more fish.
What AI and answer engines care about (the modern foundation)
Across platforms, the patterns are similar. AI prefers companies that look credible, recent, authoritative, and locally relevant. Focus on:
- Reviews, reputation, and rating: Quantity and high average rating drive trust and conversion—map pack and AI engines reward credible profiles.
- Recency: Fresh content and recent reviews matter—AI can prioritize newer, relevant info.
- Topical authority: Publish multiple in-depth pieces across water, mold, fire, crawlspace, duct cleaning, etc.—not one shallow blog and call it a day.
- Service area & city pages: Separate pages for each city and service help local relevance and map pack signals.
- Site performance & structure: Fast, mobile-friendly pages; schema markup; clear headings; strong internal linking.
The BRaIN framework (practical checklist)
- Brand representation — consistent business name, website, assets, GBP, citations.
- Recency & reviews — actively request recent reviews and maintain a strong average score.
- Authority & citations — earned coverage, guest content, podcasts, press releases, local citations.
- Indexability & structure — schema, sitemaps, internal linking, and service/city pages.
- Natural language — content formatted for human readers and AI parsers (concise headings, bullets, short summaries).
How to make content AI-friendly (practical formatting)
AI engines prefer clarity. When creating pages or blogs, use this structure:
- One-line summary or TL;DR at the top (5 bullet points or fewer).
- Clear headings (H2/H3 equivalents in your CMS) and bullet lists for steps, costs, or key takeaways.
- One clear answer per FAQ — concise, direct, and factual.
- Real case studies and before/after photos — these demonstrate authority and relevance.
- Calls to action that lead to contact (phone, request an estimate) so research content converts to leads.
FAQ & topic examples to target
- How do I know if I have mold in my home?
- Average cost to repair water damage in [city]
- What to do immediately after a flood or pipe burst
- How long does mold remediation take?
- How to choose a restoration company near me
These are research-driven queries—perfect for AEO/GEO content. Emergency, “near me,” and 24/7 queries remain high buyer intent and should be supported with LSA, PPC, and top map pack positioning.
Technical & on-page SEO considerations
- Implement schema markup for FAQs, services, local business, and reviews.
- Ensure fast mobile load times and good Core Web Vitals.
- Create service pages + city-specific pages for every market you serve.
- Interlink related articles and service pages—AI crawlers and Google follow webs of relevance.
- Track calls and conversions so you can measure ROI by channel (SEO, LSA, PPC, AI-driven traffic).
Reviews, trust signals, and conversions
Reviews are the single most powerful signal for local conversion and rising AI relevance. A company with hundreds of recent, high-rated reviews and a properly structured site will consistently beat a competitor with few reviews—even if the latter is cheaper.
Actions: set a review-request process, highlight warranties/certifications on site, and use before/after case studies to prove outcomes.
Platforms to watch
- ChatGPT / OpenAI
- Google’s Gemini (built into Chrome and Google products)
- Perplexity (research-focused generative answers)
- Microsoft CoPilot / Bing
- Voice assistants (Siri, Alexa) that pull from AI/featured snippets
These platforms are competing aggressively—partnerships and feature updates will shift quickly. That’s another reason to act now: early movers can lock in visibility before markets get crowded.
Quick implementation checklist (what to do this week)
- Audit your Google Business Profile: NAP consistency, categories, photos, hours, and recent reviews.
- Publish or update service pages and city pages for every market you serve.
- Add 3–5 AEO-friendly blog posts with TL;DR summaries, bullets, FAQs, and a CTA.
- Set up schema markup for FAQs and local business info (ask your web team or agency).
- Start a review-request campaign (SMS/email after job completion).
- Track calls and conversion rates by channel so you can measure impact.
Measuring success and staying adaptive
Monitor:
- Lead volume and lead source (SEO, LSA, PPC, referrals)
- Map pack rankings and GBP impressions
- Blog traffic to AEO-targeted pages and time on page
- Review growth and average rating
In the near future you’ll be able to track AI mentions and AI-driven rankings more directly. Until then, track the signals above and watch lead quality and conversion rates as primary KPIs.
The long game: omnipresence and offline + online
Companies doing $10M+ a year don’t rely on one channel. They invest in offline relationships (TPAs, referral partners) and multiple online fishing poles—LSA, PPC, SEO, GBP, and now AI-friendly content. The goal is consistent visibility across channels so the customer sees you as the obvious choice.
The best time to plant a tree was a thousand years ago. The second best time is now.
Final recommendations
- Do not abandon SEO—build the technical and content foundation first.
- Layer AEO/GEO efforts on top of that foundation with FAQs, case studies, and concise formatting.
- Push reviews, fresh content, and topical authority to win both human trust and AI recommendations.
- Be an early adopter: test generative platforms and iterate quickly—these systems change fast.
Want to go deeper?
If you want a quick-start guide, download the free workbook shared in the training to hand to your team and start implementing the checklist above. If you need help auditing your local presence, content, and review strategy, consider booking a discovery call with a marketing partner who understands both restoration and modern search behaviors.
Start now—build your foundation, make content AI-friendly, and be omnipresent in your market so you’re the company AI recommends when homeowners need help most.