Episode Overview

Podcast: Owned and Operated – A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
Episode: AI Didn’t Kill Google Search — Here’s Why GBP Still Wins
Air Date: December 11, 2025
Host: John Wilson
Guest: Sam Preston, CEO of Service Scalers

This episode dives deep into the ongoing relevance and dominance of Google Business Profile (GBP) for home service businesses. Host John Wilson and Sam Preston explore why, despite the rapid rise of AI tools in search and operations, GBP remains the most valuable marketing asset. They discuss hands-on tactics for maximizing GBP effectiveness, share data-backed insights, and debunk common myths—offering listeners a clear playbook for using GBP to drive serious growth.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Impact (or Lack Thereof) of AI on GBP

• AI’s Limited Effect on GBP: Both hosts agree that despite AI’s proliferation (like ChatGPT, Perplexity), GBP remains relatively “insulated” in its effectiveness.

  • “AI has not impacted the gbp.” (A, 00:00)
  • “AI is going to pull [good reviews from your GBP] and someone's going to go like, oh, wow, that's really cool. I want that type of experience.” (B, 00:02)

• AI vs. Google Search Habits: There was a “fever pitch” of AI adoption, but users still double-check AI results against Google—especially for service providers, where AI answers have proven unreliable.

  • “All the information it’s giving me is wrong and I have to check it against Google anyways.” (A, 02:25)

• How AI and GBP Interact: AI search tools sometimes surface GBP reviews, but the competition for real, local search traffic continues to be led by Google proper.

2. The Massive Value of GBP

• Incredible ROI: John shares real figures on GBP investment vs. return, demonstrating GBP’s outsized role in revenue.

  • “I think we spend like ten grand a month on Google Business Profile investment. … it probably produces a half a million dollars a month of sales. Like, it's absolutely ridiculous.” (A, 10:57)
  • “It’s the craziest ROI we have… it’s worth every penny.” (A, 11:42)

• GBP as Primary Marketing Asset: The hosts repeatedly emphasize that GBP trumps almost every other marketing effort—certainly more than truck wraps or superficial website changes.

  • “This is the most marketing asset you have. If you're like, trying to figure out how to wrap your trucks better, like, nobody gives a. Like, work on your gbp.” (A, 00:30 & 34:51)

3. What is a Google Business Profile (GBP) and Why Does It Matter?

• Definition & Location: GBP appears in the “map pack” when users search for services. The goal is to land in the top 3, so buyers call directly without even visiting your website.

  • “GBP is effectively the first organic search that shows up… to drive phone calls. We really don't even want to drive people to your website from that.” (B, 06:14)

• Treat GBP Like a Website: Standout performers treat their GBP as their digital front door.

  • “People that do Google Business Profile best are the ones that treat it like it's its own website versus like it’s a campaign to drive to your website.” (B, 07:07)

4. Tracking & Attribution Best Practices

• Phone Number Tracking: Assign separate tracking numbers to each lead source (GBP, LSA, web, Angie's List, etc.) to accurately measure ROI.

  • “Every single GBP… is a separate phone number… The ability to separate that is sweet.” (A, 07:16)
  • “You want to be careful of that a little bit because of NAP consistency... For tracking it's really helpful. For ranking you want those to be consistent.” (B, 08:01)

• Consistent Reporting: Weekly and granular tracking of leads, revenue, and cancellation rates drive data-driven decisions on what channels to double down on.

5. GBP’s Relationship to LSA (Local Service Ads)

• LSA and GBP are Now Interconnected: Success in one drives success in the other due to platform integration.

  • “The rules don’t apply anymore because they merged LSA and GBP… If someone's LSAs aren’t doing good, okay, well what's your review cadence?” (A, 12:25)

• Best Results by Running Both: Agencies are now encouraged to sell both services in tandem for clients to maximize outcome.

  • “The clients that did both had significantly better results.” (B, 12:55)

6. The Big Three: What Most Influences GBP Rankings

(A) Proximity

• Location is King: You must be close to your ideal clients. Google heavily prioritizes physical proximity.

  • “Proximity is one of the big ones... pick a good spot, which again, location’s a marketing decision.” (B, 14:18 & A, 16:44)
  • “Location is a marketing decision… we moved towards the wealthiest section and… grew 50% the first year. Like, it was ridiculous.” (A, 16:44)

• Move or Open New Offices Smartly: Consider moving offices to more lucrative neighborhoods, or open compliant secondary offices to “game” proximity, but avoid overlapping service areas.

(B) Keyword Strength (Category Selection)

• Primary & Secondary Categories: Select the most relevant categories; don’t try to game the system with unrelated ones.

  • “If you’re a plumber, be a plumber. Don’t be like a storage facility that's also a plumber… this is dumb.” (A, 32:02)
  • “The primary category is going to be the main thing you want.” (B, 24:28)

• Subcategories Help: The main category will drive the majority of calls, but subcategories (done right) can add incremental value.

• Multiple Trades, Multiple Locations: If you want to maximize value for different services, you may need multiple dedicated GBPs (and thus, offices).

(C) Reviews

• Reviews are King: Quality, frequency, and recency matter. Volume is vital, but spreading reviews across all profiles is key.

  • “Reviews are still king and will consistently be king.” (B, 14:18)
  • “Are they good or are they bad? Are there pictures? What's the frequency? What's the volume? All those different things matter.” (A, 28:17)

• Incentivizing Reviews: Use team incentives, customer rewards, and automated follow-ups to drive more, better reviews.

  • “Companies that spiff their team members get the best results… Rewarding customers works, too—give them Starbucks gift cards or whatever.” (B, 27:00)
  • “Cash prizes… small contests… automation to push reviews.” (A, 28:17)

• Tools & Automation: Use programs that assign review requests to the relevant GBP for each job, ensuring all locations’ profiles remain active and rise in ranking.

  • “Wherever the job is, it sends the review and a picture from that job to the closest Google Business Profile to that job. Fucking awesome.” (A, 29:45)

7. Debunking GBP Optimization Myths

• Don’t Get Distracted by Minor Optimizations: Hours, proximity, reviews, and categories matter most. Tactics like geotagged photos rank near-last in importance.

  • “Geotagged photos—it was literally 186 on a list of 187.” (A, 32:18)
  • “People are focusing on like the least valuable part versus… is it just working?” (A, 32:55)

• For Agencies, the Long List Still Matters: Agencies must optimize for every possible factor, but owners should focus on the 3–5 that move the needle most at their scale.

  • “If you’re fairly new… you need to focus on the primary things that are going to drive you leads right now.” (B, 35:00)

8. The Changing GBP Landscape

• Constant Platform Evolution: Google is always “trialing” new changes (ex. removing Q&As), and sporadic traffic drops may relate to algorithm adjustments as much as seasonality.

  • “We’ll see like a drop… and we’ll realize they’re testing something… sometimes you’re doing all the right things and you still have a drop.” (B, 36:27)

• Education First: If your budget doesn’t allow agency support, there are plentiful DIY resources on YouTube.

  • “If you are small enough to where you don't have the money to pay somebody else… 80% of what we do is on YouTube that you can go learn.” (B, 37:32)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• ROI Powerhouse:
  “We spend like $10,000 a month on GBP… it probably produces a half a million dollars a month of sales. Like, it’s absolutely ridiculous.”
  — John Wilson (A), 10:57

• On AI & Habits:
  “I think we, everyone went through this, like, mass period of like, let's do everything with AI… and then everyone was like, oh, all the information it's giving me is wrong and I have to check it against Google anyways.”
  — John Wilson (A), 02:14

• Location = Marketing:
  “Location is a marketing decision. People don't treat it like a marketing decision, but it’s 100% a marketing decision because Google’s going to like prioritize you.”
  — John Wilson (A), 16:44

• Practical Review Tactics:
  “Companies that reward for reviews get better… reward customers for giving you a review… say, ‘Hey, we're doing a review challenge inside work and giving out Starbucks gift cards or whatever.’”
  — Sam Preston (B), 27:00

• Keep It Simple:
  “If you're a plumber, be a plumber… don't be like a storage facility that's also a plumber.”
  — John Wilson (A), 32:02

• GBP’s Place on the Marketing Pyramid:
  “This is the most important marketing asset you have is your gbp. Like almost nothing else matters. So if you're… trying to figure out how to wrap your trucks better, like nobody gives a, like work on your gbp.”
  — John Wilson (A), 34:51

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Value of GBP & ROI: 00:14, 10:57, 11:42
• AI & Search Behaviors: 01:06, 02:14, 03:05
• GBP Functionality & Setup: 06:14, 07:07
• Phone Tracking & Attribution: 07:16, 08:01
• GBP vs. LSA Discussion: 12:25, 12:55
• Top Three GBP Ranking Factors: 14:11, 14:18, 16:44, 23:09
• Location as Marketing Decision: 16:44, 20:01, 21:49
• Keyword/Category Selection: 23:09, 24:32, 25:28, 32:02
• Review Tactics & Automation: 27:00, 28:17, 29:45
• Debunking Minor Optimization Myths: 32:18, 32:55
• Constant Platform Changes: 36:27

Practical Takeaways & Action Items

• Prioritize GBP over other marketing projects—treat it as your digital storefront.
• Invest in strategic location selection for your core audience, even if it increases rent or overhead.
• Track all lead sources separately, balancing tracking needs with NAP consistency.
• Dedicate real budget and resources to ongoing GBP optimization—especially reviews and accurate categories.
• Don't sweat minor optimization tactics when the basics (location, category, reviews) aren’t perfect.
• Constantly monitor changes to Google’s platform and be ready to adapt.
• If you’re small, DIY and focus on the main levers until you can invest in more advanced tactics or professional help.

In summary:
GBP remains utterly dominant for home service business lead generation, even as AI transforms other parts of the web. Nailing proximity, category/keywords, and ongoing reviews will yield the majority of results, with granular optimizations providing incremental gains as you scale. AI tools haven’t dethroned Google for customer search habits—so keep your focus where it counts.