When someone asks ChatGPT for a plumber, roofer or HVAC company, ChatGPT doesn't consult a secret ranking. It searches the web, reads a handful of pages and summarizes them. For home services, a large share of those pages are directories: sites like BBB, Angi and Expertise.com that list and review local businesses.
That makes directories one of the most practical things a home-service business can work on, and most businesses have room to improve. In our November 2026 scan of 100 Dallas-area roofers, HVAC companies and plumbers, ChatGPT didn't name 96 of them in any of its answers. This guide covers which directories AI tools read, where the research disagrees, and a sensible order for claiming them. The usual honesty applies: being listed doesn't guarantee a recommendation, and no study has proven that any single listing causes ChatGPT to name a business. But directories are the AI tools' own source lists, and most of them cost nothing to claim.
What the research says
Several 2025–2026 studies counted which sites AI tools cited in answers about local services. They agree on the big picture and disagree on details.
Where they agree: directories are one of the top two source types, alongside business websites. In Yext's Q1 2026 analysis of 155.5 million AI citations, about 36% of OpenAI's citations went to listings and directories, and about 49% to business websites.
The most relevant home-services study (Cheers, September 2026, 34,742 AI answers across 100 metros) found:
- ChatGPT cited Expertise.com in about 32% of answers, Angi/HomeAdvisor in about 29%, and BBB in about 15%. It cited Google in just 0.1%.
- Perplexity leaned on BBB, Expertise.com and Angi/HomeAdvisor about equally (around 31% each).
- Google's AI Mode cited Google properties (like your Business Profile) in 95.5% of answers.
A plumber-focused study (about 14,000 queries, Relentless Digital via Roundhouse, August 2026) found Angi, BBB, Thumbtack, HomeAdvisor, Yellow Pages and Expertise.com among the most-cited sites, with Yellow Pages cited only by ChatGPT.
Where they disagree: Yelp. One study found ChatGPT cited Yelp in most answers. Another found zero Yelp citations from ChatGPT for plumbers (but plenty from Perplexity). Different dates, question styles and data access probably explain it. The practical answer: claim Yelp anyway. It's free, and Perplexity and Google's AI clearly use it.
Most of these studies were run by companies that sell marketing or listings services, so treat exact percentages loosely and the overall direction seriously.
What we see on our own pages
Our public pages show which sites ChatGPT read before naming businesses in each trade and city. Look at plumbers in Fort Worth, roofers in Fort Worth or HVAC in Houston and scroll to "Websites AI read to decide." Besides the directories above, we keep seeing:
- "Best of" list sites such as contractorsranked.com, dirttrades.com, tenbestfind.com, bestinhood.com and bestprosintown.com
- Review aggregator pages (for example Birdeye and Flexilocal review pages)
- Local news sites (chron.com in Houston) and license boards (the Texas plumbing board's site in Dallas)
- Manufacturer and association sites, like GAF for roofing and builder associations for remodelers
The directories every home-service business should claim
Tier 1: claim these first (mostly free, under an hour each)
| Directory | Why | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| BBB | A top ChatGPT and Perplexity source in multiple studies | Profile free; accreditation is paid |
| Angi / HomeAdvisor | Top directory for ChatGPT in several studies; one signup covers both | Profile signup; leads and ads are paid and optional |
| Thumbtack | Cited by ChatGPT and Gemini | No fee to join; you set a lead budget |
| Google Business Profile | Essential for Google's AI answers and regular Google search | Free |
| Yelp | Strong for Perplexity and Google's AI; disputed for ChatGPT | Free page; ads paid |
| Bing Places | Feeds Bing search, which some AI tools use | Free |
| Apple Business Connect | Apple Maps listing; showed up as a ChatGPT source in one study | Free |
| Facebook Page | Cited by Google's AI; common on Bing listings | Free |
Tier 2: next, as relevant
- Nextdoor Business Page. Free page, and neighbor recommendations are strong for local trades.
- Yellow Pages. Free basic listing, cited by ChatGPT in the plumber study.
- Houzz. Essential for remodelers, landscape designers, pool builders, window and flooring companies. Named in all 24 design and remodeling answers in one small 2026 index (5W).
- Foursquare. Cheap to claim. Often described as a ChatGPT data source, but the share figures we've seen are unverified.
Expertise.com: a special case
Expertise.com showed up as ChatGPT's single most-cited source in the Cheers study, but you can't apply or pay to get in. Per its published process, it selects businesses using public data, an algorithm over your online presence, license and certification checks, screening, and a mystery-shop phone call. The honest way to improve your chances: complete licenses, a strong website and reviews, and a phone that's answered by someone knowledgeable. If you're already listed, use their provider portal to correct your details.
Trade-specific credentials
These are harder and sometimes paid, but they give AI (and customers) independent sources to read:
- Roofing: manufacturer programs (GAF, Owens Corning, CertainTeed) and, in Texas, RCAT. GAF and RCAT have both shown up in our Dallas roofing scans.
- HVAC: manufacturer dealer programs, NATE, ACCA
- Plumbing: PHCC
- Electrical: NECA, IEC
- Remodeling: NARI, your local Home Builders Association
- Pest control: NPMA, QualityPro
- Landscaping: NALP
- Everyone in Texas: show your state license number (TDLR, TSBPE, Texas Department of Agriculture and so on) on your website and every listing.
How to do it right
- Use identical details everywhere: the exact business name, address, phone, website and hours. Inconsistent listings make it harder for any system to know they're all you.
- Pick the right primary category on each site, and list every service you offer.
- Add your service area (cities and neighborhoods) and a short, plain description: what you do and where.
- Send review requests to Google, not to ten sites. Keep your directory profiles complete and let reviews there arrive on their own. Some sites, Yelp in particular, discourage asking customers for reviews and may not show solicited ones.
- Check listings every few months for changed hours, old phone numbers and duplicates.
What to avoid
- Paying for "best of" placements without checking how the list works. Some list sites sell spots. A paid placement isn't necessarily wrong, but a fake "award" is.
- Buying reviews or posting fake ones on any directory. It breaks platform and FTC rules.
- Duplicate listings created by old owners or lead-gen companies. Find them and merge or remove them.
Keep it in perspective
Directories are one lever among several, alongside reviews, your website and earned mentions, and AI is one channel among several for finding customers. The upside of directory work is that it also helps with regular Google search and the many customers who check BBB or Angi before calling.
FAQ
Do I need to pay for Angi leads to be cited? No. A profile and paid leads are separate. Decide on leads based on your cost per job.
Which single directory matters most for ChatGPT? The data points to Expertise.com, Angi/HomeAdvisor and BBB, but studies disagree and things shift. Claim all the free ones.
How do I know which directories matter in my city? Look at the "Websites AI read to decide" list on the page for your trade and city, or run a scan that lists them for you.
See which sites ChatGPT read about your business. Run a free scan at localpickai.com. You'll see whether you're named, who's named instead, the exact websites ChatGPT read, and which listings to fix first. Free, no signup, about a minute.
