FULL AEO REPORT · CITED DIGITAL

Acme Plumbing & Heating

https://acmeplumbing.com · Home Services
OVERALL SCORE
42/100
Grade: D
CATEGORY BREAKDOWN
AI Citation
38
Structured Data
15
Brand Entity
55
Conversational
48
E-E-A-T
40
Local AI
60
AI engines have very little reliable information about your business. The changes below will have a significant impact.

Executive Summary

Acme Plumbing & Heating scored 42/100 on AEO readiness, below average for the Home Services industry. The biggest opportunity is adding structured data markup, which alone could move the score into the 60s. Four quick wins this week will cover the most ground with the least effort.

DO THIS WEEK

Quick Wins

These 4 changes have the highest payoff for the least effort. Start here.

1
Add LocalBusiness Schema Markup
AI engines use schema markup as a direct citation signal. Without it, they can't reliably confirm your business name, address, phone number, or service area, so they skip you.
30 min  ·  See full steps in Recommendation 1 below
2
Create or Claim Your Google Business Profile
When someone asks ChatGPT or Google's AI for a plumber in Murray, KY, the AI checks Google Business Profile as a primary trust signal. A complete GBP with reviews makes you a confident recommendation.
45 min  ·  See full steps in Recommendation 2 below
3
Add Your Business to 5 Key Directories
AI engines cross-reference your business info across the web to build confidence in your brand entity. Consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone) across directories is a strong trust signal that gets you cited more often.
1 hour  ·  See full steps in Recommendation 3 below
4
Optimize Your Homepage Meta Title and Description
AI engines read your page title and meta description to understand what your business does and where you operate. A vague title like 'Home' gives them nothing to work with when deciding whether to cite you.
20 min  ·  See full steps in Recommendation 4 below

Recommendations

Listed in priority order. Quick wins come first.

01 · STRUCTURED DATA QUICK WIN

Add LocalBusiness Schema Markup

30 min
IMPACT: HIGH EFFORT: LOW

Why this matters: AI engines use schema markup as a direct citation signal. Without it, they can't reliably confirm your business name, address, phone number, or service area, so they skip you.

How to do it
  1. Copy the JSON-LD code block below
  2. Add it to the <head> section of your website using your platform's method
  3. Test it at search.google.com/test/rich-results to confirm you see a green checkmark
  4. Verify your business name, address, and phone match exactly what's on your Google Business Profile
SELECT YOUR PLATFORM
  1. Install 'Schema & Structured Data for WP' plugin (free, 200k+ installs)
  2. Go to Schema > Add New Schema > select LocalBusiness
  3. Fill in your business name, address, phone, and hours in the plugin fields
  4. Save. The plugin auto-injects the JSON-LD into your site's <head>
  5. Alternatively, paste the code below into your theme's header.php just before </head>
Code to copy
Copy everything below. The platform steps above show exactly where to paste it.
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "LocalBusiness",
  "name": "Acme Plumbing & Heating",
  "url": "https://acmeplumbing.com",
  "telephone": "+1-270-555-0100",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "streetAddress": "123 Main St",
    "addressLocality": "Murray",
    "addressRegion": "KY",
    "postalCode": "42071"
  },
  "openingHoursSpecification": [
    {
      "@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification",
      "dayOfWeek": ["Monday","Tuesday","Wednesday","Thursday","Friday"],
      "opens": "08:00",
      "closes": "17:00"
    }
  ]
}
</script>
02 · LOCAL AI PRESENCE QUICK WIN

Create or Claim Your Google Business Profile

45 min
IMPACT: HIGH EFFORT: LOW

Why this matters: When someone asks ChatGPT or Google's AI for a plumber in Murray, KY, the AI checks Google Business Profile as a primary trust signal. A complete GBP with reviews makes you a confident recommendation.

How to do it
  1. Go to business.google.com and sign in with your Google account
  2. Search for your business name, claim it if it exists, or create a new listing
  3. Add your full address, phone, website, and service hours
  4. Upload at least 5 photos (exterior, team, work examples)
  5. Ask your last 10 customers to leave a Google review
SELECT YOUR PLATFORM
  1. This is done directly in Google, no website changes needed
  2. Once verified, copy your GBP URL and add it to your site footer as a 'Reviews' link
  3. Install 'Google Reviews Widget' plugin to display reviews on your site (boosts E-E-A-T)
03 · BRAND ENTITY CLARITY QUICK WIN

Add Your Business to 5 Key Directories

1 hour
IMPACT: MEDIUM EFFORT: LOW

Why this matters: AI engines cross-reference your business info across the web to build confidence in your brand entity. Consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone) across directories is a strong trust signal that gets you cited more often.

How to do it
  1. Submit or claim your listing on: Yelp, Bing Places, Apple Maps, Angi, and HomeAdvisor
  2. Use the exact same business name, address, and phone on every platform
  3. Add photos and a description to each listing
  4. Check that your website URL is correct on each profile
SELECT YOUR PLATFORM
  1. Directory listings are done on external sites, no WordPress changes needed
  2. After listing, install 'BrightLocal' or 'Whitespark' plugin to monitor your NAP consistency
  3. Add your directory profile links to your site footer for added trust signals
04 · AI CITATION READINESS QUICK WIN

Optimize Your Homepage Meta Title and Description

20 min
IMPACT: MEDIUM EFFORT: LOW

Why this matters: AI engines read your page title and meta description to understand what your business does and where you operate. A vague title like 'Home' gives them nothing to work with when deciding whether to cite you.

How to do it
  1. Update your homepage title to: '[Service] in [City, State] | [Business Name]'
  2. Example: 'Plumbing & Heating in Murray, KY | Acme Plumbing'
  3. Write a meta description of 150 to 160 characters covering your main service, location, and a call to action
  4. Include your city and state in both the title and description
SELECT YOUR PLATFORM
  1. Install Yoast SEO or Rank Math (both free, Rank Math is recommended)
  2. Edit your homepage and scroll to the SEO panel at the bottom of the editor
  3. Update the 'SEO Title' field to: Plumbing & Heating in Murray, KY | Acme Plumbing
  4. Update the 'Meta Description' to a 1 to 2 sentence summary with your city and phone
  5. The green circle indicator confirms optimal length, aim for green on both fields
05 · CONVERSATIONAL CONTENT

Add an FAQ Section to Your Homepage

2 to 3 hours
IMPACT: HIGH EFFORT: MEDIUM

Why this matters: AI engines are trained to answer questions. Pages with clear Q&A content get cited far more often than pages with only marketing copy. FAQs also match exactly how people search with voice and AI assistants.

How to do it
  1. Write 6 to 8 questions your customers commonly ask (e.g. 'Do you offer emergency service?', 'What areas do you serve?')
  2. Add these as a visible FAQ section on your homepage
  3. Add FAQPage schema markup so AI engines can read it directly
  4. Keep answers concise, 2 to 3 sentences each, plain language
SELECT YOUR PLATFORM
  1. Install the free 'Accordion FAQ' plugin or use your theme's native accordion block
  2. Edit your homepage and add a new section titled 'Frequently Asked Questions'
  3. Add each Q&A pair using the accordion component
  4. Go to your Schema plugin and add a FAQPage schema pointing to this section
  5. Paste the FAQ schema code below as a fallback if your plugin doesn't support it
Code to copy
Copy everything below. The platform steps above show exactly where to paste it.
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "FAQPage",
  "mainEntity": [
    {
      "@type": "Question",
      "name": "Do you offer emergency plumbing service?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "Yes, we offer 24/7 emergency plumbing service in Murray and surrounding areas. Call 270-555-0100 for immediate assistance."
      }
    },
    {
      "@type": "Question",
      "name": "What areas do you serve?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "We serve Murray, KY and all of Calloway County, including surrounding areas within 30 miles."
      }
    }
  ]
}
</script>
06 · E-E-A-T SIGNALS

Add Team & About Page with Real Names and Credentials

2 hours
IMPACT: MEDIUM EFFORT: MEDIUM

Why this matters: Google and AI engines now heavily weight Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trust signals. A real About page with licensed professional info makes AI more likely to cite you as a trustworthy source.

How to do it
  1. Create or update your About page with owner/team names and photos
  2. List any licenses, certifications, or years in business prominently
  3. Add a Person schema for the business owner
  4. Link to any professional associations or local chamber membership
SELECT YOUR PLATFORM
  1. Create a new Page titled 'About Us' or edit your existing one
  2. Use the Columns block to add team member bios and headshots side by side
  3. Add license numbers and certifications in plain text (e.g. 'KY Master Plumber License #12345')
  4. Use your Schema plugin to add a Person schema for the owner
  5. Link the About page in your main navigation menu

Your 90-Day Game Plan

A rough schedule for working through the recommendations above. Recommendation numbers match the list above.

WEEKS 1 TO 2
Phase 1: Foundation (Recommendations 1, 2)
WEEKS 3 TO 6
Phase 2: Content & Trust (Recommendations 3, 4)
WEEKS 7 TO 13
Phase 3: Measure & Refine (Recommendations 5, 6)
BONUS
SEO SNAPSHOT

Search Engine Optimization

SEO and AEO are complementary: the same signals that help Google rank your site also help AI engines cite it. With a 42/100 AEO score and no detected structured data, fixing your on-page SEO fundamentals will lift both your search rankings and your AI visibility at the same time. These wins are especially high-value for home service businesses in competitive local markets like Murray, KY.

Set Up Google Search Console
Search Console shows you exactly which search queries bring people to your site, which pages rank, and any crawl errors Google has found. For a plumbing business, it often reveals untapped local keyword opportunities. Go to search.google.com/search-console, add your site, and verify ownership using your platform's meta tag method.
LOW EFFORT
SELECT YOUR PLATFORM
  1. Go to search.google.com/search-console and sign in
  2. Click 'Add Property' and enter your domain
  3. Choose 'HTML tag' verification, copy the meta tag
  4. Install Yoast SEO, go to Yoast > General > Webmaster Tools, paste the code
  5. Return to Search Console and click Verify
Fix Your H1/H2 Header Tag Structure
Every page should have exactly one H1 that clearly states what the page is about, followed by H2s for each major topic. AI engines and search engines both use header structure to understand your page's content. For your homepage, your H1 should be something like 'Plumbing & Heating Services in Murray, KY', not just your business name.
LOW EFFORT
SELECT YOUR PLATFORM
  1. Edit your homepage in the block editor
  2. Find your current main heading, click it and check the block type in the toolbar
  3. Change it to 'Heading' and set the level to H1 in the block settings on the right
  4. Each major section below (Services, About, Contact) should use H2 headings
  5. Update and preview to confirm only one H1 appears on the page
Add Alt Text to All Images
Alt text describes your images to search engines and screen readers. For a plumbing business, a photo of your team should have alt text like 'Acme Plumbing team installing water heater in Murray KY' rather than 'IMG_4521.jpg'. Missing alt text is leaving local keyword signals on the table. Most platforms let you add this in the image settings panel.
LOW EFFORT
SELECT YOUR PLATFORM
  1. Go to Media in your WordPress dashboard
  2. Click on any image to open its details
  3. Find the 'Alt Text' field and write a descriptive caption including your business name and location where relevant
  4. For images already on pages, click the image in the block editor and fill in the 'Alt text' field in the right sidebar
  5. Aim to update your 10 most prominent images first
Create Location-Specific Service Pages
If you serve multiple towns, create individual pages for each: 'Plumbing Services in Mayfield, KY', 'Plumbing Services in Benton, KY', etc. Each page should include local landmarks, service details, and a phone number. AI engines and Google both favor pages that match hyper-local search intent over generic service pages.
MEDIUM EFFORT
SELECT YOUR PLATFORM
  1. Go to Pages > Add New for each service area town
  2. Title each page: 'Plumbing Services in [City], KY'
  3. Write at least 300 words of unique content mentioning local landmarks or neighborhoods
  4. Add your phone number and a contact form to each page
  5. Use Yoast SEO to set the meta title: 'Plumber in [City] KY | Acme Plumbing'
  6. Link all location pages from your main Services page
Check and Improve Your Core Web Vitals
Google uses page speed and stability as ranking signals. Go to pagespeed.web.dev and enter your homepage URL. Aim for a score above 70 on mobile. Common fixes include compressing images, removing unused plugins (WordPress), and enabling browser caching. Slow sites lose both rankings and customer trust.
MEDIUM EFFORT
SELECT YOUR PLATFORM
  1. Go to pagespeed.web.dev and test your homepage URL
  2. Install the free 'Smush' plugin to compress all existing images automatically
  3. Install 'WP Rocket' (paid) or 'W3 Total Cache' (free) for caching and minification
  4. In your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins and deactivate any plugins you are not actively using
  5. Re-test at pagespeed.web.dev and aim for a mobile score above 70
BONUS
GEO PRIMER

Generative Engine Optimization

Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is the practice of making your business easy for AI models like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews to find, understand, and confidently recommend. With a 42/100 AEO score and a Structured Data score of just 15, Acme Plumbing is largely invisible to AI assistants right now. The four strategies below address the biggest citation gaps for a home services business in a competitive local market.

1
Build a Clear Brand Entity
AI engines maintain an internal model of businesses they know. If your name, address, phone, website, and description are inconsistent across Google, Yelp, your website, and industry directories, AI engines treat you as an uncertain or unverified entity and skip you in favor of businesses with clearer signals.
Do this: Audit your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) across Google Business Profile, Yelp, Bing Places, and your website footer. Make them letter-for-letter identical, then add LocalBusiness schema to your site to anchor the entity in machine-readable form.
2
Create Content That Answers the Exact Questions AI Gets Asked
AI models are trained to answer questions. When someone asks 'who is the best plumber in Murray KY?' the AI looks for pages that directly answer related questions: 'What does a plumber in Murray KY do?', 'How much does a plumber cost in Kentucky?', 'Is Acme Plumbing licensed?'. Pages that answer these questions get cited; pages that only list services do not.
Do this: Write a dedicated FAQ page that answers 10 of the most common questions a potential customer would ask before hiring a plumber. Keep each answer under 100 words, use plain language, and add FAQPage schema so AI can read the Q&A directly from your code.
3
Get Cited by Authoritative Third-Party Sources
AI models give more weight to businesses that are mentioned by sources they already trust, like local news sites, industry associations, the Better Business Bureau, and chambers of commerce. A single mention from murrayledger.com or the Murray-Calloway County Chamber carries more GEO weight than dozens of low-quality directory links.
Do this: Join the Murray-Calloway County Chamber of Commerce and get listed in their member directory. Then reach out to local news about any community involvement, before-and-after job stories, or local tips (e.g. winterizing pipes for Kentucky winters). These mentions become persistent AI citation signals.
4
Write Like You Are Being Quoted, Not Ranked
Traditional SEO writing optimizes for keyword density. GEO writing optimizes for quotability: short, confident, factual sentences that an AI would feel comfortable excerpting directly in a response. Vague marketing language ('We are passionate about plumbing!') never gets cited. Specific, helpful language ('Acme Plumbing has served Murray and Calloway County since 2008') does.
Do this: Rewrite your homepage About section and service descriptions using specific facts: years in business, number of jobs completed, service radius in miles, license numbers, and response time commitments. Every sentence should be something an AI could quote verbatim and feel confident about.
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GLOSSARY
AEO (Answer Engine Optimization)
The practice of making your website easy for AI assistants (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews) to read, understand, and recommend in their answers.
Schema / Structured Data
Machine-readable code added to your site that tells search and AI engines exactly what your business does, where you are, and what you offer. Think of it as a label on a jar.
JSON-LD
The format used to write schema code. It is a block of text placed in your site's code that AI and search engines read but your visitors never see.
E-E-A-T
Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trust. The signals Google and AI engines use to decide whether your business is a credible source worth recommending.
llms.txt
A simple text file placed at yourwebsite.com/llms.txt that tells AI engines who you are, what you do, and what pages matter most. Similar to robots.txt but for AI models.
AI Citation
When an AI assistant mentions your business by name in a response. The goal of AEO is to increase how often this happens.
Brand Entity
How clearly defined and recognized your business is as a unique entity online. Strong entity signals help AI engines confidently identify and recommend you.
Local AI
AI and voice search readiness for location-based queries, such as 'best plumber near me' asked to Siri or Google Assistant.
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