AI Didn’t Kill Google Search — Here’s Why GBP Still Wins
Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
How AI and GBP interact via reviews
Sam explains AI pulling memorable GBP reviews into recommendations and how that influences consumer choice.
In this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson sits down with Sam Preston — CEO of Service Scalers — to talk about the marketing asset that still quietly outperforms everything else in home services: your Google Business Profile (GBP).
John and Sam break down why AI hasn’t disrupted GBP the way people expected, how Google reviews are now getting pulled directly into AI search results, and why “map pack visibility” remains the cheapest, highest-intent lead source in the game.
They get tactical on what actually drives rankings and calls in 2026. Sam lays out the three biggest needle-movers — proximity, category/keyword strength, and reviews — and John shows how Wilson Companies invests roughly $10K/month into GBP because it drives roughly $500K/month in sales. They go deep on why location is a marketing decision, how to scale multiple profiles without overlapping service areas, and why most owners waste time optimizing tiny details before locking in the fundamentals.
If your LSA performance is lagging, your organic lead volume feels capped, or you’re planning multi-location growth next year, this episode is the blueprint for turning GBP into a compounding growth engine.
What You’ll Learn
- The 3 ranking drivers that matter most: proximity, primary category, review cadence
- Why location is a marketing decision (and how it changes growth overnight)
- How to scale multi-trade businesses without confusing Google’s category system
- The real review strategy: frequency, volume, quality, and photos
🎙️ Hosts & Guest
Host:
John Wilson
Guest:
Sam Preston
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Shout Out to FieldPulse 🚀
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More Ways To Connect with O&O
John Wilson, CEO of Wilson Companies
Jack Carr, CEO of Rapid HVAC
📌 Disclaimer: Some links may include UTM parameters or affiliate relationships, meaning we may earn a commission if you make a purchase. Episodes may feature sponsors, but all opinions expressed are our own.
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