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Why AI Visibility Matters

Billions of people now use Google AI and ChatGPT to find local services. Instead of scrolling through 10 pages of results, they simply ask: "Who's the best plumber near me?" The AI then recommends 2-3 businesses—and if you're not visible to AI, you don't exist to these potential customers.

2B+
Google AI Users
800M
ChatGPT Weekly
50%
Searches w/ AI
64%
Invisible Here
2026 Regional Report

State of AI Visibility:
Greater Miami

Algorithmic analysis of contractors across 3 municipalities in the region.

We analyzed 47 businesses across 3 municipalities in the Greater Miami region. The findings reveal that 64% of local businesses remain invisible to AI assistants like ChatGPT and Google AI.

The region outperforms the provincial average by 27.7 points, demonstrating superior digital adoption compared to Florida.

Only 13% of businesses achieve "AI-Ready" status—the minimum threshold to appear consistently in AI-generated recommendations.

47
Businesses Audited
13%
AI Ready
Regional advantage
Greater Miami vs Florida
+27.7pts
Market Distribution
AI-Ready
Visible
Invisible
100%
Have Website
36%
Schema Ready

The Performance Gap

The data reveals a 6x gap between market leaders and the rest of the pack.

Market leaders (top 10%) maintain an average score of 83/100 with 58 reviews on average. These businesses consistently appear in AI recommendations.

At-risk businesses (bottom 50%) stagnate at 36/100 with only 10 reviews. Despite their expertise, they're invisible to consumers using AI.

Miami leads the regional rankings with a score of 55/100 across 25 businesses analyzed.

Coconut Grove shows the lowest score at 37/100—a 18-point gap from the regional leader.

For Consumers

What This Means for Consumers

When you ask ChatGPT or Google AI to recommend a plumber, you're not necessarily getting the best—you're getting the one with the best digital infrastructure. The 58 average reviews of market leaders isn't a coincidence: they've invested in their online presence.

Performance Gap

Top 10% vs Bottom 50%

Top 10%
Market Leaders
83
Avg Score
Avg Reviews:58
6x gap
Bottom 50%
At Risk
36
Avg Score
Avg Reviews:10

The Review Paradox

Having lots of reviews isn't enough. Our data shows businesses with 100+ reviews still remain invisible if their technical infrastructure isn't optimized.

The determining factor? Schema markup (structured data)—the invisible code that helps AI assistants understand and recommend your business.

Currently, only 36% of businesses in Greater Miami have schema markup, compared to 15% at the provincial level.

100% of businesses have a website, but most lack the necessary technical optimizations. A website without schema markup is like a storefront without a sign in the AI world.

Key Insight

Schema Markup Explained

Schema markup is invisible code on your website that tells Google and AI assistants: "Here's my name, address, hours, and services." Without it, AI has to guess—and it prefers to recommend businesses it clearly understands.

The Review Paradox

Reviews alone aren't enough. AI visibility score matters more.
Verified
High Reviews / Invisible
Invisible

Visibility by Trade

Not all trades are created equal when it comes to AI visibility. In Greater Miami, we analyze 9 core trades (plumbers, electricians, roofers, HVAC, general contractors, landscapers, painters, foundation specialists, and HVAC/R).

General Contractors lead the pack with 50% of businesses "AI-Ready" and an average score of 64/100. This trade has 3.9x more optimized businesses as the regional average.

For Consumers

If You Need a General Contractor

With only 50% of businesses AI-optimized, your chances of finding the right professional through Google AI or ChatGPT are slim. Consider asking for local referrals or using specialized directories alongside AI recommendations.

AI Visibility by Trade

General Contractor(2 businesses)
+14.5
64
50% excellent
Regional Average: 50

Where Businesses Cluster

The score distribution reveals a bifurcated market:

The Elite (75-100): 6 businesses (13%) have optimized for AI discovery. These are the contractors AI assistants recommend.

The Middle Ground (50-74): 15 businesses (32%) are visible but not prioritized. A few optimizations could push them into recommendation territory.

The Danger Zone (0-49): 26 businesses (55%) are effectively invisible to AI search. Despite averaging 32 reviews, their technical infrastructure fails them.

The tipping point is 50. Below this threshold, businesses rarely appear in AI-generated recommendations regardless of reputation.

Opportunity

The Intense Competition Zone

38% of businesses are concentrated in the 40-70 score range. This is where a few simple optimizations can mean the difference between visibility and invisibility. Businesses at 45 that jump to 55 often see their AI recommendations double.

Visibility Score Distribution

How businesses in the region are distributed across the AI visibility scale

The Three Tiers of AI Visibility

Excellent (6 businesses, 13%) These businesses appear in AI recommendations consistently. They have schema markup, verified business data, and strong review signals. Average score: 80+.

Good (15 businesses, 32%) Visible but not dominant. These businesses appear in some AI searches but lose out to Excellent-tier competitors. One or two optimizations could elevate them.

At Risk (26 businesses, 55%) Effectively invisible. Despite averaging 32 reviews and 4.8 stars, these businesses lack the technical signals AI assistants need. They're competing with one hand tied behind their back.

Warning

The Cost of Being in the Wrong Tier

An "At Risk" business with 50 reviews and 4.8 stars can lose customers to an "Excellent" business with 20 reviews and 4.5 stars—simply because AI can't see the first one. This is the new cost of digital invisibility.

AI Market Readiness

Business distribution by readiness tier
47Analyzed
Excellent
Good
At Risk

Geographic Patterns

The Leader: Miami With 25 businesses analyzed and an average score of 55/100, Miami leads the region. 20% of local contractors are "AI-Ready"—7 points above the regional average.

The Opportunity: Coconut Grove Coconut Grove averages 37/100 across 10 businesses. For contractors here, low competition means early optimizers could dominate local AI search results.

Urban vs. Rural: Urban (0 businesses) and rural (0) areas perform similarly, with only a 0-point gap.

Opportunity

The Growth Factor

Contractors who optimize first in smaller municipalities have an advantage: less competition means more visibility per dollar invested.

Champions by Municipality

The top performer from each city. Is your local competitor here?
25 businesses20% AI-Ready
12 businesses8% AI-Ready
No champion
10 businesses0% AI-Ready

Explore Municipality Guides

Detailed trade-by-trade analysis for each city in Greater Miami

Market Leaders

Top 10 Regional Performers

These businesses have optimized their digital footprint for AI search, maintaining consistent schema data and verified identity signals.

Score Distribution
Headline
64% of contractors in Greater Miami are invisible to AI assistants like ChatGPT and Perplexity, according to an analysis of 47 local businesses.
Top Performer
Cutting Edge Innovative, a construction company in Coral Gables, leads the region with an AI visibility score of 88/100.
Opportunity
Coconut Grove shows the greatest improvement potential with an average score of 37/100 — contractors who optimize now could dominate the local market.
vs Province
Greater Miami outperforms the Florida provincial average by 27.7 points in AI visibility, suggesting faster tech adoption.
Trade Comparison
The analysis covers 1 different trades, revealing significant AI visibility gaps between sectors.
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