A homeowner just bought a 75-inch TV on sale, unboxed it, and realized two things fast: they don’t have a stud finder, and they don’t want to gamble with drywall. They open their phone and type “TV mounting near me today,” then—later that night—ask an AI tool, “Who can mount a TV and hide the wires without voiding my warranty?” If you run an installation services business, those are two different discovery paths. The first is SEO (showing up in search results). The second is AEO (getting recommended as the answer inside AI tools like ChatGPT and Google’s AI experiences).
The two “find me” channels you’re actually competing in now
Installation technicians are in a unique spot: customers already bought the product. They’re not browsing—they’re trying to get it installed correctly, quickly, and safely. That urgency is why visibility matters so much.
Here’s the simple split:
- SEO (Search Engine Optimization): helps you appear when someone searches on Google (maps + regular results).
- AEO (Answer Engine Optimization): helps you get mentioned or recommended when someone asks an AI a question and expects a direct recommendation.
In installation services, both channels can drive $100–$300 jobs consistently—but they reward slightly different signals.
Is AI Recommending Your Business?
See how you stack up against your competitors and let Pantora get you to the top.
How SEO brings you the “near me” installs
SEO is what gets your business in front of people searching for a technician right now, usually with high-intent queries like:
- “appliance installation near me”
- “TV mounting [city]”
- “smart thermostat installation [neighborhood]”
- “light fixture install cost”
- “furniture assembly same day”
For local installation services, SEO typically shows up in three places:
1) Map results (where most calls happen)
That “map pack” is often the whole game for installation work because customers want someone nearby who can come soon. Your Google Business Profile is the center of gravity here.
2) Website results (when the job is specific or higher risk)
People click into normal website listings when they’re worried about details like:
- “Will this void my warranty?”
- “Do you mount into studs?”
- “Can you install a smart lock and connect it to Alexa?”
- “Do you clean up packaging and debris?”
Those answers live on your site—if you’ve put them there.
3) Trust signals (the tie-breaker)
Two technicians might be equally close. The one with clearer proof—reviews mentioning specific installs, photos, warranty-safe language, and “cleanup included”—usually wins the click and the call.
What AEO changes for installation technicians (and why it’s not “just SEO”)
AEO is about being the business an AI feels confident recommending when someone asks:
- “Who can install a dishwasher without messing up the plumbing hookup?”
- “Best TV mounting service near me that hides cables?”
- “Who sets up Ring cameras and connects them to Wi‑Fi?”
- “Need someone to assemble a treadmill—who’s reliable?”
Instead of showing a list of ten options, AI often gives one name or a short shortlist. That’s the opportunity—and the risk.
A key mindset shift:
- SEO is winning placement in a list.
- AEO is earning a recommendation that sounds certain.
For installation services, certainty comes from specifics: what you install, what brands you’ve worked with, your turnaround time, and whether your work is warranty-safe.
What AI tools tend to “trust” when choosing who to recommend
AI systems pull signals from places you already know—plus a few you may be ignoring. In practice, installation businesses get surfaced more when they have:
- A complete Google Business Profile (services, hours, service area, photos, Q&A)
- A website that clearly describes services like TV mounting, smart home setup, appliance install, fixture installation, and assembly
- Reviews that mention real jobs (“mounted a 65-inch Samsung into studs,” “installed a GE dishwasher and tested for leaks,” “set up smart lock + app”)
- Consistent business info across the web (name/phone/service area match)
- Third-party profiles (local directories, Nextdoor, Yelp, Facebook—wherever your market actually looks)
If your online presence is vague, AI fills in the blanks—or skips you completely.
Where SEO and AEO overlap—and where they behave differently
You don’t need two separate marketing strategies. You need one clear foundation that serves both.
Overlap: visibility still starts with being legitimate and consistent
If your hours differ across sites, or your service list is incomplete, both Google and AI systems struggle to match you to the request.
Difference #1: SEO is more location-driven
Google maps heavily favors proximity. If a customer is in a certain zip code, your odds go up simply by being close—assuming you look credible.
Difference #2: AEO is more detail-driven
AI needs to explain why it’s recommending you. It’s not enough to be “an installer.” You want the AI to be able to say things like:
- “Offers same-day TV mounting”
- “Experienced with smart home device setup”
- “Cleanup included”
- “Warranty-safe installation”
- “Specializes in appliance installs”
If that language isn’t visible online, the AI can’t confidently use it.
Difference #3: AEO can generate leads without a click
Some customers will call straight from an AI answer. That means you might see fewer website visits while leads stay steady—or even increase. If you track only web traffic, you can miss what’s actually happening.
For a broader look at how different AI results work (and why they look so inconsistent), this helps: ChatGPT vs AI Overviews vs Grok vs Perplexity: What's the Deal?.
Installation-service specifics that make you easier to choose (for humans and machines)
Generic SEO advice doesn’t cover what matters in your trade. Installation work has unique buyer fears: damage, safety, and warranty issues. Lean into the signals that remove those fears.
Build pages around the installs people already purchased
Customers don’t search “installation services” when they’re staring at an unopened box. They search the item and the situation. Strong pages often include:
- TV mounting (stud mounting, drywall vs brick, soundbar mounting, cable concealment)
- Appliance installation (dishwasher, over-the-range microwave, washer/dryer hookups—plus “test & verify” steps)
- Smart home setup (doorbells, cameras, thermostats, smart locks, hubs, Wi‑Fi pairing)
- Fixture installation (ceiling fans, lighting fixtures, bathroom fixtures where applicable)
- Assembly services (gym equipment, furniture, grills)
On each page, answer what customers worry about before they call:
- What’s included (mounting + leveling + testing + cleanup)
- What you don’t do (e.g., “no electrical panel upgrades” if you don’t)
- Typical time on site
- What affects pricing (wall type, height, extra brackets, old haul-away)
- Safety and warranty language (important: improper installation voids many warranties)
That last point is huge in this industry: people aren’t only paying for labor—they’re paying to avoid expensive mistakes.
Get review wording that matches real searches
You can’t script reviews, but you can prompt customers to be specific. After you finish a job and they’re relieved it’s done, text something like:
“Would you mind mentioning what we installed (TV mount / dishwasher / smart thermostat) and the city? Specific details help other homeowners find us.”
Those details help you show up for searches like “TV mounting in [city]” and they help AI match you to “Who installs smart locks?” without guessing.
Use photos like proof, not decoration
Installation is visual, and “proof of competence” matters more than polished branding. Add photos that show:
- TV mounted level, centered, and into studs
- Cable management (before/after)
- Appliance installs with clean finishing and no packaging left behind
- Smart home setup screenshots (with personal data blurred)
- Your tools on site (stud finder, level, anchors—signals you do it properly)
This also helps during seasonal spikes—holiday electronics and move-in season—because people want someone who looks active and available.
Compete smart against big-box installer programs
Big-box programs win on volume and brand association. Independents win on responsiveness, care, and clarity.
If you’re independent, your differentiators should be obvious everywhere:
- Quick turnaround / same-day options
- Cleanup included
- Brand familiarity (“installed Samsung Frame TVs,” “set up Ring/Nest,” “assembled NordicTrack”)
- Warranty-safe language (be accurate and honest—don’t overpromise)
- Clear service area and scheduling process
A simple visibility plan you can actually execute between jobs
You don’t need a marketing department. You need a repeatable routine that keeps your profiles fresh and your service offering crystal clear.
Weekly (60–90 minutes)
- Add 5 new photos to your Google Business Profile (recent installs, different service types).
- Ask 5 recent customers for reviews and nudge for specifics (“TV mounting + cable concealment” beats “great job”).
- Add one short Q&A to your Google profile: “Do you mount TVs into studs?” “Do you install smart locks?”
Monthly (half-day)
- Improve or create one high-intent service page (e.g., “TV Mounting in [City]” or “Smart Home Setup in [City]”).
- Check your top citations (Google, Facebook, Yelp/Nextdoor depending on your market) for consistent hours/phone/service area.
- Add an FAQ section that addresses warranty and safety concerns (especially for appliances and electronics).
Quarterly (bigger wins)
- Create a lightweight “review system”: one link, one text template, one follow-up message, tracked weekly.
- Refresh your service list to match seasonal demand:
- Holiday: TVs, soundbars, game consoles, smart doorbells/cameras
- Spring: grills, outdoor TVs, patio fixtures, outdoor smart devices
- Move-in season: appliances, fixtures, furniture assembly, whole-home smart setup
If you want to measure whether your business is actually being surfaced across AI platforms (not just ranking in Google), Pantora tracks visibility in AI answers and highlights what to fix.
Signs AI recommendations are already impacting your leads
AEO can be happening even if you haven’t “done anything with AI.” Watch for these signals:
- Customers say, “I asked ChatGPT who to call” or “Google’s AI said you’re good for TV mounting.”
- Calls mention very specific expectations (“Do you hide wires in-wall?” “Do you test the dishwasher for leaks after install?”).
- Your website traffic dips but call volume doesn’t (fewer clicks, more direct actions).
- You’re losing jobs to businesses with clearer online wording—even if your work quality is higher.
If leads are down and you’re trying to diagnose why, this can help you spot common conversion and trust gaps: 5 Reasons Homeowners Aren’t Calling (and How to Fix).
If you’re invisible in search or AI, start with these fixes
When installation businesses don’t show up, it’s usually not mysterious. It’s usually one of these:
- Your core services aren’t obvious (you do smart home setup, but your site only says “handyman services”).
- You don’t specify service areas (or your Google profile conflicts with your website).
- Reviews are too generic (no mention of TVs, appliances, fixtures, or smart devices).
- Your profile looks inactive (old photos, outdated hours, no recent reviews).
- You’re trying to be everything instead of being the obvious choice for 2–3 profitable installs.
Pick one service you want more of—say TV mounting—make it unmistakable on your site and Google profile, then earn a run of reviews that mention that exact job. That single move improves both SEO rankings and AI recommendations.
SEO gets you discovered when people search. AEO gets you picked when people ask. For installation technicians, the winners won’t be the ones with the fanciest branding—they’ll be the ones who make it easy to verify: what you install, how fast you can do it, and why your work is safe, clean, and warranty-respectful.