AI search research: counted, not guessed.
Numbers I counted rather than read somewhere. Each study asks the AI engines who to hire in one county, sector by sector, hundreds of times, and matches every business named against the full list on Google Maps. The result is how many firms are ever recommended, which directories each engine reads, and what the named firms have in common. Four counties and the region. Two series so far: six professional-services sectors, and six trades.
By Gareth Wray. First published on 1weeksites.com between 18 Sept 2026 and 2 Oct 2026; moved here 13 Oct 2026.
Trades · 6 trades
East Anglia: AI search names 9% of its tradespeople.
Plumbers, electricians, builders, roofers, landscapers and kitchen fitters. Which engines answer from Checkatrade, and who gets named.
Trades · 6 trades
Suffolk: AI search names 12% of its tradespeople.
Plumbers, electricians, builders, roofers, landscapers and kitchen fitters. Which engines answer from Checkatrade, and who gets named.
Trades · 6 trades
Norfolk: AI search names 11% of its tradespeople.
Plumbers, electricians, builders, roofers, landscapers and kitchen fitters. Which engines answer from Checkatrade, and who gets named.
Trades · 6 trades
Essex: AI search names 6% of its tradespeople.
Plumbers, electricians, builders, roofers, landscapers and kitchen fitters. Which engines answer from Checkatrade, and who gets named.
Trades · 6 trades
Cambridgeshire: AI search names 11% of its tradespeople.
Plumbers, electricians, builders, roofers, landscapers and kitchen fitters. Which engines answer from Checkatrade, and who gets named.
Professional services · Suffolk
77% of Suffolk firms are invisible to AI search.
1,253 firms in 6 sectors, checked against ChatGPT, Gemini and Google AI Mode. 291 were ever named.
Professional services · Norfolk
77% of Norfolk firms are invisible to AI search.
1,317 firms in 6 sectors, checked against ChatGPT, Gemini and Google AI Mode. 304 were ever named.
Professional services · Essex
88% of Essex firms are invisible to AI search.
3,556 firms in 6 sectors, checked against ChatGPT, Gemini and Google AI Mode. 441 were ever named.
Professional services · Cambridgeshire
82% of Cambridgeshire firms are invisible to AI search.
1,826 firms in 6 sectors, checked against ChatGPT, Gemini and Google AI Mode. 328 were ever named.
Professional services · 4 counties
East Anglia: the four counties side by side.
Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire compared, then the same question asked for the whole region.Want your firm in the next study?
You cannot pay to be named; the engines decide that. What you can do is have the site and the listings the engines read. That is the SEO and GEO work I do.
AI search research: common questions.
Something else? Email [email protected] or call 07451 260050.
What does this AI search research measure?
How many local firms ChatGPT, Gemini and Google AI Mode ever recommend. Each study asks the engines who to hire in one county, sector by sector, hundreds of times, then matches every firm named against the full list of firms on Google Maps.
Which areas and sectors does the research cover?
Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire, plus East Anglia as a region. There are two series: six professional-service sectors (solicitors, accountants, estate agents, recruiters, architects and IT firms) and six trades.
Can I use or cite the data?
Yes. The studies are published under a Creative Commons Attribution licence (CC BY 4.0), so cite the study and link to its page. Per-firm data is available to journalists and trade bodies on request by email.
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