How Local Businesses Can Use Angi, Yelp, and Thumbtack to Improve AI Visibility

How does each platform reach AI answers?

BrightLocal's 2026 analysis of 1.9 million local AI citations found Business Profiles were the most cited source, at 28.5%. Yelp came next at 8.53%, and was the top source in ChatGPT's answers. Angi, the Better Business Bureau and MapQuest also appeared regularly. Google remains the foundation. These marketplaces add independent evidence on top.

How AI checks Yelp, Angi, and licensing information when recommending plumbers

When someone asks "can you recommend a licensed plumber in Austin?", a search-based assistant typically:

1. Searches for plumbers in that area and retrieves directory pages, business profiles and local articles.
2. Compares ratings and review summaries across the sources it finds, often naming the platform: "4.8 stars on Yelp from 200 reviews".
3. Looks for licensing and insurance statements on business websites and profiles, such as "Licensed master plumber, Texas licence M-12345".
4. Picks a few businesses that appear consistently well reviewed and clearly qualified, and states why.

Assistants rarely query state licensing databases directly. Many licence lookups are search forms rather than pages a crawler can read. So what the assistant sees about your licence is mostly what you and the platforms publish.

Angi, for example, says the owner of a pro in its Approved network must pass a criminal background check, and the pro must attest to holding all applicable state and local licences. Attestation is not the same as verification. An assistant quoting "Angi Approved" is repeating the platform's screening, not a check of your licence.

To make your qualifications visible and consistent:

• State your licence type and number on your website's homepage, about page and service pages, in text.
• Add it to every profile that has a field for it, and to your Business Profile description where appropriate.
• Link to the official licence lookup from your website, so a reader can confirm it.
• State insurance and bonding in the same places.
• Keep them current. A lapsed or renewed licence number that differs between sources creates doubt.

How do Angi and HomeAdvisor listings affect AI recommendations for contractors?

Angi and HomeAdvisor listings help in two ways. First, they are independent pages that describe your business, services and reviews. Assistants can cite those when choosing contractors. Second, Angi publishes large volumes of cost guides and "near me" pages, which answers draw on for cost and hiring questions. A complete profile makes it more likely you are listed on those pages too.

What makes a listing count:

• Complete service categories, matching the jobs you actually do, such as "water heater installation", not just "plumbing".
• An accurate service area that matches your Business Profile.
• Recent reviews from every customer you serve through the platform, in their own words.
• Background check and licence details completed on the platform.
• Photos of real work.
• Consistent contact details and business name with your other listings.

Paid lead products on these platforms buy leads, not AI visibility. Judge them on the jobs they bring. Whether any platform's paid placement affects AI answers is covered in whether brands need paid Tripadvisor or Yelp placement to appear in AI recommendations.

What should you do on each platform?

Yelp - Claim the page, correct every detail and choose accurate categories. - Respond to reviews promptly and specifically. - Do not ask for Yelp reviews at all: Yelp does not allow businesses to ask; keep the listing accurate and reply to the reviews you get. Yelp discourages businesses from soliciting reviews, so focus on excellent service and a visible, accurate profile. - Add current photos of your work, vehicles and team.

Thumbtack - Complete your profile with services, pricing information, service area and credentials. - Respond quickly to requests. Marketplaces that recommend pros through AI draw on their own signals of quality and responsiveness. - Ask every customer from a Thumbtack job for an honest review there, not only the satisfied ones.

Angi and HomeAdvisor - Complete the background check and licence attestation. - List every service you provide and the exact areas you cover. - Ask every customer you serve through the platform for an honest review in their own words.

Everywhere - Use the same business name, phone number, address or service area, hours and licence number. - Link each profile to your website, and your website to your profiles.

How do you know which platforms matter in your trade and area?

Ask ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and Google the questions your customers ask. Try "best [trade] in [area]", "licensed [trade] near [neighbourhood]" and "how much does [job] cost in [area]". Note which platforms are cited or quoted. In some trades and cities, answers lean on Yelp. In others, on Angi, Thumbtack, the Better Business Bureau or a trade association directory. Spend effort where the answers already look. How to check a business's AI visibility systematically is covered in how to check local businesses' AI visibility for prospecting.

What might an illustrative case look like?

Consider an illustrative plumbing company in a large Texas city that appeared in Google's map results but rarely in ChatGPT's answers. Its question tests showed ChatGPT citing Yelp ratings and an Angi "best plumbers" page. The company's Yelp page was unclaimed, listed an old phone number and had its last review two years earlier. Its Angi profile listed only "plumbing" as a service. The company claimed and corrected the Yelp page and completed its Angi categories and licence attestation. It put its master plumber licence number on every page of its website. Three months later, ChatGPT named it in about half of the answers for its area, describing it as a licensed, well-reviewed plumber.

What do people ask about marketplaces and AI visibility?

Do we need to be on all three platforms?

No. Be complete on the ones your area's answers cite, plus Google. A few accurate profiles beat many neglected ones.

Does Thumbtack's ChatGPT app favour pros who pay more?

Thumbtack has not said how its app ranks pros. Complete profiles, reviews and responsiveness are the signals you control.

Should the licence number go on every page?

In the footer or header of every page is sensible for licensed trades, and in full on the about and service pages.

What if a platform shows wrong information we can't edit?

Contact the platform's business support with evidence, and make sure your own site and Business Profile state the correct facts clearly.