AI Didn’t End Google Search — Here’s Why GBP Still Wins

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 — https://x.com/WilsonCompanies Guest: Sam Preston — https://www.linkedin.com/in/sampreston/ 📞 Sponsored by Quo — The Modern Business Phone for Service Pros Missed calls mean missed business. Quo (formerly OpenPhone) is the AI-powered phone system that logs calls, creates summaries, and automates follow-ups — keeping your team connected and customers happy.? 🎁 Start your 7-day free trial and get 20% off your first six months at https://quo.com/owned ⏱️Brought to you by The Military Veteran If you’re running a home service business and hiring feels slow, risky, or you’re just not seeing the leadership talent you need, TMV can help. They connect companies like yours with exceptional military veteran leaders, people who’ve already proven they can execute, adapt, and lead under pressure. And they do it fast, with a white-glove process that saves you weeks and avoids costly mis-hires. Want to see who’s out there? Book a Free Coaching session Below 🔗 https://themilvet.typeform.com/to/BDwkmCU0?typeform-source=www.themilvet.org Shout Out to FieldPulse 🚀 FieldPulse is an incredible Field Service Management platform that helps you save hours each week while keeping your operations running smoothly. If you're looking to streamline your processes, stay competitive, and focus on what truly matters, FieldPulse is a game-changer! 📅 Book your demo: [https://www.fieldpulse.com/book-demo?utm_source=referral&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=OwnedandOperated&_bhlid=adde1d4b7623ada1146dde2ba3cf7bd06624cb4a] 📌 Chapters 00:43 Guest Introduction and Discussion Kickoff 04:31 Deep Dive into Google Business Profiles 14:05 Optimizing Your GBP for Success 20:39 Avoiding Overlap in Locations 26:55 Boosting Reviews and Their Impact 31:54 Maximizing GBP and Final Thoughts 🔍 Keywords google business profile, GBP home services, google my business, map pack ranking, local SEO home services, plumbing marketing, hvac marketing, electrician marketing, home service leads, local service ads GBP, LSA and GBP connection, proximity ranking google maps, primary category google business profile, reviews for google business profile, review cadence home services, multi location google business profile, service area overlap GBP, NAP consistency tracking numbers, google maps heatmap home services, owned and operated podcast, sam preston service scalers, john wilson owned and operated