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Original tests run in Southwest Florida on whether Google and the AI tools name local businesses, and what decides it.
Written by Michael Putnam, who runs local businesses here. Every piece is dated, the method is published so you can repeat it, and the limits are stated inside rather than buried. Free to republish with credit and a link.
Smaller checks, run as questions come up. Newest first.
What was tested. Two questions a customer would really type, asked on ChatGPT and on Google, signed out, in a private window, on 29 October 2026.
"Who's a reliable house cleaning company for my VRBO property in Venice FL?"
"Who's a handyman in Venice FL that can paint, repair and patch Sheetrock/drywall, also install floor and bathroom tiles?"
What came back. On the cleaning question, both engines named CMPCleaning Venice and linked cmpcleaning.com. On the handyman question, both named Venice FL Handyman and linked veniceflhandyman.com. In each case the engine linked the business's own website rather than a directory listing of it.
Why they picked it, in their own words. Google gave the reason as "Vacation rental and VRBO/Airbnb turnover cleaning with over 18 years of experience." ChatGPT gave it as "Its published information highlights vacation-rental turnovers." Both lifted service wording off the page and handed it back as the reason.
Where it did not win. ChatGPT placed the cleaning company second of the three it named, and the handyman third of three. Neither was the first name given. Google's answer listed other businesses above them as well.
What this does not show. Both businesses are mine. That is a conflict, and it is why this is filed as a test rather than a study. Two questions, one town, one evening, and I know what is written on both pages because I wrote it. It cannot tell you how often this happens, or for whom, or whether it holds next week. What it does show is that both engines read ordinary page copy and quoted it back as their reason, which anyone can check.
Repeat it. Open a private window, sign out of both, and paste the two questions above.