AEO Checklist for Service Businesses (2026)
28-item AEO checklist for plumbers, HVAC, roofers: schema, FAQ structure, GBP, and NAP. Pages with FAQPage schema get cited 3.2x more by AI.
Chris Melson
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The Untap Web Blog.
Practical guides on local SEO, AEO, and high-performance web design for Midwest businesses. No fluff — just what works.
AEO for Small Businesses: A Practical Playbook for 2026
AI search visitors convert at 4.4x the rate of organic clicks. Here's a step-by-step AEO playbook for plumbers, HVAC techs, and contractors ready to start.
Chris Melson
ReadSchema Markup for AEO: Which Types Actually Get You Cited by AI?
FAQPage schema gets pages cited 3.2x more by AI engines. This guide covers the 5 schema types that drive AI citations for small businesses — with JSON-LD examples.
Chris Melson
ReadJobber Runs Your Business. Its Website Won't Grow It.
Jobber's website has no blog, no city pages, no schema. Only 23% of Squarespace sites pass mobile Core Web Vitals. The fix doesn't require switching CRMs.
Chris Melson
ReadDone-for-You vs. DIY Website Builders: What Small Businesses Actually Need
DIY builders average 50–70 on Lighthouse vs. 95+ for professional builds. Here's an honest breakdown of when to build it yourself and when to hire a pro.
Chris Melson
ReadHow Much Does Local SEO Cost in 2026? An Agency's Real Prices
Local SEO costs $500–$5,000/mo at agencies; most service businesses pay $500–$2,000/mo. Honest breakdown of what you're buying — and how subscriptions compare.
Chris Melson
ReadLocal AEO: How AI Searches for 'Businesses Near Me'
AI 'near me' searches now appear in 60%+ of local queries — but different signals drive AI vs. Google Maps. Learn how NAP, schema, and FAQ markup shape AI visibility.
Chris Melson
ReadWhy Every Website Looks the Same (And Why That's Exactly Right)
Users judge your website in 50ms — before reading a word. Here's the science behind why conventional layouts outperform 'creative' designs and convert more visitors into customers.
Chris Melson
ReadHow to Get Your Business Cited by ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity
AI-referred traffic surged 527% in 5 months in 2025. Five practical steps small businesses can take to get cited by ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity.
Chris Melson
ReadDoes llms.txt Work? What the Data Actually Shows (Plus a Template)
Google says no AI reads llms.txt. A 300k-domain study found zero citation correlation. Why we added one anyway — copy-paste template included.
Chris Melson
ReadAEO vs GEO: Why We Call It Answer Engine Optimization
GEO and AEO are two names for the same strategy. Here's the difference in origin and framing — and why 'answer engine' matters more than 'generative engine' for small businesses.
Chris Melson
ReadHow AEO and Local SEO Work Together in 2026
98.8% of local businesses receive zero AI citations. Here's how combining local SEO and AEO gets Midwest service businesses found on Google Maps AND in AI search.
Chris Melson
ReadSmall Business Website Redesign: When, Why, and What It Takes
53% of mobile visitors leave sites that load past 3 seconds. Here's how to know when a redesign is due, avoid SEO loss, and what a modern rebuild actually delivers.
Chris Melson
Read10 Features Every Small Business Website Needs in 2026
From Core Web Vitals to AI search visibility, these are the 10 website features small businesses can't afford to skip in 2026 — with stats and service links.
Chris Melson
ReadWhat Is the Difference Between SEO and AEO?
SEO gets you in Google's blue links. AEO gets your business cited in AI-generated answers. Here's the difference and why both matter for Midwest small businesses.
Chris Melson
ReadIntroducing the Untap Web Showroom
Proof over promises. We built the Showroom to show exactly what a high-performance local business website looks like — real clients, real scores, full technical breakdowns.
Chris Melson
ReadWhat is the best platform for a service business website?
WordPress, Wix, and Next.js have dramatically different performance profiles. Here is an honest breakdown.
Chris Melson
ReadHow to Rank Higher on Google Maps & Google Places (2026)
GBP signals account for 32% of Local Pack rankings in 2026. Here is the complete 7-step playbook to rank higher on Google Maps and Google Places.
Chris Melson
ReadHow much does a local business website cost?
Our subscription model eliminates large upfront costs — starting at $199/mo including build, hosting, and maintenance.
Chris Melson
ReadWhy does ADA compliance matter for my website?
Over 4,500 ADA website lawsuits were filed in 2023. Compliance protects your business and opens your site to more customers.
Chris Melson
ReadWhat Is AEO and Why Midwest Businesses Need It in 2026
Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is how your business gets cited by AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google's AI Overviews. Here's what it means for local businesses in the Midwest.
Chris Melson
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