Research protocol · findings not yet published
2026 Home Services Local Search Report: methodology before findings.
WebSail is publishing the fixed method, definitions, source rules, and limitations before collecting observations. No sample results or conclusions are claimed on this page.
Current status
Methodology draft; data collection has not started. The September 1, 2026 WebSail SEO audit recommended original research, but it is not a home-services dataset and is not being presented as one.
Research question
Which publicly observable website and Google Business Profile characteristics appear most often across a consistently sampled set of US home-service businesses?
Target sample
120 businesses: the first five eligible, non-sponsored Google Maps businesses for each combination of four trades (plumbing, roofing, HVAC, and electrical) and six metros (Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Philadelphia, Phoenix, and Seattle).
Collection window: September 14–18, 2026
Selection protocol
- Use a logged-out Chrome desktop session with location permission disabled and a clean profile.
- Search Google Maps for the exact query '[trade] [metro]' once per trade/metro combination.
- Record the first five unique, non-sponsored businesses with a public website and a service address or stated service area relevant to the metro.
- Exclude aggregators, lead marketplaces, permanently closed listings, duplicate locations, and businesses already sampled in that trade/metro.
- Record the result order for auditability, but do not treat it as a stable or universal ranking.
Planned data dictionary
Fields to collect under one coding guide
Trade: one of plumbing, roofing, HVAC, or electrical; market: one of the six named metros
Collection uses this definition for every sampled business; the source URL and collection date are retained in the research file.
Profile rating to one decimal and integer review count as publicly displayed; missing values recorded as missing, never zero
Collection uses this definition for every sampled business; the source URL and collection date are retained in the research file.
Homepage mobile Lighthouse performance: median Performance score from three Lighthouse 12 runs using Chrome, mobile preset, simulated throttling, and a cleared cache
Collection uses this definition for every sampled business; the source URL and collection date are retained in the research file.
Website content: binary presence of dedicated service pages, an accurate contact path, customer feedback, project evidence, and a service-area explanation under the coding definitions
Collection uses this definition for every sampled business; the source URL and collection date are retained in the research file.
Profile completeness: binary presence of hours, website link, phone, primary category, services, and owner-provided photos at collection time
Collection uses this definition for every sampled business; the source URL and collection date are retained in the research file.
Source and collection rules
- Use public business websites and public Google Business Profile fields only.
- Record the collection date and source URL for every observation.
- Define trade and market selection before looking at outcomes.
- Use the same device, location assumptions, and performance-test settings throughout.
- Run duplicate, missing-value, and second-review checks before analysis.
- Publish aggregate results; do not expose personal information or imply private customer data.
Findings
No findings are available. This section will remain empty until the sample, source notes, calculations, and review log are complete.
Analysis plan
- Report counts, proportions, medians, and interquartile ranges for the full sample.
- Show trade and metro breakouts only when every displayed cell contains at least five businesses.
- Treat missing values as missing and publish the denominator for every percentage.
- Run duplicate and range checks, then have a second reviewer recode a 20% random sample before analysis.
- Describe associations only; do not claim that any observed website or profile field caused a ranking, lead, or revenue outcome.
Limitations registered in advance
- No observations have been collected or analyzed yet.
- Public profile data changes over time and cannot establish causation.
- Rankings vary by searcher location, device, query, and personalization.
- A sampled market cannot represent every US home-service business.
- No customer, lead, revenue, or private analytics data will be inferred from public signals.