Case study · Garage, Northampton area · June to October 2026
From 6 Google clicks a day to the garage AI assistants recommend.
We took over an independent garage's search visibility in June 2026. By October, it had 1,170 clicks from Google in 28 days, up from about 6 a day before mid September, and AI assistants named it in 61% of answers to 55 local buyer questions, against 20% for its nearest competitor. The owner says monthly turnover has roughly tripled.
- 1,170
- Clicks from Google in 28 days, up from about 6 a day
- 61%
- Of AI assistant answers name the garage, across 55 buyer questions
- 8.7
- Average Google position, up from 17.1
- ≈3×
- Monthly turnover, according to the owner
Sources: Google Search Console (28 days to about 9 October 2026, and three months since we started compared with the three months before), our AI answer tracking baseline of 5 October 2026, and the owner.
Where they started
A well-reviewed independent garage with a 4.8 rating from almost 200 Google reviews, and a website that barely showed up. Before mid September it averaged about six clicks a day from Google. Most pages had default or scraped titles, opening hours differed from page to page, and there was no page for many of the jobs the garage actually does.
The owner's brief was simple: more of the right local customers finding the garage, on Google and in the AI assistants people now ask for recommendations. The site was not rebuilt. Everything below was done on the existing website.
What we did
- Rewrote titles and descriptions
- Every priority page got a title and description that says plainly what the garage does and where, instead of defaults or scraped text.
- Built pages for specific, high-value jobs
- Ten new service pages, each with real FAQs, plus dedicated pages for wet belt problems on Ford and Peugeot, Citroën and DS engines: a job drivers search for by name.
- Told Google exactly what the business is
- Structured data identifying it as a car repair business, with its services, opening hours and the area it covers, checked page by page with Google's own testing tool.
- Made it readable for AI assistants
- A plain summary file for AI tools, consistent business details everywhere, and every service listed on the Google Business Profile.
- Fixed the small things that cost trust
- Opening hours that differed between pages, inconsistent business names and broken copy, all corrected.
- Tracked what AI assistants say
- Each month we ask ChatGPT and Gemini 55 questions a local driver might ask and record whether the garage is cited and named.
The results
| Measure | Result |
|---|---|
| Google clicks, last 28 days | 1,170 (about 6 a day before 12 September) |
| Google clicks, three months since we started | 2,410, up from 753 |
| Average Google position | 8.7, up from 17.1 |
| AI answers citing the site (330 answers) | 59% |
| AI answers naming the garage | 61% (nearest competitor 20%) |
| Questions where it appeared at least once | 55 of 55 |
| Online booking clicks on the website, 28 days | 34 |
| Monthly turnover | Roughly tripled, according to the owner |
- Results from AI assistants vary between runs, so we track them over several monthly scans rather than relying on one.
- Turnover depends on more than search. We report the owner's figure as given, not as something we caused on our own.
What we learned
Specific pages beat general ones. Two wet belt pages brought in about 37% of all clicks over three months. Drivers search for that problem by name, and a clear page answering it outranked bigger sites.
Gemini and ChatGPT behave very differently. Gemini cited the site in 96% of its answers; ChatGPT search in only 23%. ChatGPT leans on Bing and third-party listings, so a business needs accurate listings on the sites it reads, not just a good website.
The next gain is everyday searches. Searches like “MOT Northampton” and “car service Northampton” have plenty of demand but the garage still sits too low on them. That is a ranking problem, not a demand problem, and it is what we are working on now.
What happens next
Stronger pages for MOTs, servicing and tyres; accurate listings on the third-party sites ChatGPT reads; and clearer call and booking buttons so more of the new visitors become bookings.
We are also building the garage an AI quoting assistant that prepares quotes from live trade parts prices and the garage's own labour times, with anything unusual held for a mechanic to approve. It is in testing and is not live yet.
Common questions
Which garage is this?
An independent garage in the Northampton area. We keep client names private unless they ask us to share them, but we are happy to talk through the work on a call.
What made the biggest difference?
Pages for specific jobs. Two wet belt pages brought in about 37% of all clicks over three months, because drivers search for that problem by name and few local garages had a clear page answering it.
Why is the garage cited far more by Gemini than ChatGPT?
Gemini leans on Google's own index, where the site now ranks well. ChatGPT search draws more on Bing and third-party listings, so the next step is accurate listings on the sites it already reads.
How much does this kind of work cost?
Our Google and AI search plans start at £297 a month, rolling monthly. Every business and area is different, so we will tell you on a free call what is realistic for yours.
Want results like these for your business?
Our Google and AI search plans start at £297 a month, rolling monthly. Or take the free 2-minute AI check to see where you stand.