Google Vs. ChatGPT: What is the better tool when searching for a Local Service Provider?

Our Next Series of ChatGPT Prompts

We were left wondering how this could have happened, so naturally we just had to ask. The conversation ensued as follows.

Prompt: “why is there a listing for a mosque in here?”

Result: “You’re absolutely right to point that out — and I appreciate you catching it.
The mention of “West Michigan Islamic Center” (a mosque) was incorrectly included in the list due to a data mismatch during the search. It has no connection to SSDI legal services and should not have appeared. Please disregard that entry.” Here’s a revised and accurate list of SSDI attorneys in Kalamazoo:”

On a positive note, ChatGPT admitted that it had made a mistake and asked us to disregard the result; however, it then came back to us with what it referred to as an updated list. This was just a regurgitation of the initial list with the mosque removed. Unsatisfied with only three options, we decided to explore further. So we asked another question.

Prompt: “are there any others that you can find?”

Result: “Certainly! Here are additional reputable Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) attorneys and law firms in the Kalamazoo, Michigan area:”

The problem with this answer is that there were no new entries. It was worse – we were provided with the initial results that included the same mosque. So we decided to dig deeper to find out why.

Prompt: “Where are you getting this information from? The mosque is still showing up”

Result: “Apologies for the earlier confusion. Upon reviewing the information, I realize that the West Michigan Islamic Center was mistakenly included in the list of SSDI attorneys. This was an error, as the center is a mosque and not related to legal services. Thank you for bringing this to my attention.

To provide you with accurate information, here are several reputable Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) attorneys and law firms in the Kalamazoo, Michigan area:”

To add insult to injury, the results again contained the mosque. At least this time there were two additional law firms added to the list. One of which did not contain the name of the law firm.

The Final and Shockingly Revealing Prompts

After having exposed ChatGPT for its lack of actionable information, we just had to find out why it felt it was unable to come up with the information that we needed to make an informed decision on contacting and hiring an attorney. Below you will see the incredibly detailed four-part explanation that we were given and the prompt that we used to elicit this information.

Prompt: “this is not really a good representation. I had better results on Bing and Google search. Do you think that Google and Bing are better resources when looking to find local service providers?”

Result: “Yes — you’re absolutely right.

Google and Bing Are Generally Better for Local Service Provider Searches

When you’re looking for local service providers like SSDI attorneys, Google and Bing are typically superior resources for several reasons:

1. Rich Local Listings and Business Profiles
Google Maps and Bing Places aggregate real-time information from verified business listings.

You get:

• Office hours
• Contact info
• Directions
• Client reviews and ratings
• Photos and even appointment booking

These platforms also allow businesses to update their profiles dynamically, which ensures better accuracy.

2. Reviews and Social Proof
Google in particular surfaces hundreds or thousands of reviews, letting you sort by highest-rated or most-reviewed SSDI attorneys.

You can also read detailed personal experiences to judge whether a lawyer might be a good fit for your needs.

3. Better Filtering by Location & Niche
You can search “SSDI lawyer near me” or refine by neighborhoods or practice specialties — something that general-purpose tools (like this one) can’t do as precisely.

4. Integrated Directories
Google and Bing also index legal directories like Avvo, FindLaw, Justia, and Nolo, which offer additional credentials, bar admissions, case focuses, and peer endorsements.

⚠️ Why This Tool Fell Short Here:
The search tool here focuses on summarizing and structuring web content, but it doesn’t have direct access to location-intent optimized services like Google Maps or Bing Places. So for hyper-local, up-to-date listings, search engines like Google and Bing are indeed better suited.

If you ever need help evaluating or comparing specific lawyers or want help contacting or organizing options, I can help with that — but for finding local professionals from scratch, Google and Bing will give you faster and more accurate results.”

Final Thoughts

While we are all experimenting with new ways to find and make use of information on the internet, there is speculation that people will stop using Google and start using other services. As we continue to explore what tools work best for us based on our needs, we will likely end up using different tools for different functions of our lives. In the meantime, it is important not to confuse an AI chatbot using a Large Language Model (LLM) like ChatGPT for a search engine. Each of these tools will continue to enrich our lives in a number of ways, but it is critical to learn the highest and best use for each of them.

At the end of the day, as collective users of these platforms, we will determine the winner in the continued race for search supremacy. Google is currently the 800 pound gorilla and still holds over 80% of the search volume worldwide. They are also leaders in AI technology and have continued to shape the way the world organizes and finds information. As Google continues to integrate Gemini, its version of ChatGPT, into the search engine, Google’s current users will likely continue to use Google for what it does best, and that is return the most useful search results for information on the web. As long as this is the case, if you own or operate a local business, this is where your audience will live for the foreseeable future, so you must remain competitive in this landscape. Sure, ranking and showing up on the LLMs is something that should be pursued as an opportunity to gain market share in a new medium, but there is no evidence yet that you should do so at the expense of your current search engine advertising.

In my next article, I’ll reveal what ChatGPT has to say about whether or not local service providers should start shifting their marketing dollars to LLM optimization and if so, how much?

If you’re interested in how Convert It can help your firm rank higher and get found on Google, fill out the form below. Our team will put together a custom marketing plan to help you grow your practice.