A homeowner asks ChatGPT, “What's the best tankless water heater for a family of five?”

A contractor asks, “What's the best adhesive for installing tile over concrete?”

An architect asks, “Which insulation products meet the performance requirements for this project?”

Three different customers. Three different needs. But one increasingly important question for building product manufacturers:

Is your brand part of the answer?

Manufacturers have spent decades building awareness, investing in distribution and developing relationships with the professionals who influence purchasing decisions. But AI-powered search introduces a new challenge. Buyers can now receive a shortlist of recommended products before visiting a manufacturer's website, walking into a retailer or speaking with a salesperson.

If your brand isn't on that shortlist, you may never get the opportunity to compete.

The New Battle Is for Brand Consideration

Traditional search gave manufacturers several opportunities to capture a buyer's attention. Even if your brand wasn't the first result, customers could compare websites, browse retailer listings and evaluate multiple options.

AI search can compress that process.

Instead of reviewing ten different websites, a homeowner might ask an AI assistant to recommend three water heaters based on household size, efficiency and budget. A contractor might request the best products for a specific installation challenge.

The answer may include only a handful of brands.

That changes the stakes. A manufacturer doesn't necessarily lose because its product is inferior. It may lose because the AI assistant doesn't have enough accessible, credible information to recommend it.

The risk isn't simply losing website traffic. It's losing consideration before a buyer knows you were an option.

Your Brand Is Only as Visible as the Information Around It

Manufacturers often assume that because their websites contain detailed product information, AI tools will understand their offerings.

But a manufacturer's website is only one part of the picture.

Consider how a single product is represented across the marketplace. The manufacturer publishes specifications and performance claims. Retailers create product listings. Distributors share availability and technical details. Contractors post installation videos. Customers leave reviews. Trade publications compare competing solutions.

AI systems can draw from these different sources when generating recommendations.

If the information is incomplete, inconsistent or difficult to interpret, a manufacturer may be at a disadvantage.

A product with excellent technical performance might be overlooked because its specifications are buried in a PDF. An outdated retailer listing might create confusion about available features. A competitor with stronger independent reviews and clearer product comparisons may appear more frequently in recommendations.

This is why AI search for building products is no longer just a website issue. It's a brand management issue.

Manufacturers Can't Leave Their Story Entirely to Retailers and Dealers

Retailers, distributors and dealers are essential to the building products business. They connect manufacturers to customers, provide expertise and ultimately help turn consideration into sales.

But their priorities aren't always the same as the manufacturer's.

A retailer may emphasize price and availability. A distributor may focus on product specifications. A contractor may recommend brands based on familiarity and installation experience.

None of those perspectives is wrong. But none is responsible for communicating the manufacturer's complete brand story.

When AI assistants assemble recommendations from information across the marketplace, those different perspectives can influence how a brand is represented.

Manufacturers need to ensure that the information surrounding their products is accurate, consistent and useful, whether a customer encounters it through an AI assistant, retailer website or professional recommendation.

The goal isn't to bypass the distribution network.

It's to make sure your brand enters the conversation before the customer reaches the point of purchase.

What Makes a Manufacturer Worth Recommending?

Think about the difference between two competing building products.

One manufacturer describes its product as “industry-leading” and “engineered for superior performance.”

Another provides clear technical specifications, explains which applications the product is designed for, offers accessible installation information and has credible professionals demonstrating its performance.

Which one gives an AI assistant more useful information to work with?

Manufacturers have an opportunity to strengthen their presence by focusing on a few fundamentals:

• Clear product information: Accurate specifications, application details and installation requirements that are accessible and easy to interpret.
• Consistent marketplace information: Product descriptions and technical claims that align across manufacturer, retailer and distributor channels.
• Credible third-party validation: Reviews, trade coverage, expert commentary and other independent evidence supporting product performance.
• Real-world expertise: Contractors, installers and customers sharing authentic experiences that help explain how products perform outside a showroom.

These elements aren't entirely new. Manufacturers have always needed product accuracy, strong distribution and customer credibility.

What's changing is how those elements come together to influence discovery.

The Most Powerful Brand Story May Come From Outside Marketing

For building products manufacturers, some of the most valuable brand advocates are the people who work with their products every day.

Contractors understand installation challenges. Technicians know what affects long-term performance. Customers can explain what a product actually changed in their homes or businesses.

Their experiences can make technical product benefits tangible.

That's why manufacturer investments in professional relationships, training programs, hands-on demonstrations and experiential marketing deserve a fresh look.

An installation demonstration can become educational content. A conversation with a contractor can reveal a common product question. A customer experience can provide evidence of a benefit that advertising alone cannot establish.

These interactions create opportunities for authentic stories to circulate across professional communities, social platforms, industry publications and other places buyers seek information.

For manufacturers, the opportunity is bigger than creating another video or social post.

It's about turning real product experience into a stronger, more credible brand presence.

Are You Winning the Recommendation?

Most manufacturers know how their brands perform in traditional search. They track rankings, website visits, leads and sales.

But how many know what happens when a homeowner asks an AI assistant to recommend a product in their category?

Does your brand appear? Are the right products recommended for the right applications? Is the information accurate? Which competitors appear instead? And what sources are influencing the answer?

These are increasingly important questions for marketing leaders.

They also require collaboration beyond the marketing department. Product teams, e-commerce, public relations, sales and channel partners all contribute to the information and experiences that shape a brand's reputation.

The manufacturers that succeed won't simply be the ones producing the most content. They'll be the ones giving customers—and AI systems—the clearest reasons to choose them.

Join the Conversation

AI search is changing how building products are discovered, evaluated and recommended. And manufacturers have an opportunity to shape what happens next.

Join Adcom and the Home Improvement Research Institute (HIRI) for an upcoming webinar featuring Jess Van Wagenen, SVP of Client Strategy at Adcom, and Ken Holmes, Leader – Integrated Marketing, North America at Rheem.

We'll explore what AI-powered discovery means for home improvement manufacturers, how brands can strengthen their presence across digital channels, and why authentic professional and customer experiences are becoming increasingly valuable.

Because making a great product is only half the battle. Making sure it's recommended is the other.

Register for the HIRI webinar

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