Local SEO isn't going away, but it's evolving. Here's how to think about search optimization when AI is increasingly the interface consumers use.
SEO Isn't Dead - It's Expanding
Traditional SEO still matters. Google still sends massive traffic to local businesses. But smart marketers are now thinking about "search" more broadly to include AI assistants.
The New Local Discovery Stack
Local businesses now need to think about visibility across multiple layers:
- Google Search - Still the largest source of local discovery
- Google Maps - Critical for navigation and local intent
- AI Assistants - Growing fast as a recommendation source
- Voice Search - Often powered by AI, often local
- Social Search - TikTok, Instagram as discovery tools
What Changes with AI
The biggest shift is from "ranking" to "recommending." In traditional SEO, you optimize to rank higher in a list. With AI, you optimize to be the business the AI chooses to recommend.
This means factors like trustworthiness, authority, and comprehensive information become even more important than pure keyword optimization.
Practical Steps for Businesses
- Continue doing good local SEO - it feeds into AI training data
- Expand your thinking to include AI visibility as a separate metric
- Focus on being comprehensively represented online, not just optimized
- Monitor how AI platforms talk about your business
- Think about what makes your business worth recommending, not just ranking
The Businesses That Will Win
The businesses that thrive in an AI-first world will be those that genuinely deserve to be recommended. AI platforms are trying to give good answers to users - so being a good business, with a clear online presence, is ultimately the best strategy.