Local businesses can be staples of their communities for decades and have a robust online presence. Despite this, they still rank low in search results while competitors, who are not always necessarily bigger enterprises, climb the algorithm.
AI has dramatically shifted how search engines display online content over the past five years. The technology enables them to pull data from local reviews, listings, business profiles, and websites, making small details more important than ever. AI search overviews also grab much of the attention that websites and reddit links once earned.
It might look intimidating on the surface. However, small businesses that understand the new system can reach customers at critical decision-making points.
Consumer Search Queries Have Changed
Generative AI has led to dramatic shifts in the kinds of search queries people use to find information. Prior to its rise, shorter and broader search terms were more common. With AI, it is easier to find the right answers to longer, more specific questions.
Below are examples of such queries:
- Fall-themed wedding beverage catering around West Orange, NJ
- Whether to choose a funny or sentimental 3D greeting card for a birthday
- In-person, interactive sixth-grade science tutoring around Denver, CO
Three decades ago, consumers looking to answer these questions would have searched “Beverage catering near me” or “Science Tutor near Denver, CO.”
Though Google and other search engines have understood natural language and longer search queries in the past, the conversational nature of generative AI encourages asking longer, more conversationally phrased questions. Below are how such questions would be phrased today.
- Where can I find fall-themed wedding beverage catering around West Orange, NJ?
- Should I choose a funny or sentimental 3D greeting card for my brother’s 20th birthday?
- Are there any in-person, interactive sixth-grade chemistry tutors around Denver, CO?
AI overviews can compile easy answers to these questions, and back them up with credible sources.
As a small, local business, you can target this by focusing on specific questions people may run into, with your business as the answer. Many businesses accomplish this by writing blogs on their website, which AI models pick up as a source and use in overviews.
If a wedding venue posts a blog post about fall-themed wedding beverage catering, search engine algorithms will consider your work when similar questions are searched.
Balance SEO Tenants and Conversational Tone in Your Blogs
If you are a small business owner, it is likely you are at least somewhat familiar with the basic SEO blogging tenants:
- Bulleted lists
- External links
- Short, easily skimmed paragraphs
- Headings and subheadings
- Keyword usage
These are valuable assets to utilize in your blogs. AI has not made them any less relevant. If anything, AI has made search engines more attentive than ever to what you post. Nonetheless, that doesn’t mean you should overuse any of these methods.
A common mistake many local SEO writers make is over-utilizing SEO principles. Entire articles become bulleted lists. Every fourth word is a keyword. Each sentence is its own paragraph. Relying on these methods too much produces articles that read as robotic and almost like an AI wrote it.
The best SEO samples aren’t the ones that mindlessly stuff as many keywords or external links as possible. To outsiders, they don’t even feel like an “SEO article.” They simply read as helpful, authentic insights produced by a team of businesspeople there to answer consumers’ specific questions.
Even before AI, search engines quickly caught on to “black hat” SEO tactics and penalized websites accused of producing low-quality content designed to climb the algorithm. Just because there are ways your content can mechanistically climb in search engine rankings, doesn’t mean humans are no longer your target audience.
1. Brand Image Matters
Being among the highest-ranked search engine links does not carry the weight it used to; the public has increasingly turned to AI search engine overviews for its answers. Nonetheless, the AI’s answers must come from somewhere. That “somewhere” is a website.
As AI overviews deal with information and answers to questions, algorithms are designed to pick sites deemed trustworthy or authoritative on the subject matter. But what makes a source seem reputable?
2. Prioritize Obtaining Reviews
User and client reviews have always been a significant part of SEO, but matter more than ever. It used to be thatGoogle My Business reviews mostly only affected Google My Business standings; likewise, Yelp reviews determined Yelp standing, and so on. Now, AI systems factor in testimonials from Reddit, Google My Business, Yelp, and others, affecting whether your brand makes it search engine results.
If your brand has any positive testimonials from clients and users, highlight them on your website and social media. These mentions and stories do not go unnoticed by search algorithms.
3. Throw Some Variety into the Mix
Having a wide variety of online content that demonstrates knowledge and skill in the subject matter also makes your brand come across as a more reliable source. Some ways you can demonstrate this knowledge is through:
- Consistently updating, well-written SEO blogs that cover a wide variety of relevant subject matter
- Building a strong social media presence covering similar subject matter
- Extensive information on your website about the goods and services your team provides
4. Transparency is Key
Even simply making sure your website is easy to understand goes a long way. The following need to be easily deciphered on your website:
- Prices
- Service area
- Product or service offerings
If not, AI algorithms Will question the authority of your business and website.
Stay Ahead of the Algorithm with Premiere Creative
AI has come to dominate headlines and global business operations over the past five years. Some have even gone as far as saying that “local SEO is dead” due to AI’s rise.
This could not be any further from the truth. The only SEO casualties at the hands of AI are black hat practices and unauthoritative websites. At Premiere Creative, we take a digital-first marketing strategy to help small businesses adapt to the everchanging priorities of the internet and AI.
Want to develop your brand’s SEO capabilities further? Give Premiere Creative a call at (973) 346-8100 or contact us today.