I’m tracking a growing Google Business Profile issue after several days of complaints from businesses that say reviews have disappeared from their local listings. Google has now confirmed that it is investigating the reports, and in some cases, review submissions on affected profiles appear to be paused.
What Google said. Google told us that when its systems detect suspicious review activity, it may take several actions, including removing reviews and temporarily pausing reviews on a profile to prevent further abuse. Google also said it is investigating the issue and will restore any reviews that were incorrectly removed.
What I’m seeing. As I documented on the Search Engine Roundtable, there are dozens of complaints in the Google Business Profile Forums from business owners and local SEOs who say their reviews have mysteriously vanished. In some cases, businesses are also unable to receive new reviews on their local listings.
From what I can tell, Google’s review spam detection systems may be identifying certain patterns and aggressively removing or blocking reviews on suspected Google Business Profiles. What remains unclear is whether this is tied to spammers abusing some profiles, a recent algorithmic adjustment, or Google’s systems becoming overly sensitive.
More details. Amy Toman, a volunteer Google Product Expert for Google Business Profiles, shared on LinkedIn that businesses or clients affected by this issue can post in the forum if they want to, but Google is already aware of the problem and working on it. She also noted that no timeline for a resolution has been provided yet.
She said she is seeing a new pattern where, after fake or spam reviews are reported, some Google listings receive a review block and all reviews are hidden. In at least one case, she said the rating was reduced to 0.
Why I care. If I noticed a sudden drop in reviews or stopped receiving new reviews this week, I would consider this issue a likely explanation. For local businesses, reviews can directly affect trust, visibility, and customer decisions, so even a temporary review disruption can be frustrating.
Google is investigating, and I’m watching to see whether missing reviews are restored and whether affected Google Business Profiles can begin receiving new reviews again.
I see TikTok becoming harder to ignore in SEO because discovery no longer happens in one clean path. Someone might find a restaurant on TikTok, verify it through Google Reviews, check Reddit for honest opinions, scan the menu on the business website, and then book a table. Someone else might take those same steps in a completely different order.
Nearly half of U.S. consumers used TikTok as a search engine in 2026, up from 41% in 2024, according to Adobe survey data. What stands out to me is why people search there: short-form video, storytelling, interactivity, tutorials, product reviews, personal stories, and influencer recommendations all make the platform feel more immediate than a traditional results page.
I also think TikTok recent updates show how seriously the platform wants to be part of the search journey. Many purchase decisions are visual, social, emotional, and trust-driven, which is exactly where TikTok has strength. With Local Feed, AI summaries, creator reviews, and shopping features, TikTok is trying to meet people at the moment they are exploring, comparing, and deciding.
So instead of asking whether TikTok is a traditional search engine, I ask a more useful question: how do I make sure people can find, understand, trust, and choose a brand wherever their search journey begins? More often than many marketers want to admit, that starting point may be TikTok.
TikTok SEO Is More Than Hashtags Now
I think of TikTok SEO much like traditional SEO: it is the work of making a business, place, product, service, or experience easier to discover. As TikTok has evolved, the discovery surfaces have expanded far beyond captions and hashtags.
In the past, I mostly associated TikTok optimization with captions, hashtags, trending sounds, posting times, and the hope that a video would land on the For You feed. Those pieces still matter, but they are no longer the full picture.
Today, I have to think about TikTok Search, recommendations, Local Feed, Places, reviews, comments, creator content, visual cues, product signals, and AI-assisted discovery. A stronger TikTok SEO strategy now includes search query relevance, spoken topic clarity, on-screen text, captions, hashtags, location context, creator reviews, comments, product visuals, and the searches people make after seeing a video.
TikTok documentation says search results can be shaped by how well content matches a query, along with hashtags, sounds, user interactions, language, and location. The For You feed also weighs user interactions, content information, user information, and watch behavior, which means usefulness and engagement both matter.
Local Feed Creates a New Discovery Surface
TikTok launched Local Feed in the U.S. on Feb. 11 as a home-screen tab for nearby content related to travel, events, restaurants, shopping, small businesses, and local creators. TikTok says posts can appear based on location, topic, and when the content was published.
I see Local Feed as another organic discovery touchpoint, especially for local businesses. A restaurant can appear while someone is deciding where to eat nearby. A wellness club can show up when someone is looking for weekend plans. A venue can answer practical before-you-go questions before a guest ever reaches the box office.
There are limits I would keep in mind. TikTok precise location setting is optional, off by default, available only for users 18 and older, and still rolling out across the U.S. TikTok also says private accounts, accounts for users under 18, and posts limited to Friends or Only You will not appear in Local Feed.
Local Explorer Shows TikTok Is Investing in Places
TikTok Local Explorer Program is one of the clearest signs I have seen that the platform wants to build stronger place-based discovery. The program encourages people to submit location-based reviews and rewards participation with experience points, levels, badges, community access, and other perks.
I would not assume every market has the same access or level of activity, because availability has been limited and uneven by region. Still, the direction matters: TikTok is building more ways for users to evaluate places inside the app.
I have also seen TikTok incentivize reviews for places that do not already have TikTok reviews. In one example, a coffee shop had no TikTok reviews, and I was offered a $1 Promote coupon to leave one.
When a place does not have native TikTok reviews, I have seen TikTok pull reviews from TripAdvisor and, in some cases, Google. That makes the Places tab a useful comparison surface where people can evaluate reviews, videos, and comments before deciding whether to visit a local business.
Visual Search Links Matter More Than Exact Keywords
TikTok increasingly adds automated search links and related query prompts beneath videos. I pay attention to these because they show how TikTok can connect a video to a broader topic, place, or product discovery path.
For example, a video about a place like Glen Ivy may show a search bar at the bottom that lets users explore more related content. Those search bars can appear even when a creator has not overloaded the description with exact-match keywords, which tells me TikTok is reading more than just captions.
TikTok Shop Turns Discovery Into Buying
With TikTok Shop, someone can see a product in a video, search for it, compare it through comments and creator content, and buy it without leaving the app. That makes TikTok more than a discovery channel for ecommerce brands; it can become part of the full purchase path.
I would optimize TikTok Shop content around the information TikTok needs to understand a product. Search relies heavily on how well a shopper query matches product information such as titles, categories, attributes, and content context.
TikTok Shop has also released Shoppable Photos in beta for select sellers. Eligible sellers can create image-based posts, include multiple photos, and tag products directly in the post. These posts may appear in the For You feed, Search, and the Shop tab, giving sellers a simpler way to showcase inventory without producing a full video.
AI Is Becoming Part of TikTok Discovery
I am also watching TikTok AI-assisted discovery features closely, even though availability varies by market, account, and test. Features such as Tako, AI Overviews, Quick Highlights, AI summaries, and Content Studio all point in the same direction: TikTok wants to help users search, summarize, and create faster.
Tako is TikTok chatbot, and it lets users search in a way that feels similar to using the app search bar. It can surface relevant TikTok videos and external sources, including articles.
TikTok also now offers AI Overviews for some searches. When users search a topic, they may see an AI-generated summary of the results. If they click a visual search bar, they may also see Quick Highlights that summarize that search experience.
The Places tab includes AI summaries too, and users can see how many posts were used to generate a place summary. For local businesses, that makes the quality and clarity of creator posts, customer videos, and reviews even more important.
On the creator and seller side, TikTok AI tools can help generate captions, hashtags, and even videos. I would treat these tools as helpful support, not a substitute for real strategy, because features like Content Studio are still not available to everyone and remain in testing.
How I Would Improve Visibility on TikTok
On TikTok, visibility comes from what people search for, what TikTok can understand, and what the camera actually shows. That means I would focus less on cleverness and more on showing people what they need to see before they choose a business, product, or place.
For restaurants, I would show menu items, exterior signage, the dining room, takeout packaging, seasonal dishes, and neighborhood cues. Those visuals help both users and TikTok understand what the place offers and where it fits.
For retail, I would show product displays, packaging, try-ons, shelf layout, gift ideas, and the storefront. The more clearly a video communicates what is available, who it is for, and where someone can get it, the stronger the discovery signal becomes.
I would also build simple habits into every TikTok content workflow: use location context naturally, show products clearly, show the storefront or interior when relevant, mention the city or neighborhood when it helps, create timely content around local moments, tag the physical location when appropriate, and work with creators who already understand discovery-driven content.
Keyword Research
I would start TikTok keyword research inside the app because that is where the search behavior is happening. Seed topics might include best brunch, World Cup outfits, things to do in [location], wedding inspiration, or gluten-free bakery.
From there, I would search each phrase on TikTok, document autocomplete suggestions, review suggested filters, look for Others searched for prompts, study top videos, and pay close attention to comment themes. I would also test city and neighborhood modifiers, then compare TikTok findings with Google Search Console, Google autocomplete, Reddit, YouTube, and site search data.
TikTok Creator Search Insights can add another useful layer by showing personalized information about search topics, content gaps, and how content tied to searched topics is performing.
Keyword Placement
I would place the core topic where TikTok and viewers can recognize it quickly: in the first few seconds of the video, the first text overlay, the opening of the caption, relevant hashtags, location tags, pinned comments, reply videos, the profile bio, playlist names, and creator briefs.
Comments and Reviews
I would treat comments and reviews as visibility assets, not afterthoughts. That means pinning genuinely helpful comments, replying to repeated questions with videos, correcting misinformation when trust is at stake, watching for recurring objections, and turning repeated questions into FAQs, landing page content, Google Business Profile posts, and future videos.
A creator saying that a bakery is the best gluten-free option in Portland because it takes cross-contamination seriously may be more useful than a generic five-star review. That kind of specific language can shape website copy, FAQ strategy, and customer messaging.
Referral Traffic and Branded Search
I would track TikTok referral traffic and monitor branded searches over time. When a TikTok post performs well, I would annotate it and compare branded search trends against a baseline.
I would look for directional movement in branded clicks, branded impressions, TikTok referral traffic, Google Business Profile actions, and engagement on related pages. At the same time, I would avoid giving TikTok credit for every increase without considering PR, paid campaigns, email, promotions, seasonality, and other marketing activity.
Attribution may never be perfect, but imperfect measurement does not make TikTok influence meaningless. I would rather measure directional impact than ignore a channel that is clearly shaping discovery behavior.
I Would Explore TikTok Instead of Ignoring It
Someone may find a business on TikTok before they ever search for its name on Google or ChatGPT. Someone else may turn to TikTok midway through the journey to decide whether the business is worth the trip, the purchase, or the recommendation.
Either way, I believe TikTok has earned a meaningful role in modern SEO strategy. Between Local Feed, Places, Tako, AI summaries, creator reviews, and TikTok Shop, the platform keeps adding new ways for businesses to be discovered, and many of those opportunities are still underused.
I see Google Ask Maps changing local visibility in a meaningful way. Instead of showing people a long list of nearby businesses and leaving them to sort through everything, Ask Maps narrows the options, interprets the searcher’s intent, and explains why certain businesses look like a strong fit.
That changes how I think about local SEO. Visibility is no longer only about ranking somewhere near the top of a long results list. It is increasingly about whether Google understands a business well enough to recommend it with confidence.
I would not treat Ask Maps as a separate optimization channel or a brand-new tactic to chase. I would focus on making the business easier for Google to understand, easier to match to real customer situations, and easier to trust. The foundations of local SEO still matter, but the way those signals work together matters even more.
Visibility in Ask Maps starts with filtering
One of the first things I notice about Ask Maps is how small the result set can be. In testing, it often showed around three to eight businesses, depending on the query. That feels very different from traditional Google Maps, where people can scroll through dozens of options and compare them on their own.
With Ask Maps, much of that comparison happens earlier. Google filters the market first, interprets what the person is really asking for, and then presents a smaller group of businesses with an explanation of why each one fits.
That means I have to think beyond the question of whether a business ranks. I also have to ask whether Google has enough confidence to include that business in a short recommendation set and explain why it belongs there.
I think of this as a two-step problem. First, Google decides which businesses are eligible for the query. Then, it decides which eligible businesses it can confidently recommend.
Ask Maps needs enough detail to explain the business
Ask Maps does more than list businesses. It interprets and describes them. Even for simple searches, I often see businesses framed around qualities such as responsiveness, experience, specialization, professionalism, or the kinds of situations they seem best suited for.
That creates a different optimization challenge. It is not enough for Google to know that a business exists or that it offers a basic service. Google needs enough information to answer a more practical question: when should this business be recommended?
To support that, I want Google to understand the types of jobs the business handles, the situations it commonly deals with, the concerns customers usually have, and how the business approaches those situations.
If that information is vague, scattered, or inconsistent, Ask Maps has less to work with. When Google cannot clearly explain why a business fits a specific situation, I would expect that business to be less likely to appear as a recommendation.
Google Business Profile becomes the identity layer
For me, the Google Business Profile sits at the foundation of this whole process. In earlier-stage queries, Ask Maps appears to rely heavily on profile data, including business descriptions, services, reviews, ratings, hours, and operational details.
Many businesses still treat their profile like a basic listing to fill out and keep current. That is necessary, but I do not think it is enough for an environment where Google is trying to describe and recommend businesses. The profile needs to communicate a clear, specific identity.
A generic profile might say that a business offers plumbing, HVAC, electrical work, or another broad service. A stronger profile clarifies the kinds of problems it handles, the situations it is built for, and the details that make it useful to specific customers.
For example, I would use the profile to reinforce details such as emergency availability, response times, specific repair or installation types, experience with older homes, complex systems, or common customer problems the business solves.
That level of specificity gives Google more direct evidence. Instead of forcing the system to infer what the business is known for, I want the profile to make that identity clear.
Reviews shape positioning, not just credibility
Reviews have always mattered in local search, but I see them playing a more structured role in Ask Maps. Review language can show up in the way Google describes a business, especially around themes like responsiveness, honesty, communication, professionalism, and quality of work.
That tells me reviews are doing more than supporting credibility. They are helping define how the business is positioned.
I would still pay attention to rating, volume, and recency. But I would also look closely at what customers actually say. The language inside reviews can give Google useful context about what the business does, how it works, and what customers value about the experience.
A vague review such as “great service” signals satisfaction, but it does not explain much. A detailed review that mentions a same-day response, a drain backup, clear communication about options, and a repair-focused solution gives Google several stronger signals about the business.
Over time, those patterns accumulate. In that sense, I view reviews as one of the main ways Google learns what a local business is known for.
Website content matters more when decisions get harder
I also see website content becoming more important as queries become more complex. For basic service searches, the Google Business Profile and reviews may carry a lot of the weight. But when the search involves higher cost, uncertainty, or trust, Google appears to look for deeper supporting evidence.
That is where the website can help. Many service pages explain what a business offers and why it is qualified. That still matters, but it does not always match how people search when they are trying to make a difficult decision.
In more situational searches, people are not just looking for a service. They are trying to understand a problem, compare options, reduce risk, and decide what to do next.
That is why I would build content around the customer’s situation, not just around the service name. Stronger pages explain what leads to the problem, how to recognize it, what options are available, how to think through the decision, and what outcomes to expect.
For example, a furnace repair page can go beyond a basic list of services. It can cover common symptoms, when repair makes sense, when replacement might be worth considering, and how a homeowner can evaluate the decision. That kind of content lines up more closely with the prompts Ask Maps is trying to interpret.
I also see a strong fit for jobs-to-be-done pages. Instead of organizing every page around a service category, I would create pages around the situation the customer is trying to solve and the decision they are working through.
Trust signals matter more as risk increases
As searches move from simple service needs into decision-making, trust becomes more important. When people mention cost, honesty, uncertainty, or fear of making the wrong choice, Ask Maps tends to highlight qualities such as transparency, fairness, careful workmanship, and clear communication.
That makes sense to me because it reflects how people actually think in those moments. When someone faces an expensive repair or an unexpected issue, they are not only asking who can do the work. They are asking who they can trust to handle it correctly.
I would support that trust with evidence across the business’s online presence. Reviews can show that customers felt respected and informed. Website content can explain the process. Examples of completed work can show experience. Clear “what to expect” sections can reduce uncertainty.
The higher the perceived risk, the more supporting evidence matters. I want Google to see a consistent pattern that the business explains options clearly, avoids unnecessary pressure, handles similar situations, and leaves customers confident in the outcome.
Detailed customer reviews do more than boost ratings. They give Google Ask Maps the context it needs to understand, position and confidently recommend a local business.
External signals should reinforce the same story
For more complex or trust-heavy queries, Ask Maps may look beyond the Google Business Profile, reviews, and website. Third-party platforms, directories, and other public sources can help reinforce how Google understands a business.
I do not take that to mean every external mention is equally important. I take it to mean consistency matters. If a business is described one way on its website, another way in reviews, and differently across directories or social platforms, the overall picture becomes harder to interpret.
When those signals align, they strengthen each other. Business descriptions, services, customer experiences, types of work handled, and overall positioning should tell the same story wherever they appear.
From a practical standpoint, I would not try to appear on every possible platform. I would make sure the important sources are accurate, credible, and consistent.
I would optimize for evidence, not just keywords
As local search decisions become more specific and higher risk, Google needs deeper signals from business profiles, reviews, and website content to recommend the right provider.
Taken together, these patterns push me to think differently about optimization. Traditional local SEO often starts with keywords and rankings. Those still matter, but they do not fully explain what Ask Maps is doing.
I find it more useful to think in terms of evidence. For a business to be recommended, Google needs enough information to understand what it does, what types of jobs it handles, what situations it fits, how customers experience it, and whether it can be trusted in higher-stakes decisions.
Each source contributes something different. The Google Business Profile establishes the baseline identity. Reviews add real-world context. Website content provides depth and explanation. External sources help confirm the same picture.
Individually, none of those elements tells the whole story. Together, they create a clearer and more consistent understanding of the business. That is where the shift from ranking to recommendation becomes most obvious: keywords can support relevance, but evidence supports recommendation.
My practical framework for Ask Maps visibility
When I evaluate a business for Ask Maps visibility, I would look at five areas: identity, relevance, trust, context, and consistency.
Google Ask Maps rewards more than keyword relevance. This visual shows why reviews, service details, trust signals, and real proof help local businesses get recommended.
Identity asks whether Google can clearly understand what the business does and where it operates. Relevance asks whether the business can be matched to specific services and situations. Trust asks whether there is enough proof that customers feel confident choosing it.
Context asks whether the content reflects the decisions customers are actually trying to make. Consistency asks whether different sources reinforce the same understanding of the business.
I do not see this as a checklist to complete once. I see it as a practical way to evaluate how clearly and consistently a business is represented across the sources Ask Maps appears to use.
What I would avoid
With any new search feature, it is easy to overcorrect. I would avoid treating Ask Maps as an isolated channel that needs thin content, unnatural profile language, generic service-page duplication, or review language that feels forced.
Those tactics may create more content, but they do not necessarily create more useful evidence. The better approach is to align more closely with how customers actually search, evaluate options, and make decisions.
A practical local SEO framework shows how businesses can earn visibility in Google Ask Maps by clarifying identity, proving relevance, building trust, adding context, and staying consistent online.
When the business presence reflects real customer needs clearly and consistently, it naturally creates the kinds of signals Ask Maps seems to rely on.
What I still do not know about Ask Maps
I would treat all of this as directional, not definitive. Ask Maps is still being tested and refined, and the system is not fully documented.
The result structure can vary by query and test environment. The feature’s usability is also still changing. In many cases, users may still need to click into a Google Business Profile to call, book, or engage, rather than acting directly from the Ask Maps response.
Measurement is another open issue. Right now, I do not see a clean way to isolate Ask Maps visibility or performance inside standard reporting tools. That makes it difficult to attribute calls, traffic, or conversions directly to this experience.
I also would not assume the same signal weighting applies to every query. Google Business Profile data, reviews, website content, and external sources may all matter, but their relative importance likely changes based on the search intent and the complexity of the decision.
The real shift is from ranking to recommendation
I see Ask Maps as a version of local search where retrieval, evaluation, and decision support are moving closer together. Instead of making users search, compare, research, and decide across several steps, Google is trying to guide more of that process inside one experience.
That changes the meaning of visibility. In Ask Maps, it is not enough for a business to simply appear. The business needs to be understood well enough for Google to explain why it fits the situation and trusted enough to be recommended.
For businesses and SEOs, I would not respond by chasing a narrow trick. I would build a clearer, more complete, and more consistent representation of the business across the sources that shape Google’s understanding.
The businesses most likely to benefit are the ones that are easiest to interpret, easiest to trust, and easiest to match to real-world customer needs.
I’ve recently delved into the world of veterinary SEO agencies and analyzed a whopping 73 companies. With a robust scoring system, I’ve ranked each based on eight criteria to ensure the firms making the list are truly top-notch.
The criteria include average review scores, leadership experience, being founder-led, notable clients, years established, average client tenure, and media references. Extra emphasis was placed on reviews from veterinary clientele, signaling relevance and client satisfaction.
After rigorous analysis, I’ve narrowed it down to the top 6 companies, and here’s the detailed ranking:
The Top Veterinary SEO Companies of 2026
1. First Page Sage: Leading the chart with an impressive blend of local SEO and GEO targeting.
2. Beyond Indigo Pets: Known for their holistic digital marketing strategies tailored for vet clinics.
3. LifeLearn: Offers an integrated platform that blends SEO with practice management.
4. True North Social: Focuses on SEO and social media to engage and convert pet owners.
5. Veterinary Marketing: Ideal for budget-conscious practices, offering essential digital marketing packages.
6. UppercutSEO: Renowned for their technical SEO expertise and local search improvements.
Insights on First Page Sage
Ranked first, First Page Sage utilizes a comprehensive thought-leadership SEO strategy. I found their approach to blend SEO with geo-targeting, engaging qualified veterinary leads. Their techniques help transform veterinary practices into authoritative local resources, driving meaningful traffic poised for conversion.
With AI becoming more prevalent in decision-making, they’ve innovated through generative engine optimization, giving clients a visible edge in AI-generated search results.
Highlights:
Average Review Score: 4.9
Leadership Experience Score: 4.9
Founder Led: Yes
Notable Clients: San Francisco SPCA, Blue Cross Pet Hospital, Lakeview Veterinary Hospital
Year Established: 2009
Average Client Tenure: 3.2 years
Media References: ~820
Approach to SEO: Local SEO and GEO targeting
Beyond Indigo Pets: A Closer Look
Beyond Indigo Pets tailors marketing strategies for veterinary practices, focusing on seasonal needs and competitive dynamics. While their services cover a wide array of digital marketing aspects, they do not specialize solely in SEO, which may be a consideration for practices in hyper-competitive areas.
Approach to SEO: Digital marketing for vet clinics
Exploring LifeLearn
LifeLearn offers a comprehensive suite integrating SEO with practice management, making it an appealing choice for those desiring a one-stop solution. However, if dedicated SEO specialization is your focus, you might explore other firms on this list.
Details:
Average Review Score: 4.6
Leadership Experience Score: 4.4
Founder Led: No
Notable Clients: N/A
Year Established: 1994
Average Client Tenure: 3.0 years
Media References: ~75
Approach to SEO: Integrated platform with SEO
Diving into True North Social
True North Social curates content that strikes an emotional chord with pet owners, transforming them into clients through strategic SEO and advertising. They prioritize intimate client engagement, which might limit their capacity for larger veterinary organizations.
Average Review Score: 4.4
Leadership Experience Score: 4.5
Founder Led: Yes
Notable Clients: N/A
Year Established: 2016
Average Client Tenure: 2.4 years
Media References: ~70
Approach to SEO: SEO, social media marketing, PPC
Understanding Veterinary Marketing
If your practice operates on a tighter budget, Veterinary Marketing offers essential services to get you started with online growth. While their packages are budget-friendly, you might need additional expertise for advanced SEO strategies.
Approach to SEO: Veterinary-specific SEO, PPC, social media
Delving into UppercutSEO
UppercutSEO focuses on technical SEO fundamentals, beneficial for practices needing foundational web optimization. They may not cover veterinary-specific insights that others on this list specialize in, so keep that in mind.
Average Review Score: 4.4
Leadership Experience Score: 4.4
Founder Led: Yes
Notable Clients: N/A
Year Established: 2020
Average Client Tenure: 1.8 years
Media References: ~95
Approach to SEO: Technical SEO and local search
The Best Veterinary SEO Companies by Specialty
Our in-depth analysis also classified top veterinary SEO agencies into three key specialties reflecting unique client needs: content marketing, local search optimization, and technical implementation.
AI has infiltrated nearly every industry, becoming an integral part of apps, company processes, and even daily life. As someone who’s been navigating the local SEO landscape since its inception, I’m witnessing a significant change in user search behavior and the types of responses they receive.
Back in the day, a local business could achieve high rankings simply by optimizing its website, polishing up the Google Business Profile, securing around 50 citations, and soliciting customer reviews. However, in today’s AI-driven search world, these efforts are just foundational.
To succeed in AI-driven local searches, it’s crucial to influence what the wider web communicates about your business, or in simpler terms, build brand awareness.
Consider local search as a form of digital word-of-mouth.
These questions are at the core of what AI systems evaluate when users request local business recommendations. Here’s how I work on shaping the reputation signals these advanced search engines rely on.
How to Conduct Competitor Research for AI Visibility
One initial step in developing an AI search strategy is figuring out which brands large language models (LLMs) recommend most frequently and understanding their strategies.
Identify Businesses Frequently Mentioned in AI Responses
Since AI responses change frequently, I found it essential to run the same query multiple times to discern patterns.
I run the most common brand-related searches at least 20 times in my chosen LLM. Whether you do this manually or employ software like Gumshoe or Waikay, these tools can help synthesize prompts based on your business details and indicate how often your brand appears.
Pinpoint the Sites AI Cites Most Often
After identifying competitors, I turn my attention to the sources LLMs tap into. Analyzing results can be done manually or with the aforementioned tools.
Getting Your Brand Mentioned on Key Sites
Armed with a list of essential sites, I strive to have my brand featured there.
If blogs are primary AI sources, I offer to contribute expert content. For mentions in podcasts or on YouTube, I seek opportunities to guest feature. The ultimate aim is brand amplification.
Building Reviews for AI Consideration
For years, Google has dominated as the primary channel for discovery, leading businesses, like mine, to focus primarily on garnering Google reviews. However, to excel in AI outcomes, reviews across multiple platforms are vital.
Diversify Your Review Collection Strategy
I recommend seeking reviews on various platforms such as Yelp, BBB, Facebook, and others pertinent to your industry. Regular reviews on multiple sites can bolster your brand’s visibility and enhance rankings in traditional search results.
Refine Your Approach to Requesting Reviews
Generic review requests are ineffective. Providing clear direction enhances the quality of feedback, steering customers toward experiences or product aspects AI models might query.
For instance, if you run a plumbing service, a polished review request could resemble this:
Hi [Name],
Thank you for choosing us for your hot water tank repair. If you could take a moment, please leave a review on [Link to Platform] and share how we met your needs:
— What plumbing issue did we resolve?
— Was our service up to your expectations?
— Did our plumber arrive punctually and display professionalism?
— Was the cost justifiable for the service quality?
Your review is invaluable to us and beneficial for others seeking quality plumbing services.
Thank you!
[Your Name]
AI systems directly reference review content, so securing detailed feedback is crucial.
Always Respond to Reviews
If you haven’t started responding to reviews, now’s the time. AI systems evaluate the content in review responses.
Establish an Everywhere Presence
AI systems scour the web for even rare mentions of your business. Thus, maintaining a presence across multiple platforms is essential, including:
YouTube.
Reddit.
Industry forums.
Social media, especially LinkedIn.
Industry publications.
Local and hyperlocal blogs.
Local news sites.
Local and industry podcasts and video channels.
Best-of lists in your city or industry.
Press releases.
Engage actively on platforms that resonate with your audience. Tools like Sparktoro can help identify where your audience is most active, enabling focused efforts.
Creating AI-Optimized Content That Stands Out
Today’s content strategies must cater to both humans and machines, demanding alterations in content structuring.
Research by Dan Petrovic into Google’s “grounding snippets” reveals that Google prioritizes sentences closely aligned semantically with the query and those positioned early in the text.
Deliver Key Information Promptly
While humans might savor a thoughtfully crafted introduction, LLMs laser focus on specific answers.
To cater to this, I ensure that my crucial points shine in the opening paragraphs, with the rest of the content bolstering these points.
Addressing the Right Questions
This revolves around keyword research and understanding query fan-out. It’s about pinpointing what queries bring visitors to my business and ensuring my site acts as an answer hub for these inquiries.
For local outfits, essential questions might include:
What do you do?
What services or products are available?
Who is your target audience?
What problems do you address?
Where are you located?
Which neighborhoods or cities do you serve?
Is service delivery on-site, or do clients visit your premises?
What are your business hours?
Do you provide emergency or immediate services?
Do you operate during weekends and holidays?
How can clients contact you?
What’s the booking procedure?
Do you provide quotes or consultations?
Is it appointment-only, or do you allow walk-ins?
Why should someone opt for your services?
What differentiates you from the competition?
Do you hold any awards or certifications?
Are you renowned for a specific product or service?
What are the costs involved?
Are there discounts or packages available?
What do other clients say about you?
Can you share reviews and testimonials?
Do you provide case studies or before-and-after visuals?
Answers to common queries.
Demonstrating authority and expertise:
What’s your process like?
Do you impart knowledge through tips, guides, or blog posts?
Incorporating tools like AlsoAsked can enhance this question discovery process.
Once addressed on your site, ensure consistency of answers across the web, including citations, guest posts, and press releases.
Craft Machine-Friendly Content Structures
Local businesses often list their services as follows: “Services include: plumbing, drain cleaning, pipe repair, etc.”
To improve, I utilize semantic triples for better machine comprehension.
A semantic triple comprises:
[Subject] + [predicate] + [object]
The subject pertains to what’s being defined, the predicate explains its relation to the object, and the object elaborates on the subject.
For instance:
[Rescue Plumbing] [is] [a plumbing company in Denver].
Swapping out “we” with the brand name provides machines the unambiguous signals they need, improving clarity about your services.
Introduce Fresh Perspectives
AI searches rely heavily on information gain. Thus, I ensure my content contributes new insights rather than restating existing details.
LLMs are drawn to articles that expand their understanding of your brand, industry, and locality.
I leverage personal and vocational expertise to answer niche questions and share unique job experiences, ensuring I rank for AI searches where my competitors don’t feature.
AI Visibility Checklist
Enhancing AI visibility requires more than focusing on your website and Google Business Profile. This checklist covers reviews, citations, content, and brand signals crucial for AI evaluation.
Revamp your local SEO strategy. Continue refining your website and Google Business Profile while enhancing brand visibility online.
Identify and analyze your competitors’ content and citation methodologies.
Find sources LLMs cite within your niche and location; ensure your brand features on these platforms.
Seek reviews across varied platforms, optimize your review requests, and respond to all feedback.
Boost your presence on blogs, social media, forums, YouTube channels, podcasts, and in the press.
Offer unique, informative, and comprehensive content on your website and across web platforms. Use semantic triples to deliver essential information concisely.
This exploration of localized AI search can be far more expansive, but I hope I’ve held your interest. Ensure you check back for upcoming discussions!
I recently discovered how AI is revolutionizing the way customers find local businesses. Tools like Google AI Overviews, Gemini, and Ask Maps are paving the way for more detailed, conversational searches.
It’s clear to me that traditional search rankings are no longer the sole factor in gaining visibility. Ensuring your business details are complete and accurate—like your Google Business Profile, reviews, and local content—can make a big difference.
I’m excited to join SOCi and Google for an exclusive webinar, Winning the Next Era of Local Visibility, on June 3. It’s a golden opportunity for anyone looking to stay ahead of the curve.
During this webinar, I look forward to learning:
How AI is transforming local search dynamics.
The types of signals that AI considers for recommendations.
Strategies to boost visibility on Search, Maps, and Gemini.
The implications of Ask Maps for your brand.
I’m convinced that AI is already shaping customer discovery, so it’s crucial to ensure your business isn’t left behind.
I’m thrilled to share that Yelp has just introduced a powerful AI update, bringing a new level of ease to local searches and bookings with their conversational “Yelp Assistant.” This tool is designed to help me move from searching to booking, ordering, and scheduling—all in one seamless experience.
Discover What’s New. At the heart of this innovation is the Yelp Assistant, a chatbot capable of answering complex questions, recommending businesses, and even making reservations or appointments without me ever needing to leave the app.
How It Works. The assistant taps into Yelp’s vast database of user reviews and photos to offer tailored recommendations, explain why a business is a good fit, and allow me to refine results in a conversational manner. It takes things to the next level by letting me book a table, order food, or request a quote without needing to switch platforms.
What Else Is New. Yelp is also enhancing integrations with platforms like Vagaro, Zocdoc, and Calendly, which streamlines bookings in categories such as beauty, healthcare, and home services. Plus, they’re strengthening their partnership with DoorDash for smoother delivery options.
Spotlight on Menu Vision. Another exciting feature is the revamped “Menu Vision,” which uses AI and visual overlays to display dishes, reviews, and photos in real time while I’m browsing a menu. This makes deciding what to order quicker and easier.
Why This Matters. For someone like me looking for convenience, Yelp is transforming from a simple discovery platform into a full-fledged transaction experience powered by AI. This means that while visibility remains important, businesses need to ensure they’re optimized for conversions right within the platform.
The Bigger Picture. By focusing on AI not just for discovery but also conversion, Yelp is turning intent into transactions without redirecting me elsewhere.
Looking Ahead. The assistant is now live on iOS and Android, with plans to expand further across more categories and desktop later this year.
Recently, I’ve noticed Google experimenting with video ads in the local search pack. This marks a shift towards more captivating visual formats in location-based searches.
Driving the news. Anthony Higman spotted this change, observing Google’s move to incorporate ‘immersive map view videos’ into PPC ads connected to local results.
These video ads pop up within the local pack — the map-based listings that display businesses near me or users searching.
What’s new. Instead of just static listings or text-based ads, I may soon see video content from advertisers in local search results.
The feature seems linked to settings in Google Ads’ Location Manager and may be enabled through a pre-opted setting in the shared library.
This feature blends paid ads with Google Maps-style immersive experiences, offering a novel way to stand out and show off locations, products, or services more effectively than static listings.
Why we care. For businesses, this update presents significant opportunities to increase visibility and engagement in high-intent local searches. Video ads could greatly enhance how prospective customers engage with local offerings.
Explore the Google Ads Location Manager settings to optimize your business profile and utilize rich media in your ad campaigns.
Yes, but. Right now, it seems the feature is in early testing phases, and its performance versus traditional local ads remains unclear.
There’s also some concern around the creative requirements, as video production can add an extra layer of complexity for advertisers.
The bottom line. Google’s move to integrate video into local search indicates an intent to make ads more engaging, offering businesses new tools to capture attention.
First spotted. This update initially caught Anthony Higman’s eye, who shared details about the new local listing ad type on LinkedIn.
I recently had an eye-opening experience when I asked ChatGPT to recommend a local business. Interestingly, the businesses it recommended all had strong online presences, and their websites were frequently cited as reliable sources.
This taught me something crucial: AI doesn’t pull answers from nowhere. It gathers data from existing sources. Without a trustworthy, comprehensive website, I lose control over my business narrative as AI cobbles together information from various places.
That’s why many business owners like myself are questioning the necessity of websites. If AI answers everything, why bother? But here’s the truth: my website is now more than just a marketing tool; it’s an authoritative document that AI treats seriously. The real challenge is deciding who defines my business narrative: me or others.
Zero-Click Doesn’t Eliminate Opportunity
I’m noticing a trend where impressions hold steady or even rise, but clicks are dropping. This might make some declare websites as obsolete, but I believe that’s a misplaced assumption.
While clicks may decline, they don’t signify reduced importance. Instead, the nature of the click is changing, as AI Overviews often appear for informational intent.
According to Ahrefs data, 99% of keywords triggering an AI Overview are informational, with navigational keywords at just 0.13%. Quick information seekers get their facts and move on, but those ready to make a decision will still validate this through direct interactions.
The critical clicks—those leading to revenue through bookings, calls, or purchases—are still happening. The keywords leading to these clicks are where decisions are closest.
When AI suggests a local business, it’s using a pattern based on reviews, content, and location, offering a starting point but not the final word.
Customers depend on a follow-up process that involves checking the website, reading reviews, and actually seeing what’s on offer before making a choice.
Thus, my website becomes the crux of decision-making. While AI might open the door, it’s my website that ultimately closes it.
Boosting Website Value Through AI
AI not only reads the content but also checks its accuracy against online profiles. If everything aligns, I’m recommended; if not, I’m left out.
Essentially, my website acts as a foundational element for AI. I want AI pulling from my most precise, structured information, not outdated third-party content.
Everywhere else, opinions and algorithms control how I’m perceived. Only on my website do I dictate what’s highlighted and how my story unfolds.
With well-organized content addressing real questions, my site provides the narrative I want AI to reflect. If not, the alternative narrative can be less favorable.
I’m using AI tools like ChatGPT to simulate client inquiries about my business and recognize gaps in information and narrative.
Is it citing my site?
My Google Business Profile?
Outdated directories?
This audit shows exactly where improvements are needed.
Consequences of a Stale Website
If my site lacks depth or is outdated, AI fills those gaps with potentially incorrect or damaging information, impacting reputation and decision-making.
Beyond mere accuracy, a weak website means losing control over how my value and expertise are perceived and positioned.
AI may bring me to the forefront, but it’s my site that secures trust and seals the deal with customers.
I’ve noticed a fascinating shift in Google’s Ask Maps function—it’s transitioning from simple listings to offering more personalized recommendations. This change is not just about showcasing local businesses anymore; it’s about truly understanding user needs and suggesting the best options.
The other day, I dug into some local service queries—think plumbers, electricians, HVAC services—and was amazed to find how Ask Maps narrows down options by user intent. It’s evaluating businesses based on factors like responsiveness and specialization, which feels fresh and user-focused.
What’s even more exciting is how Ask Maps frames these businesses. It’s not just a list; there’s guidance involved, which is a leap beyond traditional local retrieval methods. So, I decided to explore this by testing across five levels of local intent, ranging from simple searches to detailed conversational prompts.
As the complexity of queries increased, I saw a clear pattern: Ask Maps shifted from merely listing businesses to interpreting which ones truly fit the ask—and why. This is huge.
This exploration pulled insights from specific locality tests, so while it’s directional, it’s not exhaustive across all markets or queries.
The five-level intent model I developed was based on what I’ve learned about how people search for local services. I structured these not by traditional keyword categories but from simple inquiries to complex, conversational decision-making.
At the basic level, requests start simple, like “I’m looking for an HVAC company nearby.”
Then, I experimented with queries involving more service specifics, like “I need an electrician to upgrade my panel in an older home.” This was fascinating as it introduced nuances into what I look for in search results.
The most interesting insights emerged from situational queries and those involving trust or decision-making, revealing how Ask Maps balances offering a realistic number of options with the depth of interpretation. The shifts were consistent: as we went from simple prompts to narratives, Ask Maps fine-tuned business selection and added layers of explanation.
From this testing, I realized the intricate way Ask Maps processes information—using Google Business Profiles, reviews, and even external sources. While reviews dominated initial impressions, Ask Maps dives deeper on complex queries, pulling from business websites and informative content to guide users through decisions.
Overall, the direction Ask Maps is heading could redefine our local search approach. If it continues evolving, it might influence how visibility is determined—not just by listing presence but by the ability to comprehensively understand and meet the user’s needs.
