AI is changing the way people search.
ChatGPT can recommend businesses. Google is integrating AI generated answers into search results. Voice assistants can answer increasingly complex questions.
So does local SEO still matter?
Absolutely.
In fact, as search becomes more sophisticated, making it clear who your business is, what you do and where you operate could become even more important.
Local searches have strong intent
Consider the difference between these two searches:
“How does an MOT work?”
And:
“MOT garage near me.”
The first person is looking for information.
The second may be looking for somewhere to book their car.
That intent makes local search incredibly valuable for businesses.
People searching for accountants, solicitors, restaurants, garages, designers, builders and countless other services frequently want a business within a particular geographical area.
Whether they make that search through Google or ask an AI assistant for a recommendation, location still matters.
Google Business Profile remains important
For many local businesses, Google Business Profile is one of the most important parts of their online presence.
It can display your location, opening hours, telephone number, website, photographs and customer reviews directly within Google.
Keeping this information accurate matters.
Businesses should also select appropriate categories, maintain current opening hours and continue adding relevant information where appropriate.
Your profile should accurately represent the business customers will encounter when they contact you.
Reviews build local trust
Reviews can have a significant influence on which business a customer chooses.
Imagine searching for two businesses offering an almost identical service.
One has five reviews.
The other has more than 100 recent reviews from genuine customers discussing the service they received.
Which one immediately feels more established?
Reviews provide social proof before a potential customer has even visited your website.
They can also reinforce information about the services a business provides and the areas it serves.
Building a steady stream of genuine customer reviews should therefore be part of an ongoing local marketing strategy.
Your website needs local relevance
Simply mentioning a town twenty times on a page is not local SEO.
Good local content should actually be useful.
If your business genuinely serves customers across several locations, your website should make that clear.
That might mean having dedicated pages for important service areas where there is enough unique and useful information to justify them.
A web design company based in Fareham, for example, might work with businesses throughout Fareham, Gosport, Portsmouth, Southampton and the wider Hampshire area.
Relevant pages can explain the services available within those areas and provide examples of local work.
The important word is relevant.
Creating dozens of virtually identical pages and swapping the town name is unlikely to create a particularly useful experience for anyone.
Local authority matters
Your own website is only one part of your local presence.
Mentions from other organisations can help establish a relationship between your business, your industry and your location.
These might include local business organisations, chambers of commerce, community websites, suppliers, partners, sponsorships or local media.
A Fareham business that is regularly mentioned by other organisations around Fareham and Hampshire creates a stronger local footprint than one that exists almost entirely in isolation.
Good local SEO therefore extends beyond your own website.
Create content that demonstrates expertise
Blogs still have a role to play in local SEO, but only when they are worth reading.
Publishing an article simply because somebody said you should post every week is not much of a strategy.
Instead, answer the questions your customers genuinely ask.
An accountant could explain changes affecting local businesses.
A garage could publish advice about common vehicle problems.
A solicitor could explain frequently misunderstood legal processes.
A web design company could explain why a business is not appearing in Google.
Useful articles demonstrate expertise while giving search engines more information about the subjects associated with your business.
They can also provide useful material for social media, newsletters and sales conversations.
What does AI have to do with local SEO?
Quite a lot.
When someone asks an AI platform to recommend a business, the system needs enough information to understand which businesses might be relevant.
That makes the fundamentals incredibly important.
What does the company do?
Where is it located?
Which areas does it serve?
Does it appear to have genuine expertise?
Are other sources talking about it?
Do customers review it?
Is the information available online consistent?
These are familiar questions for anyone who has worked in local SEO.
AI may change the way an answer is presented, but businesses still need to establish relevance, credibility and authority online.
SEO and AI visibility should work together
We do not think businesses should choose between traditional SEO and AI optimisation.
They should complement one another.
A well structured website with detailed service pages, useful content, strong local information, customer reviews and relevant external mentions gives search engines plenty of information to work with.
It also creates a stronger digital footprint for emerging AI search platforms to understand.
There is no guarantee that ChatGPT or another AI platform will recommend a particular business.
But making your business clear, credible and authoritative online puts you in a considerably stronger position.
Start with the basics
Local SEO can become complicated, but many businesses still have opportunities to improve the fundamentals.
Make sure your Google Business Profile is accurate.
Ask happy customers for genuine reviews.
Clearly explain your services.
Make your location and service areas obvious.
Create genuinely useful content.
Keep your website updated.
Build relationships that generate relevant local mentions and links.
Make sure search engines can properly crawl and understand your website.
These things might not sound as exciting as the latest developments in artificial intelligence.
But they work.
And they are increasingly becoming the foundations on which newer forms of search visibility are built.
How visible is your business locally?
If customers are searching for the services you provide in Fareham, Gosport, Portsmouth, Southampton or elsewhere in Hampshire, your business should have the opportunity to appear.
At Nettl of Fareham, we help businesses improve their local search visibility through SEO, website development, content and AI search optimisation.
We focus on building sustainable visibility rather than chasing shortcuts.
Not sure how your website is performing?
Talk to Nettl of Fareham about a free SEO audit and find out where your biggest opportunities are.
