This year, one story stands out above the rest: the rapid rise of AI. 

In this mini-report, we go beyond the findings of the main Local Consumer Review Survey with exclusive insights exploring how consumers are using AI for local business recommendations. You’ll learn who is using AI, which tools are most popular, how much consumers trust AI-generated recommendations, and what this all means for your local strategy.

"Consumers are looking for information in more places, more often."

Myles Anderson, Co-founder and CEO at BrightLocal

What’s incredibly clear is that businesses that operate with a ‘Google-only’ mindset are at high risk of missing out on customers and revenue. We’re seeing a 12% drop in consumers relying solely on Google for reviews, while platforms like TikTok, Apple Maps, and ChatGPT are seeing double-digit growth as business discovery platforms.

It’s not that consumers are abandoning Google. After all, usage of Google AI Mode and Gemini is surging. It’s that their journey from idea to purchase has become much more fragmented. They are looking for information in more places, more often.

Crucially, the likes of ChatGPT and other LLMs and AI search tools can’t see inside Google’s walled garden of reviews. If your reputation only exists on Google, you are effectively invisible to the millions of people using ChatGPT to find local services. To be successful now, you need a ‘Reviews Everywhere’ strategy. By building your authority across Google plus the specific sites where your customers and AI models actually spend their time, you ensure your brand is present and trusted at every possible point of discovery.

Online Reviews vs. AI Recommendations

Before we dive into the data, one quick note on how AI recommendations differ from traditional reviews. Review platforms like Google Business Profile or Yelp display reviews written by real customers, which typically include a star rating, user-supplied photos or videos, and an explanation of the person’s experience.

AI tools like ChatGPT, CoPilot, and Gemini work differently. When someone asks a question (or a “prompt”), these tools analyze information from across the internet and generate a tailored response. AI responses may include information from reviews, as well as local directories, businesses’ websites, social media, and other third-party sources, depending on the tool and the prompt. 

AI doesn’t “read” reviews in the same way humans do. Instead, it looks for patterns across multiple sources to quickly surface insights. While this makes it a powerful time-saving tool, recommendations aren’t always fully up to date, and key nuances from individual reviews can be lost. Even when sources are provided, the reasoning behind the results isn’t always clear. For this reason, AI works best as a starting point for discovery rather than a replacement for reading real customer experiences.

AI is changing how people find local businesses, but trust still drives decisions. For local businesses and marketers, getting to grips with AI’s role in reputation is essential for staying competitive in 2026.

Recommendations by ChatGPT

Recommendations by Google AI Mode

Recommendations by CoPilot

The Rise of AI in Local Recommendations

AI is no longer niche: it’s quickly becoming mainstream. 

In early 2025, Consumer Search Behavior data found that 40% of consumers actively use generative AI when searching online. Just 3% of consumers considered an AI platform as their default for local searches. 

Less than a year on, we’re already seeing significant growth in AI as a channel for local searches. Local Consumer Review Survey data finds that the proportion of consumers using AI to find local business recommendations has climbed from 6% in 2025 to 45% today. 

Until recently, early users deliberately sought out these tools, but as AI becomes more widespread and embedded in the platforms people already use, even more consumers are likely to embrace it as part of their local decision-making.

AI has grown quickly over the past year to become the third most used tool for local business recommendations, behind only Google and Facebook, and outpacing major players Yelp and TripAdvisor. 

At the same time, the use of Google reviews has slipped from 83% last year to 71%. Many are speculating that AI tools are shifting consumer behavior, contributing to significant declines in organic search traffic. It seems that these drops are causing a knock-on effect on the number of consumers using Google to read reviews. 

AI use for local recommendations varies by age. Adults aged 30-44 lead the way, with 64% having asked AI tools for a business recommendation in the past year. Those over 60 are the most cautious, with just 24% turning to AI for local business guidance.

Understanding which AI tools are most popular helps marketers prioritize where to focus visibility efforts. ChatGPT is the clear frontrunner among consumers, being used by 31% for business recommendations in the last 12 months. Following behind is Google’s AI Mode (23%), and then Gemini, another Google-owned tool. Microsoft Copilot and Claude fall behind, but are still being tested by consumers at a far higher rate than last year. 

Together, these trends show that AI is moving beyond early experimentation. With millions of consumers already turning to AI to discover businesses, being visible in these tools is quickly becoming as important as a strong presence in traditional search results. But, for AI to have a long-term impact, consumers need to feel able to trust its recommendations. 

Trust Levels Differ Between AI Natives and Skeptics

With AI usage growing rapidly, we wanted to understand how consumers really feel about recommendations from non-human sources. 

Among active AI users, nearly two-thirds (63%) trust AI tools’ recommendations, while only 10% express distrust. Trust is significantly lower among those who don’t use AI, with 53% saying they don’t trust its business recommendations.

Trust in AI tools is surprisingly high when compared to reviews. 

Despite online reviews being a normal part of consumer research for more than two decades, AI platforms are already being equally trusted by 42% of consumers. 64% of AI users trust tools like ChatGPT as much as reviews when making local business recommendations, though trust levels are much lower among those who haven’t yet tried AI. 

In the marketing world, there has been plenty of skepticism around the accuracy of AI tools, especially when some tools “hallucinate” facts or figures. It is always wise to fact-check AI insights, just as you would any data source. When used thoughtfully, AI can be a powerful tool to help both consumers and marketers make quicker, more informed decisions. It is not a replacement for strategic thinking, but a way to free up time to focus on the bigger picture.

Summaries Could be the Gateway to AI Adoption

AI can do more than recommend businesses; it can also condense customer feedback into easy-to-digest summaries. 

Tools like ChatGPT can generate full summaries of reviews in response to prompts, while platforms such as Amazon and Google are testing AI summaries of customer reviews. These summaries help consumers spot key themes and overall sentiment quickly, without having to read every review. But are these AI-generated summaries trusted to give an accurate picture of real reviews?

50% of consumers trust AI platforms to accurately summarize online reviews from real people. Among active AI users, this figure climbs to 71%. In fact, levels of trust in summaries are higher than those of AI recommendations overall, suggesting that the more these overviews are rolled out by review platforms, the more consumers may be willing to trust AI information in other places.

AI users appear to be generally trusting of AI review summaries, with only 9% not trusting the information given. People who don’t use AI are unsurprisingly less trusting, though they do appear to be a little more trusting of AI summaries than AI tools in general for local recommendations. 

Consumer behavior with AI-generated review summaries varies. 23% of people are happy to rely on just the summary when making a decision, while 59% check review profiles for more information. Just 18% skip over summaries entirely, showing they are already an important tool in the decision-making process.

A strong review summary can help consumers spot patterns and sentiment without having to read hundreds of reviews. However, details such as photos, specific experiences, and the date the review was posted may be glossed over. For consumers making a major purchase, it still pays to read full reviews to make sure nothing has been missed. 

This shift brings both opportunity and responsibility for businesses and marketers. AI summaries are shaped by customer reviews, making patterns in feedback more visible than ever. Taking a proactive approach to AI should make recommendations work in your favor. Ensure your business is visible for common prompts, check the accuracy of claims and correct information online where needed, and ask for reviews that highlight the qualities you want reflected.

Wary Consumers Fact-check Trusting AI Recommendations

AI has become a trusted source of local recommendations for many consumers. But this doesn’t mean people are blindly trusting the information.

Most AI users are careful to fact-check sources, with 88% of AI users checking to see if a review is legitimate (51%) or to see the source (37%). Just 12% don’t check AI sources, showing that even among early adopters, trust is still being built. 

97% of AI users sometimes double-check AI recommendations against real reviews. This suggests that for many, AI has become the first step in local business research rather than the final authority. 42% always check reviews on native review platforms, with others checking occasionally. Consumers still want to see the original context and feel sure that AI recommendations match the truth. 

For local businesses, this has clear implications. Consumers are actively visiting review sites to verify information. This means a weak or outdated review presence could damage trust at the decision stage. Responding to reviews, encouraging customers to add photos, and completing all parts of a review profile can make a real difference in guiding confident decisions. 

Why AI Should Matter to Local Marketers

This year’s Local Consumer Review Survey tells the story of moving consumer expectations around reviews, with AI acting as a key driving force behind this change. Overtaking long-standing review sources, AI is quickly becoming essential for local discovery.

Trust in AI recommendations is developing quickly, but most AI users continue to fact-check information by checking sources and reading real reviews. This means brand reputation, active review profiles, and accurate information are more important than ever. Marketers who understand how AI interprets reviews, citations, and business data will be best positioned to guide customers and improve visibility in 2026.

For agencies and marketers, this means shifting from tactical execution to strategic guidance. Businesses that aren’t appearing in AI recommendations will want to act quickly, and marketers have an opportunity to be the partners to help them ‘rank’. Local marketers are perfectly placed to step in as the reassuring expert: collecting reviews, improving visibility, and guiding businesses through this new era. 

[Space for Myles to add specifics of what marketers should do.]

AI is reshaping local discovery, and the pace of change is only accelerating. Explore BrightLocal’s AI Roadmap to see the tools BrightLocal is building to help marketers turn data into action. 

Methodology

The Local Consumer Review Survey 2026 was conducted using a representative panel of 1,002 US adult consumers via SurveyMonkey. To give the full picture of AI and online reviews in this report, some data has been cut to include only the 455 respondents who have used an AI tool for local business recommendations in the last 12 months (“AI users”).

Publications and individuals are welcome to use our research findings, graphics, and data, citing BrightLocal as the author and the page URL: https://brightlocal.com/research/local-consumer-review-survey.

With the 2026 Local Consumer Review Survey, we took a different approach. Instead of trying to find out how likely consumers are to recognize them, we wanted to find out what consumers think should be done about fake reviews.

Here, we break down the key findings on fake reviews and share what local marketers need to know to protect their reputation. 

No One Knows Who’s Responsible for Fake Reviews 

When it comes to fake reviews, one thing is clear: consumers aren’t sure who should take responsibility. 93% of people think someone should be responsible for detecting fake reviews, though accountability is split. Many consumers think multiple groups should share the load, with 50% thinking more than one group should act, and 5% believing review platforms, businesses, consumers, and officials should all share responsibility.

Consumers are most likely to think review platforms should be responsible for fake reviews. While review sites remove obvious fakes, realistically, they can’t catch them all.

Scammers are getting more sophisticated, using AI to create authentic-sounding reviews at scale, so the average review reader may have no idea if a review is fake. In the past, signs of a fake review were often easy to spot: poor spelling, nonsensical content, vague details, or unnatural writing styles. AI can smooth over these issues, making reviews look much more believable. 

Consumers expect businesses to be proactive. Fake reviews can mislead potential customers and put them off choosing your business. Even if a review looks clearly fake, failing to address it could make people think your business is inattentive or inactive. Taking responsibility and acting quickly helps maintain trust and protect your reputation.

Consumers Expect Consequences for Fake Reviews

Consumers take the integrity of online reviews very seriously. Fake reviews aren’t just a nuisance; they can make or break a sale without a customer ever getting in touch. And as AI-generated content spreads, consumers increasingly need to be aware of misinformation or risk being duped.

Nearly everyone agrees that businesses shouldn’t get away with fake reviews, with 97% thinking there should be consequences. Interestingly, people aged 18-29 are more likely than other age groups to think no punishment is needed, suggesting that younger consumers may be a little more lenient on fake reviews (or, just haven’t been burned yet!) 

Some are clear about what they want, while 68% favor multiple consequences. Just over half think businesses should lose customers naturally due to fake reviews, with consumers over 60 more likely to support this approach. 

Many consumers support bans from review platforms or Google search results, expecting platforms and search engines to protect the integrity of online information. Many review sites have strict guidelines against fake reviews, but complete bans are pretty rare. Losing access to these major marketing channels would be disastrous, and stricter enforcement could discourage businesses from using fake reviews.

A smaller but vocal group demands more severe consequences. 37% believe businesses should face financial penalties if caught. In the US, this is now a reality as the FTC’s Final Rule on Consumer Reviews made buying or posting fake reviews illegal, with significant fines for those caught.

16% of consumers favor a more hardline approach: criminal charges or jail time. While this isn’t supported legally, it does highlight how strongly some people feel about review integrity. Consumers aged 45-60 are particularly strict, as the most likely to support criminal consequences or the loss of a business licence. 

Past experiences also shape expectations. Consumers who have regretted spending more than $5,000 after relying on reviews are more likely to advocate for harsh punishments. Likewise, the most engaged review readers and writers also want the biggest consequences for fake reviews.

"Consumers have real concern and anger over fake reviews"

Myles Anderson, Co-founder and CEO at BrightLocal

While it’s encouraging that review usage remains so stable, we can’t ignore the growing undercurrent of consumer anger. In an era where it’s becoming harder to trust what we see and read, people are losing patience with the manipulation of reviews. They aren’t just wary anymore, they’re frustrated and, in many cases, truly angry.

The data shows a fascinating shift in where consumers lay the blame. They hold the big review platforms to a high standard, but they are increasingly turning their sights on the business owners themselves. When you see a significant number of people suggesting that generating fake reviews should be a ‘jail-able’ offense, you realize we’ve moved past minor annoyance. Consumers are calling for maximum penalties to protect the integrity of trust. As an industry, we have to recognize that while the value of reviews is cemented, the tolerance for bad actors has completely evaporated.

Local Marketers Need to Take Action

Businesses that actively monitor reviews are in a strong position to reduce the impact of fake feedback. 

This snapshot from the 2026 Local Consumer Review Survey shows that fake reviews are seen as more than a minor annoyance. Consumers expect accountability, and many place that responsibility firmly on the shoulders of businesses. So what should local marketers do?

1. Get informed and upskill

For businesses that aren’t in control of their fake reviews or unsure how to spot them, now is the time to learn with the help of BrightLocal:

• How to Spot Fake Reviews, and What to Do About Them 
• How to Tackle Fake Google Reviews
• How to Deal with Fake Yelp Reviews

These articles give in-depth advice on recognizing and tackling fake reviews, making them a great place to start. 

2. Start monitoring your reviews 

Regularly check all platforms for suspicious reviews. Make sure you’re signed up for email notifications so you don’t miss any new reviews. You can also monitor competitors’ reviews to make sure there are no fake positive reviews that could inflate rankings.

3. Track reviews using software

Investing in review management software can save time monitoring reviews for fake feedback. This is especially useful for businesses or agencies managing multiple locations that may miss reviews in a busy inbox. 

4. Speak to an expert

Businesses may want to consider investing in expert support from reputation management or local marketing specialists. These experts can help with review monitoring across platforms, flagging suspicious reviews, and managing the often complex reporting process. 

5. Respond to reviews

Consumers may not be able to spot clever fake reviews, so it’s important for businesses to stay on top of responding to them. Failing to act quickly can allow misinformation to influence potential customers, so responding publicly and quickly can help set the record straight until the review can be removed. 

6. Maintain integrity

Staying compliant and maintaining your integrity is essential. Even if jail time and widespread bans aren’t a reality right now, consumers view them very negatively. Avoid posting fake reviews at all costs; doing so risks damaging your reputation. You could also land yourself with a fine, so make sure you’re aware of the local laws affecting online reviews. 

7. Read the full report

Fake reviews are just one part of a healthy reputation. Discover how consumers are using reviews and what they expect from businesses by reading the full Local Consumer Review Survey! Packed with tips and benchmarks, it’s your guide to mastering reviews in 2026.

To help busy businesses focus on what matters most, here are five practical actions for small and medium businesses (SMBs) to prioritize in 2026.

1. Recency matters, so keep asking

So you’ve got a buzzing review from a happy customer. Unfortunately, in 2026, a great review can lose its impact surprisingly quickly. Nearly three-quarters of consumers only care about reviews written in the last three months, with many ignoring older feedback altogether. 

Older reviews don’t necessarily reflect your business today. Even hundreds of five-star reviews won’t matter if customers think they’re outdated.

Instead of hoping reviews appear organically, make review collection an ongoing habit. Consistently ask for reviews using email or SMS, and inspire customers to easily write reviews with links or QR codes in-store, on receipts, and across your digital channels. Keep an eye on how many reviews competitors are getting, and aim to beat that. 

How to Ask for Reviews: Tips and Templates

Get tips

2. Boost your star rating 

In 2026, nearly a third (31%) of consumers only use businesses with a 4.5-star rating or higher, nearly double last year’s figure. As customer expectations rise, businesses with low star ratings could see falling footfall. In fact, 68% of consumers say they won’t use a business rated below four stars. 

A few negative reviews can quickly drag your star rating down, especially on quieter niche sites. Focus first on identifying and fixing common problems mentioned in reviews, then ask satisfied customers for reviews to balance out your star rating. 

3. Broaden your review site focus 

Google remains the most-used review site, but usage is declining. Non-traditional reviews on video platforms TikTok and YouTube are growing, as well as recommendations by AI tools, including ChatGPT. Don’t rely on Google alone, as this can cause blind spots.

Let’s make it clear: this isn’t advice to stop prioritizing Google. Instead, understand where your customers actually look for recommendations, and see where your competitors are active that you’re not. This should help you be able to prioritize which sites to focus on this year. 

Audience demographics also influence review behavior. Only 11% of consumers aged 60+ used ChatGPT for local business recommendations in the last year, compared to 45% of 30-44 year olds. They are also less likely to use Google, TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, and Apple Maps than other generations. People aged 18-29, on the other hand, are more likely to use YouTube and TikTok for local searches.

Once you’re clear on which review sites matter most for your business, make sure information is accurate, up-to-date, and consistent with both digital channels and real-life customer experience. Accuracy will only grow in importance as AI and video become increasingly influential in customer decisions. 

4. Respond quickly and consistently

One of the clearest takeaways from this year’s report is that responding to reviews is almost as important as getting them in the first place. 80% of consumers say they’re more likely to use a business that responds to every review, whether positive or negative. Speed also matters, with 81% expecting responses within a week, so set a goal to respond to reviews within a few days.

Generic or obviously templated responses stop half of consumers from choosing a business, so balance efficiency with authenticity. Create templates for different scenarios, but remember to personalize these for each review. Review management tools can notify you when new reviews are posted, and help speed up responses. 

5. Take responsibility for fake reviews

SMBs wear many hats, and in 2026, you can add ‘fake review spotter’ to the list. Half of consumers think businesses are responsible for detecting and preventing fake reviews, and let’s be honest, they’re probably right. While review platforms block obvious fakes, only businesses have the inside information to spot fabricated stories. 

Regularly monitor your profiles and report any reviews that appear fake or break the rules. Keep an eye on competitors too, as fake positive reviews could unfairly boost their rankings and reputation. If you’re unsure how to spot fake reviews, a reputable SEO or reputation management expert can help protect your brand.

For SMBs, these five actions should be the most immediate priorities in 2026, but these steps are just the beginning. For deeper insights on review management, read the full Local Consumer Review Survey or upskill with BrightLocal Academy’s free course, A Beginner’s Guide to Generating and Managing Reviews. 

A perfect example came from Wil Reynolds’ talk at BrightLocal’s Local SEO for Good. He showed a sign from a Philadelphia cheesesteak shop that claimed to be “authentic.” The image on the sign was AI-generated and featured the Statue of Liberty floating above Philadelphia’s skyline. As Wil put it:

“When you use AI to build out your image… what does that do to your authenticity score?”

That small detail instantly collapsed trust. The business did not intend to deceive anyone. Still, in an AI-saturated world, customers are paying closer attention to what feels fake.

This idea kept surfacing throughout Local SEO for Good. Whether it was Melissa Popp explaining why people immediately spot generic content, or Leighanne Jones reminding us that AI has never lived a human moment, speakers repeatedly returned to the same point. Authenticity is becoming a defining competitive advantage for local businesses.

AI can produce content quickly, but customers want honesty, human presence, and local relevance. They are not asking for more content. They are asking for more connection.

This article brings together these perspectives to show how local businesses can stay authentic while using AI in thoughtful and practical ways.

Why Authenticity Matters More Than Ever in Local Marketing

Local customers weigh a long list of factors when choosing who to work with. They pay attention to the people behind a business, the way a company communicates, and whether it feels trustworthy. Authenticity plays a central role in how those impressions form.

Melissa Popp captured this shift clearly:

“People can see right through” generic or AI-generated content.

This is especially visible inside Google Business Profile (GBP), where people are ready to act. Trust grows through:

• Real photos
• Human review responses
• Helpful Google Posts
• Up-to-date service information
• Clear answers in the Q&A section

BrightLocal’s Google Business Profile Audit highlights issues that weaken credibility.

Melissa also warned that posting the same asset across every platform creates distance rather than connection. AI has amplified this divide. When customers scroll, authentic content stands out while generic content blends into the background.

For local businesses, authenticity is no longer optional. It directly influences whether someone reaches out.

The Limits of AI: What Machines Cannot Recreate

AI can help with tasks, but it has no lived experience to draw from. Leighanne Jones explained this memorably:

“AI has never experienced a heartbreak. It has never lived a human experience.”

A machine has never reassured a stressed homeowner, walked into a flooded basement, or sensed the tension in a customer’s voice. Without that grounding, AI often produces content that feels disconnected from reality.

Leighanne noted that AI works best as an assistant, not a replacement. “It can provide the foundation or the bones of a strategy,” she said, “but it shouldn’t be the full implementation.”

Industry reporting continues to highlight how often AI tools introduce factual errors or “hallucinations.” A recent analysis from The New York Times showed how systems from ChatGPT to Google still fabricate details with confidence, sometimes producing misleading or entirely incorrect responses.

For local businesses, tasks like metadata, outline drafting, and research summarization work well with AI. Tasks involving empathy, lived experience, and nuanced judgment do not.

Tools like Reputation Manager support the human side of communication by helping teams manage and respond to reviews consistently.

The Authenticity Battleground: AI Pollution and Real-World Signals

Authentic work does not always rise to the top of AI-generated results. Wil Reynolds shared a revealing example from his work in banking SEO. He developed a high-quality page grounded in real interviews and industry expertise. After 30 hours of effort, the page still lost to a competitor using mass-produced content written at speed.

His reaction reflected a frustration shared by many marketers:

“My 30 hours of work got beat by what they did in 30 seconds.”

Current AI models often treat repetition as authority. Large sites can flood the web with repetitive content in ways that smaller businesses cannot match.

Google has also acknowledged the scale of AI-generated spam creeping into search, updating guidance on the risks of “scaled content abuse” and how websites should approach generative AI:

“Generative AI can be particularly useful when researching a topic, and to add structure to original content. However, using generative AI tools or other similar tools to generate many pages without adding value for users may violate Google’s spam policy on scaled content abuse.”

Despite these challenges, Wil highlighted a shift that works in favor of local businesses. As people personalize their AI tools, they direct results toward brands they already trust. Human preference, social proof, and real-world reputation begin to outweigh content quantity.

In Wil’s words, “Human data is gold.” The trust built offline and on social platforms influences how people use AI and who they choose to work with.

BrightLocal’s Local Search Audit helps uncover strengths and weaknesses in these credibility signals.

How Local Businesses Can Stay Authentic Across Today’s Most Important Platforms

Authenticity appears differently depending on where customers interact with a business. Melissa Popp offered practical guidance across four major platforms.

Google Business Profile: Trust Through Consistency

GBP rewards businesses that keep their information accurate and active. Melissa emphasized GBP’s importance:

“Google Business Profile is one of the most important places we are sharing content.”

Authenticity strengthens when businesses:

• Upload photos from real jobs
• Maintain accurate hours and service details
• Respond to reviews with care
• Use Posts to address timely questions
• Share seasonal and local updates

The GBP Post Scheduler helps teams maintain this presence without losing momentum.

Facebook: Community Conversations, Not Announcements

Melissa described Facebook as a platform rooted in neighborhood conversations. People turn to groups for recommendations, updates, and local knowledge.

During Denver’s severe hail season, she observed that promotional posts rarely resonated. Practical advice and supportive updates performed far better.

For visibility across social and directory listings, Citation Tracker helps identify inconsistencies that weaken trust.

Instagram: Honest Visuals Build Confidence

Instagram favors visual storytelling rooted in real experiences. Melissa encouraged teams to take their own photos, even if simple:

“Pull out your iPhone. Use them. That’s real.”

People respond to:

• Before and after photos
• Candid team moments
• Quick behind-the-scenes clips
• Visual stories tied to local challenges

Authenticity in imagery increases trust. Stock photos and AI visuals rarely capture that effect.

TikTok: Small, Genuine Moments Travel Farther

TikTok thrives on spontaneity. Melissa described it as a place defined by “micro moments of authenticity.”

Local businesses can share quick tips, surprising job moments, or light-hearted clips that show the personality of the team.

Using AI Without Losing Your Voice

Each speaker agreed on one key point. AI works well as a support tool but not as the creative engine that shapes a brand’s identity.

AI can lighten busywork. It speeds up research, outlines, metadata, and idea generation. Leighanne described it as useful for the “bones” of a strategy.

The limits become clear when AI is asked to imitate emotional intelligence or local understanding. Review responses, community messages, and service-oriented content benefit from a human voice that reacts with context and empathy.

AI can help you deliver faster. It cannot help you sound more genuine.

The Authenticity Playbook: five practical steps

1. Begin with customer language

Interview real customers. Pull keywords, concerns, stories, and local references straight from the people you serve. No model can recreate that texture.

2. Adapt a single idea into multiple formats

Melissa’s guidance still applies. One concept can be shaped differently for GBP, Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok. Each platform rewards a different kind of storytelling.

3. Infuse content with local detail

Use examples that only someone in your region would know. References to weather patterns, neighborhood quirks, or common homeowner issues give content a sense of place.

4. Highlight the team

People trust a familiar face. Real staff photos, quotes, and day-to-day glimpses anchor a business in humanity.

5. Reinforce your true differentiators

Wil’s testing revealed that repeating accurate, meaningful information about your business helps AI models understand what you do. Authentic details, when reinforced across your site, become stronger signals.

Conclusion: Authenticity Remains a Durable Advantage

AI will continue to evolve, but lived experience will always shape the most compelling stories. Wil expressed it clearly:

“You’re not going to win by outsourcing your authenticity.”

Melissa showed how trust grows through steady, real engagement.
Leighanne reminded us that human insight cannot be automated.
Wil demonstrated the long-term value of real-world credibility.

These themes surfaced across Local SEO for Good because they reflect how people decide who to work with. Customers rely on honest communication and meaningful connections when making local choices.

AI can help teams work faster. It cannot replace the qualities that make local businesses memorable and trusted. Authenticity remains the strongest foundation for long-term success.

You can see how we’re implementing AI to help teams and small businesses work faster in our AI Roadmap.

The big changes we saw bubbling up in 2025—things like super-smart AI and how customers actually find places—are now the new normal. The message is clear: the customer experience is the new algorithm. Stop focusing so much on old, technical SEO tricks and start focusing on creating moments that people love and want to talk about online.

Success next year belongs to the businesses that inspire organic chatter on social media and community sites, platforms that the search engines and new AI tools actually trust.

Ready to see what the experts are predicting? Let’s dive in.

Myles Anderson on Gaining Confidence and Taking Action

"Your local marketing strategy for 2026 and beyond should prioritize Google first, and LLMs second."

Co-founder and CEO at BrightLocal

If 2025 was about reacting to the unknown, 2026 is about gaining confidence and taking action. We’ve realized something quite reassuring: the fundamentals of good, long-term SEO strategy, based on the goals of building trust and authority, are still the backbone of earning visibility.

My predictions for 2026:

• Google first, LLMs second: Google owns the live data of the physical world. Your primary strategy should still center on Google, while treating LLMs as a secondary (but growing) discovery layer.

• Websites must become transactional: We are moving into an era where AI agents (like those powered by Gemini and ChatGPT) are visiting your site to take action. Ensure your booking forms and stock levels are “agent-friendly.”

• Reputation everywhere: To earn trust in the AI era, you must build a strong reputation on a wider set of platforms, such as Yelp and industry-specific sites, which serve as vital data sources for LLMs.

• The agency pivot: Successful agencies will shift toward measuring “share of voice” and focusing on customer retention, helping clients turn their existing base into lifelong advocates.

• The Reddit evolution: As Reddit becomes a key source of “authentic insight” for AI, focus on genuine community participation rather than low-quality, automated spam.

Rachel Ellen on a Strong Local Presence 

"Strong local presence won’t just mean being found; it will mean being remembered, recommended, and revisited."

Local Search Strategist at Croud

In 2026, local marketing will be less about “find a store near me” and more about “where can I go that’s actually worth showing up for?” 

Consumers will always check for the basics, such as opening hours and phone numbers, but they also want to be inspired and given real reasons to visit. The spark often starts somewhere completely off-platform: a TikTok video showing a new drop happening only in one store, a Reddit thread sharing honest experiences, or a niche community recommending a location because something is happening there. Brands that turn stores and spaces into places worth talking about, through events, experiences, exclusives, or simply great local culture, will outperform those relying on templated landing pages and generic copy.

And crucially, this shift will make local marketing much more exciting and collaborative! Store staff, creators, local communities, loyalty teams, and customers will become contributors, not just recipients. Local will expand beyond “visibility” into something closer to hospitality and enthusiasm-building. Strong local presence won’t just mean being found; it will mean being remembered, recommended, and revisited. The brands that embrace this will see that community-powered experiences create measurable demand online, higher conversion offline, and a genuine reason for customers to turn up in person rather than scrolling past. I, for one, am super excited for the strategic evolution that we’ll need to embrace!

Crystal Carter on AI Agents

"If your forms, checkouts, appointment scheduling, and restaurant bookings are not accessible by AI agents, you won’t even be in the game."

Head of AI Search and SEO Communications at WIX STUDIO

I expect the agentic web to hit its stride in 2026. In case you haven’t noticed, agentic use of AI is ramping up. Google launched its Agent to Agent Protocol, OpenAI launched its Agentic Commerce Protocol, and Google also dropped the Agentic Payments Protocol, all in 2025. And they are just getting started.

At Wix, we’ve configured our website builder with the Agentic Commerce Protocol because automated shopping from AI tools will be a game-changer for users. We understand that for site owners, it means it’s not enough just to be mentioned in Google, ChatGPT, and the like; you need to build your website to become a tool for autonomous AI use via agents. If your forms, checkouts, appointment scheduling, and restaurant bookings are not accessible by AI agents, you won’t even be in the game.

Claudia Tomina on Agentic Workflows

"Visibility will depend on how well a business supports AI-assisted actions and transactions."

Founder at ReputationArm

Agentic workflows will become far more visible, moving users from discovery to action with fewer steps in between. Rankings alone won’t carry the weight they once did. Visibility will depend on how well a business supports AI-assisted actions and transactions.

Steve Wiideman on the Shift from Keywords to Context

"You can spend a month attempting to spam the web... or be the business customers are raving about, thereby allowing them to do all the LLM SEO work for you."

Owner at Wiideman Consulting Group

In the realm of multi-location SEO, platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini pay attention to focal points we already include in modern optimization: consistent business data and important passages within location or intent pages.

Most importantly, reputation takes precedence in local intent answers… We see reputation and sentiment used to solve for prompts like “highly-rated” or “top-rated,” while personalization eventually removes the need for these modifiers.

Four Key Focus Areas for 2026:

• AI-Powered Data Management: Leveraging AI to research, discover, and update business data.

• Powering LSEO with Vectors: Semantic vectors will reward listings that offer rich, contextually relevant, and entity-based information rather than just keyword matches.

• Smarter Location & Intent Pages: Moving away from 2019-style templates toward AI-driven, data-rich landing pages that are more helpful than ever.

• Convergence of Citations & Reputation: Moving past traditional “NAP” data entry toward authentic marketing on destinations visited by real people (Reddit, Yelp, TikTok) to foster visibility.

Final Thought

You can spend a month attempting to spam the web… or be the business customers are raving about, thereby allowing them to do all the LLM SEO work for you.

Will Scott on Comparison Content

"The data is clear: even self-referencing top X and comparison content is winning in AI."

Co-founder and CEO at Search Influence

We’ve been spoiled in local SEO as Google AI Overviews have left us alone so far. That’s about to change, big time. If you’re not already on the hunt for “best of [your category and city]” and “top X” lists, it’s time to get going. And if nobody else is writing them? Write them yourself. The data is clear: even self-referencing top X and comparison content is winning in AI.

Stefan Lozo on Monetizing AI

"LLM companies will try to monetize AI results..."

Founder and SEO Consultant at Lozo Digital

Businesses and bad agencies will try to use AI aggressively for quick and fast results. This will create a lot of mess, and a good SEO expert will have a lot of work to do and clean up the mess. For success, SEO alone won’t be enough, so there will be more demand for paid channels and digital PR, and their prices will increase. LLM companies will try to monetize AI results with some ad formats. SEO will definitely continue to evolve and continue to be a strategic part of the marketing strategy.

Andrew Optimisey on AI Features

"AI-geddon is coming!"

SEO Consultant and Owner at Optimisey

Google is going to push more and more AI features into local. They have to, they’ve invested so heavily in AI now it has to earn its corn:

• AI overviews in Maps +++

• “Use Gemini to book” buttons where AI calls businesses for you

• “Check stock with Gemini” ditto

• AI summaries of reviews, services, and service pages

• Web Guide style Map Packs with it split in sections, e.g., for restaurants: “Pet-friendly restaurants”, “Highest reviewed restaurants”, “Menu highlights”, etc.

AI-geddon is coming!

Key Takeaways: Your 2026 Local Marketing Action Plan

The roadmap for 2026 is clear: the era of “gaming the system” is over. To win, you must stop focusing solely on technical loopholes and start focusing on becoming a pillar of your community—the kind of business people mention by name without needing a search engine.

Here is how you can guide your business toward success in the local landscape this year:

• Be worth talking about: Search engines now prioritize “social chatter” and real human recommendations. Don’t just exist; create experiences, events, and a culture that people want to share on TikTok, Reddit, and in their own local circles.

• Build an “agent-ready” website: AI agents (like those powered by Gemini and ChatGPT) are increasingly handling the “doing” for your customers. If your website doesn’t have structured, easy-to-read forms for booking, scheduling, or checking stock, these AI tools will skip you in favor of a competitor who is more “agent-friendly.”

• Prioritize Google, but feed the LLMs: Google remains the king of live local data, but AI models like ChatGPT can’t see Google reviews. To be found everywhere, you must build a 5-star reputation on diverse platforms like Yelp, TripAdvisor, and industry-specific directories.

• Content must be actionable and opinionated: Generic landing pages are no longer enough. 2026 rewards “comparison content” (e.g., The Top 5 Coffee Shops in London) and raw, authentic human writing. Don’t be afraid to show some personality; the “messy” truth beats AI-generated fluff every time.

• Shift your definition of success: Visibility is the new gold. As organic clicks become harder to track, focus on your “share of voice.” If people see your brand mentioned across multiple platforms—even if they don’t click a link immediately—you are winning the long game.

• The fundamentals still rule: At its core, SEO is still about trust and authority. While the tools have changed, the goal hasn’t: be the most reliable, highly recommended business in your neighborhood, and the algorithms will naturally follow your lead.

Online reviews don’t just belong on your business listings. When shared across multiple marketing channels, they can have a wider impact on trust, decision-making, and ultimately, purchases. By repurposing reviews, they can have a longer shelf life and make a bigger impact on customers at different stages of the marketing funnel.

In this blog, we’ll explore how you can maximize your online reviews across off-site marketing channels, including emails, ads, social media, print, in-store, and more. By using reviews strategically, you can turn every positive testimonial into a powerful marketing asset that reaches more people and keeps your reputation top of mind.

Step-by-Step: Turning Reviews Into Marketing Assets

To make the most of your reviews, it helps to follow a clear process. The eight steps below walk you through everything from auditing your existing reviews to creating assets, measuring performance, and keeping your content up-to-date. This gives you a repeatable process that you can rely on each time you want to bring your review marketing to life.

1. Audit Your Reviews

Start by collecting your reviews from each platform so you can see all the reviews you have to choose from. You could do this in a spreadsheet or Word document, or by connecting your reviews to a review management tool that collates all your reviews for you.

A thorough audit helps you understand what you already have and where there may be gaps. If one of your key services, products, or USPs is missing from your reviews, you may want to focus on generating more reviews first.

2. Choose Which Reviews to Repurpose

Once you have a clear picture of your reviews, select the ones that you want to repurpose in your marketing. Highlight reviews that are relevant to your audience and your offering. If you offer multiple services or products, choose reviews that cover each to avoid confusing potential customers. Some services may be better used on certain channels.

Pick a variety, including some with lots of detail, and some with short soundbites that would work on other channels. Avoid heavily editing reviews, but you may need to pull out sections of longer reviews, as lengthy reviews may not work on all channels.

3. Ask Permission

Even though a customer has chosen to leave you a public review, it doesn’t necessarily mean you can do what you want with these.

While it isn’t illegal to reuse reviews, it is best practice to ask for permission, especially if you are using the reviewer’s full name or photo, or cutting the review down in size. Seeking permission means no surprises for the reviewer later down the line when they see their name in lights.

Don’t use reviews where there is information that could violate a customer’s privacy, even if this is information they have shared themselves. This is especially true for healthcare providers or financial institutions that are subject to specific laws relating to online reviews.

4. Map Reviews to Channels

Next, decide which reviews work best for each marketing channel. Punchy quotes work well for social media and paid ads where space is limited, while longer testimonials may perform better in emails, blog posts, or print materials.

Matching the message to the right channel can help connect with your audience at different stages of the buying process. Reviews focused on your offering and customer support may work well for top-of-the-funnel marketing assets, while specific reviews on products or services could help get customers that are close to buying over the line.

Not sure which channels you could use? Keep reading and we’ll explain your options.

5. Design Assets

Time to get designing! Turn your chosen reviews into marketing assets such as social media graphics, videos, or print materials. You may choose to hire a designer to help with this, or tools like Canva can go a long way in creating simple on-brand assets that fit different channels.

Include the star rating, review platform name, and reviewer’s name, where possible to add social proof. If you can, include a link back to the review platform so readers can check the source and feel sure you’re being truthful in your marketing. Don’t over-edit or embellish the review content, as this will harm trust in your business.

6. Measure Performance

Before hitting ‘Publish’ on your review marketing, think about what success looks like for you. If you’re already running campaigns without review social proof, compare these to your new review campaigns to understand what works best.

Look at engagement, click-through rates, and conversions to see how your review marketing is landing. If the marketing channel you use doesn’t have simple measurement options, consider adding trackable links using tools like Google Tag Manager, BitLy, or HubSpot to see how your campaign is performing.

7. Refresh and Rotate

Reviews are not a one-time asset. While the shelf-life of a review can be extended by using it in your marketing, old or outdated reviews can make your business seem stale or make customers think you have no recent successes to shout about.

Continue to ask for new reviews, and update your marketing materials regularly with these. Using the same reviews over and over can have a diminishing effect, with customers less influenced by seeing the same review multiple times.

If you’re using your overall star rating from a specific review platform, make sure this is automatically updated, or if that’s not possible, manually update this frequently. If what a customer sees doesn’t match the truth, they may feel that you have misrepresented your business, even if it was true once upon a time!

Choosing Marketing Channels for Review Marketing

Once you’ve nailed your review marketing strategy, it’s time to decide where they’ll make the biggest impact. Different marketing channels reach people at different stages of the customer journey, so choosing the right mix helps your message land at the right moment.

Review Sites

Of course, potential customers will read your reviews directly on review platforms like Google, Yelp, and Facebook. Keep your profiles up-to-date, respond regularly to reviews, and monitor closely to be aware of what customers are saying about your business.

Unlike local business websites, business listings can use review schema, so this may be your best chance of getting those elusive stars next to your business name in search results.

Your Website

Your website is where potential customers go to learn about your business from the source. It’s the best place to tell your story in your own words, without third-party influence. You can showcase reviews directly on your website by embedding them in key pages like your homepage, service pages, or contact page.

Many review management tools offer review widgets that can show your best reviews on your website by pasting a small bit of code. It’s also powerful to use reviews in the places where customers are making decisions on your website, for example, next to enquiry forms or pricing pages. This social proof helps to reassure customers that what you’re saying about your business is backed up by the experiences of real people.

Paid Ads

Reviews can make a big difference in paid campaigns on social or search. Short quotes or star ratings can help your business stand out, and instantly tell searchers what makes your business unique.

Keep the messaging authentic and relevant to the ad’s goal. Ads often have little space to impress a potential customer, so make any quotes short and sweet. Ads on social media often work best as part of a larger campaign, rather than being the first thing a potential customer sees of your business.

Social Media

Social media is ideal for sharing reviews in an engaging and visually appealing way. Turn reviews from happy customers into posts, stories, or even short videos paired with visuals of your business in action.

Regularly sharing reviews on social media gets your best feedback seen by a wider audience, but also may encourage customers to write a review for you with the hope that their message will get shared too!

Email Marketing

Email is often an underappreciated channel for many local businesses. The best thing about email is that the audience is already engaged in your business, as they will have chosen to opt into hearing from you.

Including reviews in emails adds credibility to your messages and can help move subscribers toward action. Add reviews to your welcome emails, newsletters, or include a short quote in your email signature. Featuring reviews in emails reminds your audience of real customer experiences.

Case Studies

Reviews are a great way to identify happy customers who may be willing to share their experience in more detail. Identify positive feedback and contact those customers directly, or reply to their review and invite them to get in touch if you don’t already have their details. This can lead to rich case studies built from genuine customer experiences.

Case studies let you showcase the entire customer experience from start to finish. They provide credible content that can be used across marketing channels to give potential customers a clear idea of the value your business offers.

Printed Marketing Materials

Online reviews also have a strong use in offline marketing. Share reviews in printed marketing materials such as brochures, flyers, or even as part of adverts in local magazines or newspapers.

Featuring short, genuine quotes and star ratings in print builds credibility with potential customers who may not yet be aware of your business, and extends the reach of your online reputation to offline channels.

Invoices, Receipts, and Packaging

Every customer touchpoint is an opportunity to build trust. Including reviews or star ratings on invoices, receipts, or packaging reminds customers of the positive experiences of using your business and encourages repeat business. These may even translate into more reviews.

In-store Displays and Signage

For businesses with a physical location, in-store displays and signage are great ways to showcase reviews. Displaying customer quotes and star ratings from top review sites on walls, windows, or posters reassures visitors that you stand for good customer service.

But be aware, it may be harder to regularly update reviews that are printed and on display. It may be best to avoid printing overall star ratings, numbers of reviews, or dates of reviews as these can go out of date very quickly. Also, be aware that if a review talks about a service or product that you later stop providing, or a staff member who later leaves, you may need to update the in-store signage.

Keep Your Reviews Working Harder

Your reviews are more than just testimonials on a listing; they’re powerful marketing assets. By sharing reviews across online and offline marketing channels, you can extend their reach, longevity, and influence.

To keep this impact growing, make review marketing part of your regular workflow. Continue collecting fresh feedback, monitor your profiles, and update your materials so everything stays accurate and relevant. The more consistently you use your reviews, the more they will work for you by building trust, supporting conversions, and showcasing the great experiences your customers have every day.

If it’s not on your radar for getting in front of your customers, it should be.

Now, TikTok is expanding its role in local search with the Local Explorer Program, a new initiative that rewards users for posting place-based reviews. It’s another step toward making TikTok a destination for real-time discovery, giving users more ways to surface local recommendations directly within the app.

For SEOs, understanding how this program works is key to staying ahead of how visibility is shifting across platforms.

What is the TikTok Local Explorer Program

The TikTok Local Explorer Program is for people who love sharing authentic reviews of places they’ve visited. It works similarly to Google’s Local Guide program.

Whether it’s your favorite neighborhood restaurant or a hidden gem you stumbled across while traveling, TikTok wants to hear about it. By regularly posting meaningful, location-based reviews, you can earn experience points (XP), level up through the program, and unlock special perks that give your content more visibility.

This is a community-driven feature designed to help users discover trusted local recommendations on the app. As you contribute more helpful content, TikTok rewards you with perks that help boost your presence on the platform.

Requirements

To participate in the Local Explorer Program, you must be 18 years old or older and not be using a merchant account. This feature is only available in certain regions as of right now (Oct 2025), without specification of those regions in the TikTok documentation.

To get started, you must submit location-based reviews that follow TikTok’s standards:

• You must include text in your review
• Your review should reflect your real, personal experience
• Photos aren’t required but can earn you extra experience points

There are levels within the Local Explorer Program once you start submitting reviews. You’ll start at Level 0 and work your way up by earning experience points (XP) from your approved reviews. There are six levels total:

• Level 0
• Level 1 (20 XP required)
• Level 2 (80 XP)
• Level 3 (200 XP)
• Level 4 (500 XP)
• Level 5 (1,000 XP)

The more XP you earn, the higher your level and the more benefits you unlock, such as badges, access to exclusive communities, and monthly Promote coupons (available in the U.S. starting at Level 5). Another thing to note is that TikTok approves reviews before XP is applied; they state that it usually happens within 24 hours. So, it could take a little bit for the XP to show up in your account.

More on XP

XP is how TikTok tracks your contributions in the program. You earn it by submitting location reviews, and the amount depends on the length and quality of your content.

The maximum XP you can earn per review is 25 XP, which is reached by submitting a review with at least 200 characters and including a photo.

If you submit more than one review for the same location in a single month, they’ll count the highest-earning one and give you the difference as long as it doesn’t exceed the 25 XP cap.

Once you begin earning XP, you can work your way towards Perks. These are automatically unlocked as soon as you reach a new level. At higher levels, you gain access to exclusive communities, receive profile badges, and at Level 5 earn a $2 monthly Promote coupon in the U.S.

This system is designed to reward users who consistently contribute thoughtful, helpful content. So the more value your reviews offer, the faster you level up.

Why TikTok is Even More Important for Local SEO

The Local Explorer Program is one of the strongest signals yet that TikTok is investing in being a destination for local discovery. By encouraging users to post authentic, review-style content tied to specific places, TikTok is shaping how people explore and evaluate businesses in their area. From searchable place tags to location reviews and city-based content feeds.

For SEOs, this is something to pay attention to. The content coming out of the Local Explorer Program provides valuable signals:

• What types of businesses are getting visibility
• Which creators are influencing local discovery
• What language users are using to describe places and experiences

It also creates an opportunity to work more closely with social media teams. By tracking local tags, mentions, and review activity on TikTok, you can bring that data into your broader visibility strategy.

How to Use TikTok to Your Advantage

The Local Explorer Program opens the door for SEOs to take a more proactive role in how local businesses show up on TikTok. While a social media team may be managing the content itself, the insights coming from TikTok reviews and creator activity are valuable for shaping local visibility strategies.

This is where SEO and social can work in sync. TikTok gives you real-time data on what people are engaging with, how places are being described, and which businesses are gaining traction in discovery.

• Monitor what users are saying about your business
• Use reviews from TikTok on the site
• Learn from TikTok reviews and use language from there to write more compelling headings and conversion-friendly content
• Look for content opportunities within the app through filters, others searched for, etc
• Reuse TikToks for your GBP or embed on relevant pages on the site

Explore It, Don’t Ignore It

TikTok gives us direct access to how people are discovering and talking about local businesses. You can use that to your advantage by pulling insights directly from the app to strengthen your SEO strategy.

Just like you would monitor reviews from a GBP or Yelp and use that as social proof on a website, you can do the same with TikTok reviews. Highlight them on the site! Get an overall feel of what users are saying in their reviews and use that to write more conversion-focused content to urge users to take the next step.

Aside from review monitoring, you can use TikTok search itself as a research tool. Let’s use Voodoo Donuts as an example.

You’ll notice the app displays suggested filters under the search bar. Here we see “ASMR” and “Austin” which hint at how people are engaging with the brand. These behavioral patterns can help you uncover content opportunities tied to user intent that you won’t find in traditional keyword tools. In this instance it highlights they’re looking for satisfying sound-driven videos or trying to find information about the closest location.

You can also see “Others searched for” when looking up a specific business as well. This is similar to People Also Ask and can be another way to find content opportunities within the app. So for Sofi Stadium, people are often searching for the purse policy. They want to know what it is and what the actual size of an allowed purse looks like. That’s an opportunity for Sofi to create social and website content for.

Use these search features to better understand what people want to know before visiting a location, then apply that insight to your content. Whether that’s building out an FAQ, adding information to a Google Business profile, or creating website content to address potential concerns, TikTok is giving you real-time demand data.

You can also start by embedding relevant TikToks on high-intent service or location pages or uploading to a Google Business Profile listing to boost engagement, time on page, and to build trust and create social proof with content that feels authentic and relatable.

Set Your Sights Ahead

As search behaviors continue to evolve, SEO strategies can’t rely on Google alone to stay competitive. The rise of AI-generated results has created a growing demand for content that feels personal and trustworthy. People want that human connection, and TikTok allows users to have it.

With its emphasis on real experiences and community-driven content, the Local Explorer Program is just one example of how the platform is moving further into local search. SEOs need to pay attention.

By collaborating with social teams, tracking local activity, and using TikTok data to inform your strategy, you’ll be better equipped to keep up with how people are actually discovering and choosing local businesses today.

The truth is, Google doesn’t just take your word for it when you fill out your Google Business Profile (GBP). Google loves to crowdsource information, and reviews are the best, most verifiable way for the search engine to do that. Your reviews are a direct, lagging indicator of how customers perceive your business, and they hold the key to ranking higher, converting better, and improving operations.

Julian Hooks, SEO Director at Asurion, who oversees more than 700 franchise and corporate locations, recently joined us for our Local SEO for Good event to share the strategic insights he uses every day.

We’ve taken his advice and compiled it into this helpful guide to mining your reviews for gold.

1. Identify Keyword-rich Themes (And Apply Them Everywhere)

In reviews, customers naturally describe your business in their own words, and these phrases are your high-converting keywords disguised as compliments.

The Golden Nuggets (Positive Reviews)

Your first step is to scan your positive reviews for recurring language, specifically, top adjectives, service descriptions, and value statements.

For example, a recurring phrase might be: “Same day phone repair,” “friendly and knowledgeable staff,” or “fixed my iPhone fast.”

Here’s how to apply these recurring phrases to your SEO strategy:

• On-page content: Incorporate these customer-validated phrases into your H1s, content, titles, and service blurbs. If customers rave about your “friendly service,” make sure that phrase is featured on your landing page.
• Conversion rate optimization (CRO): Use these phrases in your meta descriptions to help increase your click-through rate (CTR).
• The ranking factor debate: While some experts argue that keywords in reviews don’t matter for ranking, data from businesses with hundreds of locations suggests otherwise. Julian has seen that keywords in customer reviews do have a great impact on where you rank for specific terms. Google increasingly highlights verbatim review snippets in the local pack to justify relevance, often over service descriptions or website mentions.

“We’ve seen data across hundreds of locations showing that keywords in customer reviews do have a great impact on where you rank for specific terms. Google will often highlight those verbatim snippets to justify its relevance.” 

2. Embrace the Gift of Negative Feedback

No one likes getting a one-star review, but every negative review is an opportunity that should not go underutilized. Think of negative feedback not as criticism, but as a valuable gift for improvement.

Frequent complaints highlight operational and content opportunities. Your job is to identify and fix the issue, and then fix your reputation with the customer.

“We have to think of a negative review not as criticism, but as a valuable gift for improvement that should not go underutilized. It’s an opportunity to identify and fix both an operational problem and a content problem.”

How to turn negative feedback into improvement:

• Create FAQs: A lot of negative feedback comes down to simple miscommunication. If important details are “buried in the fine print,” and they keep showing up in reviews, you need to be more upfront. Use the complaint to create a clear, front-and-center FAQ section on your website or Google Business Profile.
• Rewrite service descriptions: If customers think they are getting one thing, but receive a different product or service, their expectations aren’t aligned. Rewrite your service descriptions and landing pages to clarify exactly what is (and isn’t) included.
• Run CRO tests: Use the pain points mentioned in negative reviews to inform your CRO testing and user experience updates on the site.

3. Scale Your Insights with AI

It is impossible to do this analysis manually for hundreds of locations, but even a local business with a few dozen reviews can effectively use AI tools like ChatGPT or Gemini.

You don’t need a custom API; you can simply:

1. Use a tool like Pleper.com or BrightLocal’s Reputation Manager to scrape and download your reviews (and your competitors’).
2. Upload that Excel file into an AI tool.
3. Ask the AI to “look for themes,” “analyze sentiment,” and “tell me what we’re doing right and what we’re doing wrong”.

This will save manual hours and provide instant data on things like keyword frequency, sentiment, and even how often a specific employee’s name is mentioned (great for incentivizing staff!).

4. Don’t Stop at Google: Multi-platform Optimization

While Google is the “big dog” in search share, you can’t ignore other platforms like Yelp, Facebook, and Reddit.

As Large Language Models (LLMs) and AI search tools (like Perplexity and ChatGPT) become more prevalent, they are heavily citing reputation and citation data from multiple ecosystems. Your strategy must include:

• NAP consistency: Ensure your Name, Address, and Phone number (NAP) are consistent everywhere. This isn’t just a Google ranking factor; it prevents an AI from citing an old directory from ten years ago and sending a customer to the wrong place.
• Monitor all platforms: If you have no presence on Yelp or Facebook, you will come up short in these LLM-driven searches. You must monitor and optimize your presence on all relevant platforms.

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5. Master the Art of the Ask

The best way to get a keyword-rich review is to master the art of asking.

The Power of the Personal Ask

The in-person ask at the point of sale by far outperforms everything else.

“The best way to get a keyword-rich review is to master the art of the ask. The in-person ask at the point of sale will by far outperform every follow-up email, text message, or automated prompt you try.”

Customers are much more likely to leave a review if they believe they are leaving a review for the person who assisted them, not the corporation.

The Script

The employee should simply say, “I hope you had a great experience. It would be great for my career and my job here if you could leave me a review. Please just mention what I did for you or what I fixed for you.”

Why does this work? Because they are leaving John a review on his service, which makes the request feel personal and easy.

Phrasing Digital Requests for Keywords

If you are sending follow-up emails or text messages, it’s all about the questioning.

• Don’t ask, “What could we have done better?” (This tends to turn them toward something negative.)
• Instead, ask, “What did we fix for you today?” or “How did we help you today?”.

This phrasing inherently encourages the customer’s answer to include the product or service you want to rank for (e.g., “You guys fixed my cracked iPhone 3 on the same day. It was awesome.”).

A Firm Stance Against Review Gating

In the conversation, Julian was asked about using a “middle page” to filter positive reviews to Google and negative ones to an internal channel.

His advice? Do not review gate.

It is a violation of guidelines, and you must “take the give” and accept that you will sometimes get a negative review. The benefits of a natural, honest review profile far outweigh the risk of being seen as fake or violating policies.

When a suspension occurs or a verification fails, it can feel like Google just pulled the rug out from under you. To help you stay one step ahead, our CEO, Myles Anderson, sat down with two of the industry’s sharpest minds, Joy Hawkins and Ben Fisher, at the 2025 Local SEO for Good event to get their most practical, no-nonsense Google Business Profile advice.

Here’s a breakdown of the top strategies and insider tips they shared.

Mastering Suspensions and Reinstatement

Suspensions remain one of the biggest frustrations for GBP managers, but if you prepare properly, you can be reinstated.

Be Proactive and Patient

Joy Hawkins’ advice was simple but critical:

“Have your required documents, like your business license, ready before a suspension hits.”

— Joy Hawkins, Owner/Founder, Sterling Sky

Don’t wait until panic mode sets in. Gather your documentation early, keep it updated, and store it safely.

Patience is also key. Reinstatements can take time, and Google’s new appeal process can be unforgiving. Once prompted, you may only have 60 minutes to upload all your files.

Your Suspension Reinstatement Checklist

When submitting an appeal, your goal is to provide a body of proof that your business exists and operates legitimately at its stated address.

Here’s what to include:

• Business license: The name and address must match your GBP listing exactly. There can be no variations or typos.
  
• Secretary of State entry: Provide either a link to your official record or a screenshot of it alongside the search URL.
  
• Utility bills: Only include if necessary, and make sure they match the business name.
  
• Alternative utility proof: If utilities are included in your rent, use a cell phone bill in your business name instead, but ensure it is in the exact GBP business name, not a personal name or parent company name.
  
• DBA/fictitious name: Have your DBA (Doing Business As) information handy and updated.
  
• Third-party proof: Gather supporting evidence from organizations like the Better Business Bureau or the Chamber of Commerce that can prove your business’s existence.

Verification Made Simple

Verification can be confusing, especially for service area businesses (SABs).

For Service Area Businesses (SABs)

Ben Fisher cleared up one major misconception:

“A service business doesn’t have to verify using the owner’s home address.”

—Ben Fisher, Co-Founder and Diamond Google Product Expert, Steady Demand

• Verify at a client location: You can drive to a location that matches your service area (e.g., a home you are selling if you are a realtor) and use that for verification.
• Signage is not required: If you are a service area business and your address is hidden, you do not need to show signage during video verification.

How do you handling failed video verification?

• Check the link: Google’s messaging can be poor. If you receive an email saying verification failed, click the link to view your profile; it may actually be verified.
• Request a live agent: If the automated verification fails, contact support and request a live agent to conduct the video verification. This allows you to interact and explain your situation (e.g., if you are in a new development without street signs).
• Bulk verification: If you manage ten or more storefront locations with the same business name, you should use the bulk verification process via Google’s Business Profile Help Center.

Ranking, Service Areas, and Physical Addresses

When it comes to local rankings, location still matters… a lot!

As Ben Fisher put it:

“The data is clear: having a physical address has a massive impact on your ranking radius.”

—Ben Fisher, Co-Founder and Diamond Google Product Expert, Steady Demand

Service area businesses (SABs) rank, on average, within a two-mile radius of their address. A storefront location, however, can rank anywhere from five to ten miles away.

Should SABs get a physical address?

If the potential lead generation outweighs the rent cost, SABs should invest in a staffed office. A published physical address provides a clear ranking benefit and can expand your reach fivefold.

Guidelines:

• The office must be staffed during business hours.
  
• Avoid coworking spaces as they frequently trigger filtering issues. As Joy warns, “Avoid them at all costs—they’re the landmines of local SEO.”
  
• Adding service areas to a storefront listing will not help you rank. You should never have overlapping service areas on multiple listings, as this is a cause for suspension.
  
• You cannot set your service area to be more than two hours of driving time from your verification address.
  

Resolving Missing Reviews

You’ve earned the review, but it’s not showing up. Frustrating, right? This often happens when Google’s filters remove reviews from brand-new accounts or shared Wi-Fi networks.

Here’s how to fix it:

1. Identify the cause: Reviews from new Google accounts are most likely to disappear.
   
2. Escalate to Support: Contact GBP support. Remember to reply to the first self-directed email you receive to open a path to a human agent.
   
3. Provide detailed proof: You need to help Google manually match the review to your profile. Ben explained why: “Google has to manually match up the review to your profile because reviews live in the Maps database, not the GBP database.” Provide a spreadsheet containing the reviewer’s name, the date, and the full review text.
   
4. Extract text easily: If a customer sends you a screenshot of the review, upload it to an OCR tool to quickly extract the text for your spreadsheet.
   

AI Content and NAP Consistency

Is NAP consistency still important?

Don’t sweat the small stuff. You no longer need to obsess over exact matches in punctuation or address formatting (like “Street” vs. “St”) across all directories. Google’s algorithm is smart enough to handle minor variations.

For managing citations at scale, tools like BrightLocal’s Citation Builder ensure your listings are correct where they count.

Can you use AI-generated content and images?

• AI-generated text: You can use Google’s feature to generate a description with AI inside the GBP control panel, as tests have shown there’s no negative impact on GBP ranking.
  
• AI-generated images: Proceed with caution. Google appears to be working to devalue them, and tests have shown that an initial ranking benefit was later reversed.
  
• Text on images: Adding keyword-rich text to an image and uploading it to your profile can provide a small, marginal ranking impact for long-tail queries.
  

Final Thoughts

Getting the most out of your Google Business Profile comes down to one thing: planning ahead.

Gather your documents early, keep your data clean, and build from a real, staffed address when you can. If AI tools save you time, great, but stay human at the core of your marketing.

You can see more of the videos from this year’s Local SEO for Good event on our YouTube channel.

Local SEO can mean a lot of things. For the sake of this article, it refers to organic visibility in Google Maps via the Local Pack. Or, more plainly, your Google Business Profile (GBP).

GBP is particularly relevant today because small businesses are losing organic clicks from top and mid-funnel queries to AI Overviews (AIO). For any business or marketer, fewer clicks means less data. For these small businesses, it can mean fewer leads, too.

In other words, showing up for bottom-of-funnel search queries is more important than ever. For local businesses, those queries are the ones driving prospective customers to the Local Pack.

How AIOs Impact SMBs: A Quick Look at 2025

For a lot of businesses, clicks go down as AIOs take over relevant search engine results pages (SERPs). This is true even if the business ranks well in the overviews, as the business referenced below does. While some AIO citations result in clicks, many do not.

Correlation is not causation, but this is not an isolated example. SMBs are seeing fewer clicks across the board, and it’s not difficult to guess why.

GBP is a Critical Source of Leads for SMBs

The bright side is this: GBP remains a critical source of leads for SMBs. In fact, I’ve seen about 10-15% more calls come through GBP compared to pre-AIO times.

Additionally, first-time calls to businesses with aggressive marketing packages saw their Google listings start to drive more leads than their organic website traffic (which was unusual for the businesses I work with, historically).

With the advent of AIOs, GBP has overtaken organic search for phone calls by a margin of about 12%.

Small Business Local SEO 101: Make Patterns, Not Big Changes

SMBs need an actionable and consistent approach to GBP. We’ll dive into tactics in a minute, but for now, I want to focus on the right approach: Don’t look for one “big” change to fix everything. Look for small improvements and iterate on them.

Google actually encourages this approach with on-site SEO in its SEO Starter guide. It says “…if you’re not satisfied with your results and your business strategies allow it, try iterating with the changes and see if they make a difference.”

This statement isn’t about GBP, but the same principle applies. Don’t chase the big fixes; instead, iterate on the small ones to create a positive pattern.

This includes things like:

• Posting regularly, in a natural cadence that reflects your business’s updates, events, specials, etc.
• Gathering reviews over time, naturally, and in a way that reflects customer experience
• Consistently reviewing changes to your GBP data and keeping it fresh, accurate, and updated
• Responding to reviews consistently, over time
• Responding to customer questions in the Q&A section as they are asked
• Keeping your website updated with relevant content and information

Let’s Talk Strategy: Tactics that Customers (and Google!) Love

So, what patterns should you create? And which tactics create them? The simple answer is this: Focus on the things you can control, or at least try to.

Below, I’ve listed what I consider the more important local SEO tactics for small businesses. Some of them may seem obvious; others not. But they’re all important, especially when taken as part of a larger strategy.

Keep Your Profile Updated & Accurate

This one’s pretty obvious: it’s important to keep your business information updated and accurate. Not because it’ll help you rank, but because it’s a good customer experience. (And because customers will get annoyed if your information is wrong.)

A 2023 study from BrightLocal found that 62% of consumers would not use a business if they found incorrect information about them online.

It’s also completely within your control and could impact whether or not a customer is able to find or call you. Thus, it’s worth noting.

Describe Your Business Accurately (Don’t worry about the SEO)

As a general rule of thumb, make sure your GBP accurately reflects your business as customers experience it in the real world. This means filling out every field in your profile and adding as much detail as GBP allows, including your business description.

Here are a few best practices for the description:

• DO fill out your business description with as much helpful information as possible, so customers can see what you’re about.
• DON’T use keywords in your description or try to cater to what you think Google wants.

Keep Your Photos Updated (and Helpful)

Include photos of your business storefront so customers know what it looks like from the street or parking lot. Add pictures of the inside, too, so they know what to expect when they get there.

Update images if something changes. This is especially relevant for businesses (such as restaurants) that change their menu frequently. Service-based businesses, such as law firms, may not need to update their photos as often unless something at the business location changes.

A few things to avoid:

• Stock photos
• Geo-tagging your images
• Low-quality images
• Outdated images

Show Customers What You Have to Offer

If it’s available for your business type, add products and services to your listing.

Products are detailed snapshots of what you offer; services are more like a menu of what you do.

I find the products feature particularly valuable because you can add a detailed description, image, and link to a related page on your website from the product listing. Even for service-based businesses (like law firms or dentists), “products” are a great way to give customers more information about how you can help them.

Prep for GBP Suspensions Before They Happen

Google Business Profile suspensions are a hassle. Prepare for them in advance. There are two types of suspensions: hard and soft suspensions. A soft suspension keeps you from editing your business information; a hard suspension completely removes it from SERPs.

If your listing gets suspended, you can appeal it and submit evidence for reinstatement.

Here’s a quick list of what you should have on file to make sure you can appeal your listing quickly in the unfortunate event of a suspension:

• Business registration
• Business license
• Tax certificates
• Utility bills (Internet, phone, water, etc.)

I also recommend keeping a picture of their storefront with signage on hand as well.

Reviews, Reviews, Reviews

Treat reviews like an ongoing part of your business operations and request them consistently.

The number of reviews and average star rating are important, but velocity (how often people review your business) is also important. If you can, I recommend using review management software, such as BrightLocal, GatherUp, or Podium, to request reviews.

A few best practices and notes regarding reviews:

• It’s okay if your star rating isn’t 5/5. People know you’re not perfect, and a 4.8/5 can look more authentic to customers anyway.
• Respond to reviews. Be kind and don’t get defensive. If you’re able, offer to fix the problem. If not, let the customer know you’ll do better next time.
• If a review is fake or harassment, do not respond to it; instead, report it to Google so it can be removed.
• Do not have your employees leave reviews! Only reviews from real customers count.

Perfect Your Intake (Make Every Lead Count)

It’s easy to treat your digital marketing as something separate from your business’s day-to-day operations. Once you get a lead or someone walks through the door, your Google Listing has done its job, right?

Kind of. The next step is just as important, though. When you get a lead (call, form, text), you need to make sure that prospective customers have the same helpful experience they got online. If you can, audit your intake (you’ll need call tracking for this!) and coach your team on how to work with prospective customers/clients when they reach out.

The goal is to turn leads into revenue, and that only happens when the lead converts.

Track everything really well (call Tracking, UTM codes, etc.)

Speaking of call tracking, if your business gets leads over the phone, use call tracking software on your website and your Google listing. Call data is part of your local SEO Strategy.

Set up call recording (if permitted by local laws) and pay attention to the origin of your calls.

Additionally, make sure to add UTM tracking codes to your Google listing and any links on it (appointment link, product link, website link, etc.). I won’t go into too much detail here, but this resource from Claire Carlile has everything you need to know (including a template!).

What about directory listings (other than GBP)?

“Local SEO” used to be synonymous with “directory listings,” and the general rule of thumb was this: The more, the merrier! Today, it’s more closely associated with Google Maps optimization, and it’s worth asking whether other directories are worth the time and money it takes to stay listed in them.

Not long ago, I revised my approach to these third-party listings and removed clients from many of them. Here’s what happened:

• Rankings did not go down (they went up, on average, for important terms)
• Leads did not go down (they went up, on average, for most clients)

This doesn’t mean directories don’t have their place, but syndicating your business information to 80+ listings that will never be indexed or seen by humans simply is not needed to achieve local SEO success.

When Third-party Directory Listings Really Matter

Local SEO is still SEO, so “it depends” applies even to third-party directory listings. There are a few technical instances in which directories are relevant, and not just for your ideal clients:

New Businesses

I’ve worked with some new businesses that struggle to get their Google listing verified because they are so new.

If your business falls into this category, consider getting it listed in more directories than I recommended above. Listings that come with a unique profile that Google can index are best. Syndicating your data to many publishers is one way you can show search engines that your business is, in fact, “legit” and has some semblance of an online footprint.

Website Indexation

The same goes for new websites (often associated with new businesses).

In recent years, I’ve seen new domains struggle to get indexed without the help of some third-party mentions. Directory listings are one way to encourage crawlers to engage with your site.

Of course, your website needs to include some kind of value and helpful content, too, but getting onto directory listings can help move the indexation process along.

Address Changes

Changing an address in GBP can be really easy, but it can also be tough if Google deems the change unreliable. Having additional listings (ones that are easier to update, ideally) with the new address in place can increase the likelihood of Google accepting the change quickly.

LLMs Use Listings for Business Information

Kate Herbert-Smith, Digital Learning Manager at BrightLocal

BrightLocal’s research from July 2025 found that AI has bought citations and listings back into a more prominent position. While their importance had been waning for a few years, LLMs now use them as a regular source of information for your brand.

A few of our findings:

• Yelp is used as a source in a third of all searches, and often multiple times in one search.
• LLMs use reviews from Yelp, Google Business Profile, and other sources to get additional rich information.
• LLMs also take information from social media channels.
• Businesses own websites are incredibly important sources for LLMs.
• Industry niche directories are a regular source of information.

Read the full study

Your On-site SEO Matters, Too!

Your website is part of your local SEO strategy, too. Not only because it can rank for local queries, but also because your website optimization can impact your performance in Google Maps.

It goes without saying that for your GBP to reap the benefits of an optimized and authoritative website, you need a live website to optimize. But research shows that only 40% of SMBs said they had a dedicated website for their business.

Here’s an example of how an active website can impact your local SEO:

I encountered a business not too long ago that wasn’t new, wasn’t indexed except for the home page. Additionally, Google refused to display their website on GBP (would deny the update every time). Initially, the clear problem was thin content. However, the site encountered the same issues after that was fixed.

After checking the site’s technical elements (robots.txt, internal links, etc.), I noticed unsavory backlinks in the client’s backlink profile and submitted a disavow file.

Within two weeks, the site was indexed, and the firm’s visibility in Google Maps increased by 44%. Calls followed a similar pattern:

In short, the relevance of your website impacts the relevance of your Google listing.

If you’re interested in how to structure your website for local success and how to optimize your service pages, check out my course on mastering service page optimization from BrightLocal Academy.

Conclusion

SEO is iterative, and local SEO is no exception. Don’t look for one big lever you can pull and walk away. GBP isn’t a slot machine. If you treat it like one, you’ll end up disappointed. Look for the little things you can do consistently (and well!) that pile up over time. That’s how you win.