"Large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google's AI Overviews are changing how people find local businesses. These systems don't just crawl your website the way search engines do. They interpret language, infer meaning, and piece together your brand's identity across the entire web. If your local visibility feels unstable, this shift is one of the biggest reasons. Traditional local SEO like Google Business Profile optimization, NAP consistency, and review generation still matter."
"Traditional local search results present options: maps, listings, and organic rankings. LLMs don't simply list choices. They generate an answer based on the clearest, strongest signals available. If your business isn't sending those signals consistently, you don't get included. If your business information is inconsistent and your content is vague, the model is less likely to confidently associate you with a given search. That hurts visibility, even if your traditional rankings haven't changed."
Large language models interpret language, infer meaning, and synthesize brand identity across the web, altering how local visibility is determined. LLMs generate answers from the clearest signals rather than listing options, so businesses must provide consistent, specific, and structured cues to be included. Traditional practices such as Google Business Profile optimization, NAP consistency, and review generation remain necessary but are no longer sufficient on their own. Models infer local relevance from patterns in language and structured signals including reviews mentioning neighborhoods, schema markup, and local directory mentions. Vague content or inconsistent information reduces model confidence and hurts visibility even when traditional rankings remain stable.
Read at Neil Patel
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