Local SEO Thrives in Generative AI Era, Despite Reduced Clicks and Generic Results
Local SEO is flourishing in the generative AI era, with businesses focusing on visibility and user-generated content. Meanwhile, local search remains robust, bucking the trend of declining click-through rates. However, AI's impact on search behaviour and local search experience raises challenges and opportunities.
Generative AI is transforming user search habits. Many users now find answers within search results, reducing website clicks. This shift has led to declining click-through rates despite rising impressions for many websites. Local SEO, however, is thriving. It's designed for a fragmented search future, making it well-positioned in the AI era.
AI platforms struggle with location awareness, providing generic, irrelevant answers for local searches. Large language models lack features like maps, phone numbers, and real-time context. To maximise local presence, businesses should prioritise proven SEO tactics, ensure platform consistency, complete local profiles, and generate reviews. Local searches often drive real-world actions like phone calls or visits, which AI can't facilitate. AI results still rely on local SEO data sources like Google Business Profile and Yelp.
Research by the HTWK Leipzig group, including Prof. Dr. Andreas Both and colleagues, explores generative AI's impact on web and information processing. While their work indirectly touches on search processes, no direct company contributions were identified.
In the generative AI era, local SEO remains vital. While AI brings challenges like reduced click-through rates and generic local search results, it also offers opportunities for improved user experience and impression filtering. Businesses should focus on proven SEO tactics to maintain a strong local presence. Further research is needed to fully understand and harness generative AI's impact on local search processes.
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