As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes more prevalent in our lives, it’s no surprise that it’s also having an impact on local search engine optimization (SEO). In this article, we’ll explore the ways in which AI is affecting local SEO and how businesses can adapt to these changes.

What is Local SEO?

Local SEO is the practice of optimizing a website to appear in search engine results for local queries. For example, if you own a coffee shop in New York City, you would want your website to appear when someone searches for “coffee shops in New York City.”

Local SEO has become increasingly important in recent years, as more people turn to search engines to find local businesses. In fact, according to Google, 46% of all searches have local intent.

How AI is Affecting Local SEO

AI is having a significant impact on local SEO in a number of ways:

1. Personalization

With the help of AI, search engines are able to personalize search results based on a user’s search history, location, and other factors. This means that two people searching for the same thing may see different results based on their individual preferences and search histories.

This has significant implications for local businesses, as it means that they need to ensure that their website and other online assets are optimized for the specific audience they are targeting. This may involve creating different versions of a website for different locations or demographics, or using location-specific keywords and content.

2. Voice Search

Voice search is becoming increasingly popular, with more and more people using virtual assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant to find information online. This has significant implications for local SEO, as voice searches tend to be more conversational and long-tail than traditional text searches.

This means that businesses need to ensure that their website and other online assets are optimized for natural language queries. This may involve using long-tail keywords, creating conversational content, and optimizing for featured snippets, which are often used in voice search results.

3. Local Intent

As mentioned earlier, local intent is becoming increasingly important in search engine results. With the help of AI, search engines are able to understand the context of a user’s search and provide more accurate and relevant results.

This means that businesses need to ensure that their website and other online assets are optimized for local search queries. This may involve using location-specific keywords, creating location-specific content, and ensuring that their business information is up-to-date and accurate on all online directories and platforms.

4. Rank Tracking

Rank tracking is an essential part of any SEO strategy, as it allows businesses to monitor their search engine rankings and make adjustments as needed. With the help of AI, rank tracking tools are becoming more sophisticated and accurate.

This means that businesses can get more detailed insights into their search engine rankings, including the specific keywords and phrases that are driving traffic to their website. This information can be used to make more informed decisions about their SEO strategy and to identify new opportunities for growth.