By Phil Gee · AI Academy, Southport
When someone in your area searches for what you do on Google, three businesses appear at the top of the map. Those three get the vast majority of the clicks. Everyone else fights over the scraps.
Getting into that top three is not magic. It is a combination of things — and AI can help with nearly all of them.
The Three Things Google Cares About
Local SEO comes down to three factors:
1. Relevance — Does your Google Business Profile clearly describe what you do? 2. Distance — Are you close to the person searching? 3. Prominence — Does Google think you are a trusted, popular business?
You cannot control distance. But you can control relevance and prominence. And AI helps with both.
Using AI for Your Google Business Profile
Your Google Business Profile description matters more than most people think. It needs to be clear, specific, and full of the words your customers actually search for.
Ask AI: "I run a [your business] in [your area]. Write a 250-character Google Business Profile description that clearly explains what I do, who I serve, and my local area. Include the services people would search for."
You will get a description that is optimised for local search — not just a generic blurb.
Using AI for Reviews
Reviews are one of the biggest prominence signals. The businesses with more recent, positive reviews rank higher.
AI can help you ask for reviews properly. Ask it: "Write a short, friendly WhatsApp message I can send to a happy customer asking them to leave a Google review. Include a placeholder for the review link. Keep it under 50 words."
You will get a message that does not feel awkward — which means more people will actually leave reviews.
Using AI for Local Content
Google loves businesses that show they are part of the local community. Writing blog posts or social media content about your area signals that you are genuinely local.
Ask AI: "Give me 10 blog post ideas for a [your business] that are specifically about serving customers in [your area]. Focus on local knowledge, local events, and local problems I can solve."
You will get content ideas that signal local relevance to Google — and that are genuinely useful to local customers.
Using AI for Website Local SEO
Your website needs to clearly state where you are and who you serve. AI can review your site and flag gaps.
Paste your homepage text and ask: "Review this page for local SEO. Does it clearly state the business location, service areas, and local keywords? What is missing?"
Fix what AI flags. It is usually obvious — missing town names, no mention of service areas, no local references.
Start With Your Profile
If you do nothing else, fix your Google Business Profile. Use AI to write a proper description. Use AI to write review request messages. Post one update a week. That alone will move you up the rankings — without spending a penny on ads.