Local SEO and AI search, answered
Straight answers to the questions local business owners ask us most. Pricing questions are on the pricing page.
AI search
What is AI search visibility?
AI search visibility is how often AI assistants (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google Gemini, and Google AI Overviews) mention or recommend your business when people ask questions like "who's the best plumber near me?" It's measured by citations and mentions in AI answers, not by rankings.
What's the difference between SEO and GEO?
Traditional SEO aims to rank your website in search results so people click through. GEO (generative engine optimization) aims to get your business cited inside AI-generated answers, where many people never click at all. GEO depends on clarity, structured data, and consistent facts about your business across the web.
How do I get my business recommended by ChatGPT?
AI assistants recommend businesses they can confidently identify and that other sources vouch for. The biggest levers are a complete Google Business Profile, a steady flow of recent reviews, consistent name, address, and phone across directories, schema markup on your website, and mentions on local "best of" lists.
Does local SEO still matter if people use AI?
Yes, more than before. AI assistants pull heavily from the same signals that drive local rankings: your Google profile, reviews, and citations. Local SEO is the foundation AI visibility is built on.
The audit
What does a local SEO audit include?
Our LGO Audit scores your business on six pillars (Google Business Profile, reviews, on-page content, citations, behavioral signals, and AI search visibility), then ranks every fix by impact, confidence, and effort. You get a 14-page report, a 90-day plan, competitor benchmarks, a live dashboard, and a walkthrough call.
How is the Local Growth Score calculated?
Each pillar is scored 0 to 10, then weighted by its ranking impact using the Whitespark 2026 Local Search Ranking Factors: Google Business Profile 32%, reviews 20%, on-page 16%, citations 12%, AI search 12%, and behavioral signals 8%.
What is an ICE score?
ICE stands for Impact, Confidence, and Effort. Each recommended fix gets a priority score so you always know what to do first: the fixes that move rankings most, with the most certainty, for the least work.
How long does the audit take?
The free Snapshot arrives within 2 business days. The full audit is delivered within 5 business days, followed by a 45-minute walkthrough call.
Results & working together
How long does it take to see results from local SEO?
Quick fixes like Google profile updates and schema can show movement in 2 to 4 weeks. Review, citation, and content work typically shows clear results in 60 to 90 days. AI assistants update their sources on a similar cycle, which is why we track AI visibility monthly.
What kinds of businesses do you work with?
Local and service-area businesses that depend on being found nearby: home services, healthcare and wellness, professional services, restaurants and retail, and B2B firms with a local footprint.
Do you work outside Iowa?
Yes. We're based in Des Moines, Iowa and work with local businesses across the United States. Everything we do is remote-friendly.
Do I need to give you access to my accounts?
For the audit, no. We work from public data. For monthly programs, we'll ask for manager access to your Google Business Profile and, ideally, Google Search Console and your website.
Do you guarantee rankings?
No one can honestly guarantee a ranking or an AI recommendation. What we guarantee is a clear, prioritized plan, transparent reporting on your score every quarter, and work that follows the factors proven to drive local visibility.
Still have questions?
Start with a free snapshot, or book a 20-minute call.