Published
4th November 2025
Read time
5 min read

Here's a stat that should make every marketer sit up: 58% of consumers now use AI platforms to discover products and services local to them.

Let that sink in.

More than half your potential customers aren't just Googling anymore, they're asking ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity where to find what they need.

At BrightonSEO last week, Sara Vordermeier from Uberall delivered a masterclass on turning location presence into performance. Her message was clear: the rules of local search have fundamentally changed, and businesses that don't adapt, risk becoming invisible in the AI era.

The new search reality: AI thinks local first

When someone asks an AI tool "Where can I buy pet food?" or "Who's the best marketing agency near me?", these platforms don't randomly generate answers. They pull from specific, trusted sources and increasingly, that means hyperlocal data.

Yelp has emerged as one of AI's most valuable reference points. Why? Because it offers structured, location-specific data with verified reviews and consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone) information. AI tools trust it as a source of truth for local businesses. If you're not there, or your information's inconsistent, you're essentially invisible to AI-powered local search.

But here's where it gets interesting: AI doesn't just check one source. It triangulates information across multiple platforms, looking for consistency and authority signals. This means your local presence needs to be bulletproof across every touchpoint.

Location landing pages: your brand’s secret weapon

Location-based landing pages are the unsung heroes of local search – and they're about to become even more critical in the AI age. These aren't just pages that state where you operate; they're strategic assets that demonstrate deep local knowledge, connections, and relevance.

The behavioural science is straightforward: proximity bias. People inherently trust businesses that feel "close" - not just physically, but culturally and contextually. A generic homepage can't create that connection. A page that references local landmarks, understands regional challenges, and speaks in local language? That's magnetic.

We've seen this strategy transform performance for clients across sectors like home and property and hospitality and leisure. For example, for a UK-based blinds retailer, instead of a generic "we deliver nationwide" message, we leveraged localised landing pages for every delivery area. Each page speaks directly to that community – from the West Midlands to Greater Manchester – with tailored content that resonates locally.

For your brand, these pages don't just have to list delivery postcodes. They could feature region-specific product recommendations (garden furniture that weathers Birmingham's rainfall, anyone?), local installation partners, area-specific delivery timeframes, and even weather-appropriate care guides. It's hyperlocal content that actually helps customers while sending powerful relevance signals to both traditional search engines and AI platforms.

Hyperlocal link building strategies

Traditional link building focuses on domain authority. Hyperlocal link building adds another dimension: local relevance. For our home and property client, we secured placements in local listing directories, regional business networks, and community websites. These aren't high-DA glamour links – they're high-relevance trust signals.

Think about it from AI's perspective. When ChatGPT sees a Birmingham business mentioned in the Birmingham Post, listed in the Greater Birmingham Chambers directory, and featured on Birmingham Tech Week's website, it builds a pattern of local authority. That's impossible to fake and incredibly powerful for AI visibility.

Optimising local search across the funnel

Hyperlocal isn't just about discovery, it's about the entire customer journey:

  • Top of Funnel: Local PR and community involvement create the digital footprint AI tools reference. Every local mention is a signal.

  • Middle of Funnel: Location-specific content that answers regional questions. "How much does X cost in Birmingham?" beats generic pricing pages every time.

  • Bottom of Funnel: Local social proof – reviews, testimonials, and case studies from recognisable local businesses. AI tools weight local validation heavily when making recommendations.

The compound effect 

Here's what most businesses miss: hyperlocal optimisation creates a compound effect. Better local visibility leads to more local backlinks. More local engagement generates more local reviews. More local authority means AI tools recommend you more often, driving more local traffic, which Google also notices.

It's a virtuous circle that builds momentum over time. The businesses winning the AI search gauntlet aren't necessarily the biggest, they're the ones that own their local space completely.

Your hyperlocal action plan

Ready to get started? Here's your roadmap:

  1. Audit your local citations – ensure NAP consistency everywhere

  2. Create location landing pages – one for each key service area

  3. Build local content – answer region-specific questions

  4. Earn local links – focus on relevance over authority

  5. Generate local proof – actively collect reviews from local customers

  6. Monitor AI responses – regularly check what AI tools say about you

The AI search revolution isn't coming – it's here. And while your competitors debate whether it matters, you could be building the hyperlocal presence that serves you as the obvious choice when AI tools make recommendations.

At Leopard Co, we've helped brands across the Midlands and beyond build hyperlocal strategies that deliver results in both traditional and AI-powered search. Your goals are our mission, and if that goal is owning your local market in the age of AI, get in touch.