Getting Brand Locations in AI-Powered Search Results

Artificial Intelligence, or AI, is a highly debated topic, especially among marketing professionals. Some experts believe it will be a sophisticated tool that enables scalability and enhances the efficiency of human efforts. Others, however, worry that it could diminish our creative abilities and impact original thought. Regardless of the debate, AI is here to stay. If you want to market online, understanding the current AI search landscape is essential to getting results for your multi-location business.

So, what is the first step, or how can brands begin exploring creating an AI strategy? Consider what we can anticipate in the short term: AI-powered search algorithms are becoming increasingly capable of understanding context, intent, and even language nuances. This development means that appearing in search results requires more than just having a well-designed website. It necessitates a strategic approach to online presence management, ensuring that business information is accurate, consistent, and available across digital platforms. For a business, especially one with multiple locations or service areas, adopting a listing management tool and strategy is crucial to achieving this.

Listing management technology, such as Yext, Uberall, Chatmeter, Soci, and others, allows brand locations to manage their online presence across multiple directories, social media platforms, and search engines from a single dashboard. Think of it as having control over the “single source of truth” for your business. This technology ensures that critical business information—such as name, address, phone number, and hours of operation—is consistent and up-to-date across the web. Inaccurate or outdated listings can lead to missed opportunities, as customers may not find the business locations or may lose trust due to inconsistencies. With the integration of AI in search, maintaining accurate listings has become even more important, as search engines prioritize businesses that provide reliable information.

While there are excellent tools available to manage listings at scale and optimize for AI search engines, it’s essential not to fall into the trap of assuming that technology alone will take care of everything. The key to making your online presence successful with these tools is to treat your listings as a foundational media channel within your marketing strategy. This includes performing regular audits of all online listings to ensure accuracy and completeness. It’s also crucial to claim and verify all business listings on major platforms like Google Business Profile, Yelp, and Bing. Additionally, businesses should leverage the analytics provided by listing management tools to monitor customer interactions and adjust their strategies accordingly. Regularly updating your locations listings and responding to customer reviews can significantly improve search visibility and enhance online reputation.

AI is enhancing the capability of search engines, which can be seen as a positive development. Customers are increasingly met with results that match their needs and desires precisely. As marketers, it is our responsibility to activate all appropriate mechanisms so that a business can be matched accurately by these AI-driven platforms. Listing management is one of those indispensable mechanisms that enable a business to be easily recognized by AI within these search engines.

AI technology already has and will continue to impact how AI search results are determined and rendered. While MuLo companies will need to stay nimble to adjust to these changes, it will become even more important to control and audit the data that feeds the machine learning models. Listing Management is the bedrock of this data. By staying proactive and strategic, businesses can effectively navigate the complexities of AI-powered search and maintain a strong online presence.