10/27/2025
People are increasingly using AI-powered tools to search for local brick-and-mortar businesses, turning to chatbots and conversational search instead of traditional methods like Google Maps or Yelp. AI assistants such as ChatGPT and Google’s AI overviews are changing how people discover services in their neighborhoods, letting users ask for recommendations in natural language and get instant, synthesized answers rather than a list of links. Projections now suggest up to 30% of local searches will begin with AI platforms by the end of 2026.
Shifting Local Search Behavior
Customers are asking AI assistants for suggestions like “best photographer near me,” expecting tailored, conversational results. That means traditional map pack rankings are less important than simply being mentioned in a chatbot’s response. The more your business turns up in AI-generated answers, the better your visibility. This trend doesn’t mean you should neglect Google or Yelp—rather, it’s a hybrid era where presence on both AI tools and legacy platforms is critical.
How Local Businesses Can Adapt
1. Keep business listings accurate across sites like Google, Yelp, Bing, and Facebook. AI tools look at these sources for answers.
2. Add local business schema, reviews, and FAQs to your website so AI models can easily understand and cite your information.
3. Create content that answers real customer questions in conversational language, since AIs often pull answers straight from well-formatted web information.
4. Regularly check how AI assistants describe your business and update your data to correct errors.
AI isn’t replacing search, it’s reshaping it.
Local visibility now means being present in both AI chat results and legacy platforms like Google Maps.
As a headshot photographer who handles my own marketing, I want to start implementing these new strategies to increase the odds that both AI and traditional searches find me. And of course I still want to post on LinkedIn and create engaging content.
If it’s time to update your headshots — for your website, LinkedIn, or wherever clients might find you — let’s make sure you look the part.
Reach out at to me at https://www.stevenhankinsphotography.com to book your session.
Cited Sources
1. Local Falcon: "AI and Local Search: What Does Comprehensive Local Visibility Look Like in 2025"
2. Birdeye: "How AI Assistants Are Impacting Local Search in 2025"
3. YouTube: "AI Search is Coming for Local Businesses (Here's Why You Should ...)"
4. RioSEO: "Future-proofing local search: top strategies and trends for 2025"
