E1137: Local SEO is changing as Google Maps becomes more AI-driven.

I’m joined by Darren Shaw, founder of Whitespark and one of the most respected people in local SEO, to break down Google’s Ask Maps AI and what businesses need to do to get recommended.

Ask Maps combines Gemini with Google’s location data, Google Business Profiles, reviews, Maps activity, and other signals to answer detailed local questions and recommend specific businesses.

Darren believes this is where local search is heading, and that traditional Google Maps rankings may eventually become increasingly AI-driven.

We cover what influences these recommendations and what local businesses should focus on now.

In this episode:
What Google Ask Maps AI is and how it differs from normal Google Maps search
Why ranking well in traditional local search still gets you most of the way toward showing up in Ask Maps
How to fully optimize your Google Business Profile for AI recommendations
Why every service in your GBP should have a detailed description
How Google uses your products, attributes, posts, photos, videos, and social profiles
Why reviews are one of the strongest signals for Ask Maps
How to ask customers for reviews that give Google more useful information
Why review responses matter more now that AI can reference them
How to use Ask Maps itself as a local SEO research tool
How to uncover the most common customer complaints and pain points in your market
How to find third-party websites Google references for businesses in your industry
Why Reddit, local communities, and broader brand mentions matter for AI visibility
Why sponsoring and participating in local events can strengthen your brand presence
Local SEO tactics Darren considers low-value, including Google stacking and local business schema
Why NAP consistency is becoming more important again with AI search
Why citation optimization matters more than obsessing over every minor citation inconsistency
Why your website still has a major influence on Ask Maps
Why you should have separate pages for every major service and sub-service
How FAQs and query fan-out can uncover questions to answer on service pages
Why pricing information should be included on your website
How to use Ask Maps to find obscure services your competitors aren't covering
When competitor comparison pages make sense and when they become manipulative
Why proximity matters less in AI-driven Maps results than traditional local rankings
How search history, Maps history, Gemini activity, and other Google data can influence recommendations
How often Darren recommends refreshing important pages and Google Business Profile content
If you can measure Ask Maps visibility
Darren's highest-priority local SEO actions for businesses that don't have time to do everything

Darren’s core recommendation is simple: completely fill out your Google Business Profile, create strong pages for every service you offer, add useful FAQs, and consistently collect detailed customer reviews.

Those fundamentals mattered before AI, and they remain the foundation for getting recommended by Google Maps AI.

⭐️ Darren Shaw's first time on the pod: Local SEO Masterclass: Darren Shaw on Rank...
⭐️ Whitespark's local SEO software and services: https://whitespark.ca/
⭐️ The Whitespark Local Update Podcast: https://whitespark.ca/the-whitespark-...
⭐️ Darren's YouTube channel: whitesparkca
⭐️ Darren's Instagram: Instagram: darrenshawseo
⭐️ Darren's LinkedIn: LinkedIn: darrenshawwhitespark
⭐️ Darren's Threads: https://www.threads.com/@darrenshawseo
⭐️ Darren's Facebook: Facebook: darrenshawseo
⭐️ Darren's TikTok: TikTok: darrenshawseo

💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/

00:00 Ask Maps AI Intro
00:57 What Ask Maps Does
03:35 Future of Local Search
04:49 Core Ranking Tactics
06:07 Optimize Your GBP
11:49 Reviews That Drive AI
16:31 Ask Maps Research Hacks
21:54 Branding Signals Matter
23:00 Reddit and Community Playbook
25:17 Local Events and Subreddits
27:55 Local SEO Time Wasters
29:16 Geotags and Google Stacking
30:37 Why Schema Backfires
32:05 Citations and NAP for AI
33:37 Service Pages and FAQs
35:19 Pricing and Hidden Services
37:27 Accordion FAQs and AI Parsing
39:40 Comparison Pages Done Right
42:05 Proximity vs Reputation in AI
44:06 Personalized Ask Maps Results
47:45 Freshness and GBP Posting
50:50 Measuring Ask Maps Visibility
52:04 Prompt Tracking Reality Check
53:47 80-20 Local SEO Checklist
54:52 Whitespark Tools and Wrap-Up

The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/

#localseo #googlebusinessprofileoptimization #searchengineoptimization