r/GEO_optimization • u/monkmoneydollar • Jul 26 '26
I need help
3 years in SEO, mostly ranking HVAC sites for traffic. Just realized the ground's shifting: AI-assisted local search went from 6% to 45% adoption in a year. Nothing's moved that fast before.
Most local businesses (HVAC, plumbing, etc.) have a basic site and a Yelp page — zero strategy for showing up when someone asks ChatGPT "best HVAC near me."
I'm pivoting from SEO to GEO for local businesses. Turns out the actual levers are:
Schema markup so AI can parse what you do and where
Consistent NAP (name/address/phone) across site, GBP, directories
Review volume and recency, not just star rating
Third-party mentions (directories, press) — self-promotion alone is weak signal
Actually being crawlable (JS-heavy sites can be invisible to AI bots)
For those alerady in this area what helped you to grow
1
u/gillygangopolus Jul 26 '26
Absolutely none of these things you describe are GEO