Winning at Local SEO: Prioritize Reviews & Customer Sentiment

As local search evolves with AI tools like Google’s AI Mode, Gemini, and ChatGPT, reviews and customer sentiment are becoming central to visibility and rankings. Businesses that manage their reputation effectively will stand out in both traditional and AI-powered search.

1. The Rise of AI in Local Search

Search experiences are transforming with generative AI increasingly integrated into results. Users now rely on LLM-powered platforms—Google AI Mode, Gemini, ChatGPT, Perplexity—for search. These tools often showcase summaries of customer sentiment from reviews, making reputation management more crucial than ever Search Engine Land.

2. How AI Mode Treats Local Searches

For “near me” queries, AI Mode typically displays a list of nearby businesses with brief descriptions, star ratings, and review highlights—sometimes sourced from Yelp, TripAdvisor, or directly from a Google Business Profile. Clicking through often opens the business’s Google listing Search Engine Land.

To perform well here, traditional SEO fundamentals still apply:

• Consistency in NAP (Name, Address, Phone)

• Maintaining citations on authoritative third-party platforms

• Optimizing your Google Business Profile (photos, hours, accurate categories)

• Actively gathering and responding to customer reviews Search Engine Land

3. Sentiment in Branded Searches

When users search for a specific brand or business, AI Mode doesn’t just provide factual info—it generates balanced summaries of pros and cons based on aggregated reviews from multiple sources like Google, Yelp, and TripAdvisor Search Engine Land.

This is similar to existing “Review Summaries” seen in Google’s organic results: AI-generated snippets that highlight review data with star ratings and short commentary Search Engine Land.

4. The Growing Influence of Reviews

Reviews are now deeply integrated into how your business is shown online—both in visible listings like Google Business Profile and in AI-generated summaries by LLMs Search Engine Land.

Google’s updated local search guidance (July 2025) explicitly lists reviews and positive ratings as a key part of determining business “Prominence” in local search rankings Search Engine Land.

What businesses should do:

• Encourage frequent and fresh reviews

• Respond to all reviews—both positive and negative

• Use feedback to pinpoint strengths and areas for improvement

• Monitor brand mentions broadly—across forums, social media, Reddit, TikTok, Quora—as LLMs often draw from these sources Search Engine Land.

5. Going Beyond—Analyzing Competitors & LLM Behavior

• Evaluate how your reviews and ratings compare with competitors in the Local Pack.

• Explore how AI tools summarize your competitors during branded searches to identify gaps or areas where your business lags.

• Use AI comparisons to uncover strengths and weaknesses, then adapt accordingly Search Engine Land.

6. Sources Behind AI Summaries

LLMs build their view of businesses from a variety of sources, closely mirroring traditional search signals:

• Google Business Profile

• Review platforms

• Official business websites

• Wikipedia, directories, news coverage

• Forums and social media discourse Search Engine Land

So a robust presence across trustworthy sources not only improves traditional SEO but also shapes how AI presents your business.

7. Managing Multi-Location Businesses

For brands with multiple outlets—like senior living facilities or apartment communities—reputation must be managed both centrally and locally. Even a few negative reviews at one location can impact the entire brand’s perception; therefore, each location needs customized monitoring, responses, and reputation-building efforts Search Engine Land.

8. Foundations Still Matter—but Now with a Sentiment Layer

While search is evolving, core local SEO strategies remain vital. But now, customer sentiment—how people feel about your brand—is the deciding factor in how it appears both organically and in AI-driven search. Brands must:

• Regularly assess how AI tools represent their business (e.g., AI Overviews, People Also Ask, video or social content pull-ins)

• Stay nimble and adapt to dynamic search features

• Focus efforts where they have the most impact—not by reinventing strategy, but by reinforcing what’s already working with a reputation-first mindset Search Engine Land.

TL;DR Summary

• AI-powered search is reshaping local visibility—reviews and sentiment now influence not only rankings but the content of response summaries.

• Google emphasizes reviews as a ranking factor under Prominence.

• Businesses must actively request reviews, respond promptly, and monitor sentiment across platforms.

• Multi-location brands need tailored reputation strategies for each site.

• Core local SEO remains critical—but now needs to be enhanced with a strong sentiment and review strategy.