Local Marketing Beat: AI Search, GEO & Multi-Location Marketing

In this episode, Christian Hustle sits down with Gwen Sioson from ActiveCampaign to unpack autonomous marketing, agentic AI and how to develop cross-channel campaigns that drive real revenue. We also explore how UB-I (Uberall’s AI agent) accelerates local discovery, engagement, and conversion for multi-location brands.

📍 Chapters:

00:00 Unlocking AI-driven growth

02:36 What “autonomous marketing” means at ActiveCampaign

06:01 Imagine → Activate → Validate framework

08:39 How UBI + Active Intelligence work together

11:54 Local engagement that turns visits into revenue

14:21 Pro tips: offers, forms, and smart expiration dates

19:09 Unified data and the HQ control center

23:35 Key takeaways and next steps

🔑 Key Takeaways:

– Autonomous marketing shortens time-to-value

– Data integration is essential for accurate targeting and measurement

– Simple tactics like limited-time offers lift conversion

– AI agents create and schedule campaigns, then learn from results

💡 Learn more:

Get LPO Certified at Uberall Academy: https://academy.uberall.com/

Discover Location Performance Optimization: https://get.uberall.com/location-performance-optimization/

Meet UB-I: https://get.uberall.com/ub-i/

Learn more about ActiveCampaign: https://www.activecampaign.com/

Mastering Google Business Profiles & Local Visibility in the AI Era

In this episode of Local Marketing Beat, Christian Hustle sits down with Joy Hawkins, founder of Sterling Sky and one of the most respected voices in local SEO. Together, they discuss in detail what it takes to master Google Business Profiles (GBP) and stay visible in an AI-driven search landscape.

You’ll learn:

✅ The top 3 GBP factors that drive rankings and conversions

✅ Why reviews, hours, and even your business name matter more than you think

✅ How AI search engines like ChatGPT are changing local discovery

✅ The hidden role of Reddit, awards, and niche content in shaping visibility

✅ Myths and mistakes multi-location brands make—and how to avoid them

From practical GBP optimization tips to future-facing AI predictions, Joy shares proven strategies that agencies, SMBs, and enterprise brands can put into action today.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction & Joy Hawkins’ background

01:28 The shift from Google to AI-driven search

03:02 Engagement tactics: calls, texts, and conversions

04:57 Early results from ChatGPT for local businesses

06:33 How reviews appear in AI Overviews

07:41 Reddit’s growing role in reputation & visibility

08:54 Conversion trends from AI vs Google leads

10:20 Why awards and niche content influence AI rankings

11:41 Balancing informational vs “money” content

11:49 Top 3 factors for GBP rankings (name, hours, reviews)

14:51 Overlooked GBP elements like services

15:36 Data consistency, citations & AI quirks

17:13 Could AI create a GBP competitor?

18:50 Future of local discovery: calls, products, and bookings

19:27 Tracking ROI across Google & AI engines

21:13 The challenge of forecasting AI-driven leads

21:59 Myths & misunderstood tactics (photos, industries)

23:18 Visual industries and the power of photos

24:25 Biggest opportunity now: managing reputation on Reddit

25:50 Where to learn more: Sterling Sky resources & newsletter

🔗 Learn more and level up with Uberall Academy: https://academy.uberall.com

🔗 Discover Location Performance Optimization (LPO): https://get.uberall.com/location-performance-optimization/

🔗 Sterling Sky:

https://sterlingsky.ca

#LocalMarketing #GoogleBusinessProfile #LocalSEO #AIsearch #SterlingSky #Uberall

In this episode of Local Marketing Beat, Christian Hustle sits down with Luma Ghazaleh, Technical Product Manager at Uberall, to unpack how AI search is transforming SEO into Generative Engine Optimization (GEO).

Luma explains why AI now acts as a librarian — summarizing, recommending, and citing content — and what this shift means for multi-location brands. They dive into the role of local pages, schema markup, digital footprints and share a real-world case study where GEO optimization delivered double-digit growth in calls and engagement within just 45 days.

🔑 Key Takeaways:

- GEO is the new frontier for AI-driven visibility

- SEO remains foundational but must evolve

- Local pages and schema markup are essential for multi-location brands

- High-quality, descriptive content trains AI to recommend your brand

- The future of search will prioritize authority and helpfulness

📍 Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to AI Search and GEO

01:29 Transition from SEO to GEO

05:58 Understanding GEO vs SEO

09:05 Common Misconceptions in AI and GEO

11:00 The Importance of Content in AI Search

13:33 Key Platforms for Local Business Optimization

15:32 Role of Locator and Local Pages

17:24 Technical Aspects of Multi-Location Brands

20:22 Case Study: GEO Optimization Success

24:00 Tracking AI Impact on Business

26:03 Recommendations for Multi-Location Brands

28:12 Future of AI Search and Marketing Strategies

💡 Learn more:

Get LPO Certified at Uberall Academy: https://academy.uberall.com/

Discover Location Performance Optimization: https://get.uberall.com/location-performance-optimization/

Luma's latest articles:

Why E-E-A-T Is Going to Become More Powerful in AI Search: https://uberall.com/en-us/resources/blog/why-e-e-a-t-is-critical

Can You Influence How Your Business Gets Found in ChatGPT and Other LLMs?

https://uberall.com/en-us/resources/blog/how-to-leverage-chatgpt-to-improve-your-visibility

Connect with Luma on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/luma-abu-ghazaleh-147a8a8/

In this episode of Local Marketing Beat, Christian Hustle speaks with Chris Todd, CEO of CallTrackingMetrics, about how call intelligence is reshaping local marketing.

Chris explains how businesses can unlock hidden customer insights from calls, connect offline conversations with online journeys, and use that intelligence to drive smarter marketing decisions. From attribution and personalization to AI-powered analytics, he shows how brands can turn every customer call into actionable data.

They dive into the impact of AI on call tracking, how to balance automation with the human touch, and why measuring “what really converts” is the key to maximizing ROI in a multi-location world.

🎥 Watch the UB-I Video

https://youtu.be/DH4tSiIlXpw?si=CF8Orj5unRvxYeW

🔗 Learn More and Level Up with Uberall Academy

https://academy.uberall.com

🔗 Discover What’s Driving Consumers’ Local Choices

https://get.uberall.com/consumer-report/?utm\_source=youtube\&utm\_medium=social\&utm\_campaign=all-cc-ent-st-2025-consumer-report\&utm\_content=en

🔗 Discover Location Performance Optimization

https://get.uberall.com/location-performance-optimization/

⏱ Timestamps

00:00 – Intro

01:12 – Why Call Tracking Still Matters in a Digital-First World

03:45 – Turning Conversations into Data-Driven Insights

06:21 – Connecting Offline and Online Journeys

09:18 – How AI Is Changing Call Intelligence

12:42 – Attribution: What Really Drives Conversions

15:33 – Balancing Automation with Human Connection

18:05 – Multi-Location Challenges and Opportunities

20:17 – Final Advice: Make Every Call Count

🏢 Follow Uberall on LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/company/get-uberall/

👤 Connect with Chris on LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/christodd09/

🎙️ Connect with Christian on LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianarriola/

Learn more about CallTrackingMetrics:

https://www.calltrackingmetrics.com/

Visit us at: https://www.uberall.com

#calltracking #localmarketing #locationmarketing #LPO #attribution #AI #digitalpresence

In this episode of Local Marketing Beat, Uberall's Christian Hustle sits down with Celeste Gonzalez, Director of SEO Testing at RicketyRoo, to explore how AI search is reshaping local SEO and the customer journey.

Celeste brings a fresh Gen Z perspective on instant gratification in search, TikTok and Instagram’s role in discovery, and what AI-driven results mean for local businesses. She breaks down why oversharing details is now critical, how “know before you go” insights can make or break conversions, and why SEOs must become the glue between teams in the AI era.

From practical tips on making your business AI-ready to insights into how younger generations are using social platforms as search engines, this episode is packed with strategies for staying visible in a fast-changing landscape.

🎥 Watch More Local Marketing Beat Episodes

https://www.youtube.com/@Uberall

🔗 Discover What’s Driving Consumers’ Local Choices

https://get.uberall.com/consumer-report/

🔗 Discover Location Performance Optimization

https://get.uberall.com/location-performance-optimization/

⏱ Timestamps

00:00 – Intro

01:23 – The Future of Local Search in the Age of AI

03:10 – Why Consumers Expect Instant, Personalized Results

05:21 – Strategies for Being Visible in AI Search

07:45 – Who’s Really Using AI Search (and Who Isn’t Yet)

09:15 – TikTok, Instagram & the Rise of Visual AI Search

12:21 – How AI and Social Search Are Changing the Consumer Journey

13:33 – From Search to Conversion: Closing the Gap

15:42 – “Know Before You Go” and Why Small Details Matter

17:31 – Where to Share Business Info: Website vs Social

20:01 – Why SEOs Must Become the Glue Across Teams

21:21 – Key Takeaway: Embrace Information Overload

🏢 Follow Uberall on LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/company/get-uberall/

👤 Connect with Celeste on LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/celestelili/

🎙️ Connect with Christian on LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianarriola/

Visit us at: https://www.uberall.com

#localseo #aisearch #localmarketing #locationmarketing #digitalpresence #tiktokseo #lpo

In this episode of Local Marketing Beat, Christian Hustle sits down with Ana Martinez, CTO at Uberall, to explore how brands can move beyond static automation into the era of agentic AI and dynamic orchestration.

Ana shares her vision for AI as a “teammate” that can reason, plan, and act toward business goals, and explains how this shift will transform multi-location marketing. From embedding autonomous intelligence across workflows to maintaining human oversight and brand trust, she reveals how Uberall’s UB-I is setting the standard for the AI-native marketing platform.

They dive into real-world use cases, the technical challenges of building guardrails for AI, and why brands that adopt early will have an unbeatable head start. The conversation also covers the future of AI search, the evolving customer journey, and how marketers can use agentic AI to scale without chaos.

🎥 Watch the UB-I Video

https://youtu.be/DH4tSiIlXpw?si=CF8Orj5unRvxYeW

🔗 Learn More and Level Up with Uberall Academy

https://academy.uberall.com

🔗 Discover What’s Driving Consumers’ Local Choices

https://get.uberall.com/consumer-report/?utm\_source=youtube\&utm\_medium=social\&utm\_campaign=all-cc-ent-st-2025-consumer-report\&utm\_content=en

🔗 Discover Location Performance Optimization

https://get.uberall.com/location-performance-optimization/

⏱ Timestamps

00:00 – Intro

01:15 – From Automation to Agentic AI

02:58 – AI as a Teammate, Not a Task Runner

05:26 – Why Agentic Beats Traditional Automation

07:12 – From Agentic AI to Orchestration

08:24 – Inside Uberall’s UB-I and the Swarm of Agents

10:24 – Surprising Use Cases from Early Adopters

12:18 – Building Guardrails and Staying On Brand

14:27 – Business Impact: Speed, Scale & Consistency

15:39 – The Future of AI Search and the Death of the Search Box

18:51 – Two Axes of AI Transformation for Marketers

20:26 – Final Advice: Lead the AI Shift, Do Not Follow

🏢 Follow Uberall on LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/company/get-uberall/

👤 Connect with Ana on LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/anamartineznassi/

🎙️ Connect with Christian on LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianarriola/

#AgenticAI #localmarketing #locationmarketing #LPO #AIsearch #marketingautomation #aitools #digitalpresence

Visit us at: https://www.uberall.com

In this episode of Local Marketing Beat, Christian Hustle chats with Sarah Cucchiara, VP of Client Success at Tiger Pistol, about how to make hyperlocal social advertising a high-ROI growth channel.

Sarah shares her proven playbook for turning small local ad budgets into one of the top-performing marketing channels for franchises, multi-location brands, and SMBs. She explains why blending national awareness with local personalization drives both conversions and brand loyalty and how to avoid the common pitfalls that cause campaigns to flop.

They discuss:

* What defines a hyperlocal social ad and why it outperforms generic campaigns

* How to balance brand control with local customization (without letting franchisees go rogue)

* Media strategies for small budgets that still deliver strong ROI

* AI’s role in targeting, creative production, and the future of social advertising

* The keys to getting buy-in from local owners and increasing participation rates

From actionable tips to future-proof insights, this conversation is a must-watch for marketers looking to nail local social ads and drive measurable revenue.

🔗 Learn More and Level Up with Uberall Academy:

📚 https://academy.uberall.com

🔗 Discover What's Driving Consumers' Local Choices:

💡 https://get.uberall.com/consumer-report/

🔗 Discover Location Performance Optimization:

📍https://get.uberall.com/location-performance-optimization/

⏱ Timestamps

00:00 – Intro

01:14 – Sarah’s Role at Tiger Pistol

04:30 – What Makes an Ad “Hyperlocal”

06:51 – National Awareness vs. Local ROI

10:19 – Why Meta Rewards Local Ads

12:43 – Pitfalls to Avoid in Local Advertising

15:53 – Success Factors for Small Budgets

20:35 – AI’s Growing Role in Local Social Ads

23:56 – How to Connect with Sarah and Tiger Pistol

🏢 Follow Uberall on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mycompany/get-uberall/

👤 Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahcucchiara/

🎙️ Connect with Christian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianarriola/

#localadvertising #socialads #hyperlocalmarketing #digitalmarketing #franchisegrowth #aiads #locationmarketing #localroi

Visit us at: https://www.uberall.com

In this episode of Local Marketing Beat, Christian Hustle chats with Partho Ghosh, VP of Product at Uberall, about how brands can prepare for the new age of AI-driven search. From optimizing structured data to navigating trust in generative AI results, Partho shares practical insights on what marketers must do now to stay visible and competitive.

They explore AI discoverability trends, the shifting local customer journey, and how Uberall's own AI assistant, Ubi, is designed to simplify and supercharge local marketing. The conversation also explores the LPO (Location Performance Optimization) framework, the role of emerging platforms like Bing and Reddit, and the future of search behavior.

🔗 Learn More and Level Up with Uberall Academy:

🔗 Discover What's Driving Consumers' Local Choices:

🔗 Discover Location Performance Optimization:

⏱ Timestamps

🏢 Follow Uberall on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/get-uberall/

#aisearch  #localmarketing  #locationmarketing  #lpo  #seo  #structureddata  #aitools  #digitalpresence  

Visit us at: https://www.uberall.com

In this episode of Local Marketing Beat, host Christian Hustle is joined by Greg Sterling — analyst and co-founder of Near Media — to unpack the rapidly evolving relationship between AI and search. They dive deep into how tools like ChatGPT are reshaping the consumer journey, what recent consumer behavior data reveals, and how brands can prepare for the next wave of local marketing disruption.

▶️ From Google's AI Overviews to ChatGPT's growing role in discovery, this conversation offers a strategic look at future trends in AI for local marketing.

Whether you're a multi-location brand, franchise marketer, or digital strategist, this episode offers actionable insights on building brand awareness, adapting to consumer expectations, and navigating the blurred lines between search and AI.

🔑 What You’ll Learn:

Why AI is transforming how consumers search and make decisions

How Google is adapting to the rise of conversational AI

Why local search is still a Google stronghold (for now)

The importance of multi-channel visibility beyond Google

How brands can stay competitive in an AI-driven landscape

⏱ Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction & Welcome to Greg Sterling

Christian sets the stage for a deep dive into AI, search, and consumer behavior.

01:47 – The Evolution of AI and Search

Greg reflects on how AI tools have disrupted Google’s dominance and changed user expectations.

02:54 – Consumer Behavior Insights from Recent Research

What Greg’s surveys reveal about how U.S. consumers are using AI vs. Google.

06:13 – Why AI Isn’t Winning Local Search (Yet)

Consumers try local search with AI — but often go back to Google.

07:26 – The Spectrum of AI and Search Usage

AI and Google aren't mutually exclusive: consumers are blending tools based on their needs.

10:11 – Product Research, Comparison & AI Efficiency

How AI is better suited for product research and general queries — with real-world examples.

13:27 – The Role of Agents and Transactional AI

Could AI eventually replace the entire research-to-purchase flow?

15:24 – How Brands Can Prepare for AI-Driven Discovery

Why brand strength and multi-channel visibility are more important than ever.

19:21 – The Growing Importance of Non-Google Platforms

From Yelp to TripAdvisor and TikTok — AI is pulling data from everywhere.

23:31 – Short-Form Video & Content Consumption Shifts

How TikTok and Shorts are driving top-of-funnel discovery — and what that means for brands.

25:00 – Speculating on the Next 24 Months

Greg’s informed predictions on where AI and digital discovery are heading.

27:12 – The Risk of Content Being Bypassed by AI

How AI layers might obscure your brand — and what marketers need to understand.

30:44 – Final Thoughts & Where to Find Greg Online

Christian wraps the conversation and Greg shares how to follow his work at Near Media and Dialogue.

📌 Key Sound Bites:

"AI is changing the consumer journey."

"People really like AI and ChatGPT."

"Local search was way down at the bottom."

🔗 Learn More and Level Up with Uberall Academy:

📚 https://academy.uberall.com

🔗 Discover What's Driving Consumers' Local Choices:

💡 https://get.uberall.com/consumer-report/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=all-cc-ent-st-2025-consumer-report&utm_content=en

🏢 Follow Uberall on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/get-uberall/

👤 Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregsterling/

🎙️ Connect with Christian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianarriola/

#ai #localmarketing #searchtrends #consumerbehavior #digitalmarketing #localseo #localsearch

Visit us at: uberall.com

In this episode of Local Marketing Beat, Christian Hustle discusses the evolution of local search visibility with Google experts Lisa Landsman and Ashley Do. They explore how AI is transforming search behavior, the importance of maintaining an accurate Google Business Profile, and strategies for engaging customers effectively. The conversation also covers common mistakes businesses make, how to manage multiple locations, and actionable tips for improving visibility in local search.

🔗 Learn More and Level Up with Uberall Academy:

📚 https://academy.uberall.com

🔗 Discover What's Driving Consumers' Local Choices:

💡 https://get.uberall.com/consumer-report/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=all-cc-ent-st-2025-consumer-report&utm_content=en

⏱ Timestamps

00:00 – The Evolution of Local Search and AI

05:53 – Understanding Google Business Profile Optimization

11:32 – Common Mistakes in Local Search Visibility

16:46 – Engagement Strategies for Local Businesses

22:36 – Measuring Success in Local Search

28:22 – Actionable Tips for Improving Visibility

🏢 Follow Uberall on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/get-uberall/

👤 Connect with Ashley on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleynhiendo/

👤 Connect with Lisa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-landsman-6076312/

🎙️ Connect with Christian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianarriola/

#seo #aisearch #marketing #googlebusinessprofile #google #locationmarketing

Visit us at: uberall.com