Imagine a customer from Redłowo who, one evening, asks the assistant on her phone: “Find me a good physiotherapist in Gdynia who sees patients after 5 pm and has good reviews”. A few years ago, she would have typed “physiotherapist Gdynia” and looked through the map. Today, she increasingly gets a ready-made answer with two or three suggestions.

For local businesses, this is a huge change. In the classic results, you fought for a place in the top three on the map. In an AI answer, you can be mentioned by name – or not appear at all. Below, we explain what determines this choice and how to prepare for it.

How does AI know which local business to recommend?

For local queries, AI assistants rely on the information they find online, and above all on:

• business listings – in the case of Google, this is the Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business),
• customer reviews and ratings,
• the business website – descriptions of services, prices, opening hours, service area,
• directories, local portals and articles in which the business is mentioned.

The more consistent and specific the information, the easier it is for the system to conclude that your business matches the user’s question.

Step 1. Google Business Profile as the foundation

At Google, it is the Business Profile that is the primary source of data about local businesses – both for the map and for AI features. Take care of:

• an accurate primary category and additional categories,
• a full description of your business, including who you help and where,
• a list of services with short descriptions,
• up-to-date opening hours – including holiday hours,
• a service area, if you travel to customers (e.g. Gdynia, Gdańsk, Sopot, Rumia, Reda),
• real photos – of the premises, the team, completed projects,
• regular posts – news, tips, seasonal offers.

You will find a detailed guide in the article how to optimise your Google Business Profile.

Step 2. Reviews that “speak” about your offer

An AI assistant looking for a “physiotherapist who sees patients after 5 pm” will find it easier to match a business when customers mention opening hours, types of treatment or the district in their reviews. You cannot write reviews on behalf of customers or reward them for reviews, but you can:

• regularly ask satisfied customers for a review – ideally with a direct link,
• encourage them to describe what exactly you helped them with,
• reply to every review – factually and politely, including critical ones.

Step 3. A website that answers local questions

Your website should clearly answer the questions that customers ask assistants:

• Where do you operate? – city, districts, travel area.
• When are you available? – hours, dates, lead times.
• How much does it cost? – price list or pricing rules.
• What makes you different? – specialisation, experience, completed projects.
• How can customers get in touch? – phone, form, directions.

Avoid duplicating the same content on many subpages with only the city name changed. It is better to describe your real activity in each place – just as we do on our Gdynia, Gdańsk and Sopot pages.

Step 4. Consistent data across the web

Name, address and phone number (so-called NAP) must be identical on the website, in the Business Profile, on Facebook, Instagram and in business directories. If you have changed your brand name or address, check whether the old data has remained online – an AI assistant may come across exactly that.

Step 5. Presence in local sources

Mentions on Tricity portals, in local directories, on partners’ websites or in event reports show that the business is an active part of the local community. For AI systems, this is additional confirmation that you are worth recommending. You will find ideas for local links in the article link building in the Tricity.

Step 6. Regularly check what AI says about you

Once a month, ask AI assistants a few questions that your customer might ask, and note whether your business appears and whether the information is correct. We describe how to do this and which data to check in Search Console and Google Analytics in the article how to measure visibility in AI.

Example: a restaurant in the Tricity

A guest planning dinner asks: “Where in Gdańsk can I eat good fish near the Motława?”. A restaurant has a chance of being recommended if it:

• has a category related to fish and seafood in its Business Profile,
• has reviews in which guests mention specific dishes,
• answers local questions on its website – e.g. with subpages along the lines of “where to eat fish in Gdańsk”.

This is exactly how we built the visibility of the Targ Rybny Gdańsk restaurant, which ranks number 1 for the phrase “fish restaurant Gdańsk”. More tips for the industry: SEO for restaurants.

Frequently asked questions

Does a small business stand a chance in AI answers?

Yes. For local queries, what counts is relevance to the need and credibility, not the size of the business. A well-completed Business Profile and reviews are often enough to overtake larger competitors with poorer data.

Is it still worth looking after classic local SEO?

Definitely. Google Maps is still one of the main places where customers choose local businesses, and good SEO foundations also increase the chance of being recommended by AI. See our guide local SEO in Gdynia.

Where should you start?

By checking your Business Profile and website: whether the data is complete and consistent and answers customers’ questions. We will do this as part of a free SEO audit.

Summary

Artificial intelligence is not taking customers away from local businesses – it is only changing the route by which customers reach them. The winners are businesses with a complete Business Profile, good reviews, a to-the-point website and consistent data online. If you operate in the Tricity and want to be recommended both in Google Maps and in AI answers, see how we work in Gdynia, Rumia, Reda and Wejherowo.