The Increasing Importance of Local Search | Greg Gifford
Welcome to another episode of The Search Session, where we dive deep into the ever-evolving world of search marketing. I'm your host, Gianluca Fiorelli, and today we have an incredibly special guest—someone who proudly wears the title of local SEO nerd: Greg Gifford!
If you’re in the SEO space, you already know Greg—not just for his expertise in local search but also for his passion for all things movies, especially sci-fi and horror. As we chat, we’ll explore the latest trends in local search, AI’s growing impact, and how local businesses, both SMBs or enterprises, can take advantage of it.
Expect insights, practical takeaways, and, of course, some fun movie talk along the way! So, whether you're tuning in during your morning coffee or unwinding after a long day, sit back and enjoy this fantastic conversation with Greg Gifford on The Search Session!
Let’s get started!
Video Chapters
Transcript
Gianluca Fiorelli: Hi everyone! Good morning, good afternoon, good evening—whenever you’re listening or watching this episode of Search Session.
Meet the Local SEO Nerd: Greg Gifford
Gianluca Fiorelli: Today, we have a fantastic guest: Greg Gifford, who proudly calls himself the local SEO nerd on LinkedIn.
Now, judging by his background, I’d say Greg’s nerdiness extends beyond just SEO—though, of course, local SEO is exciting! But like me, Greg has a deep love for movies, especially sci-fi and horror.
Welcome, Greg, to The Search Session! How are you doing?
Greg Gifford: I am wonderful, my friend. How are you?
Gianluca Fiorelli: I'm fine, really. It's the end of the day for me at the time we're recording this episode, and I'm happy to wrap it up with you. So—you’re the COO, which I like as an acronym. That’s what you call it in the U.S., right? Chief Operating… something? Oh, Chief Operating Officer—that sounds really important, and I’m sure it is! You’re the COO of Search Lab advertising agency.
Greg Gifford: Do you not have the COO role in Europe?
Gianluca Fiorelli: No, yeah, yeah—I get what you’re saying. We have these standard definitions, but we also have, you know, the localization of a name. Sure, we have titles like CTO, CMO, CEO—but sometimes, there are so many CEOs or similar titles that I completely lose track. I think part of it is that I’ve been doing solo consulting for 20 years now, so when I interact with clients, my main points of contact are usually people in those roles.
As for localization—yeah, it's a solid definition. But maybe "local search" is a better term? Because for some, "localization" might feel a bit limiting.
Right now, as we’ve talked about before, we’re in a transitional phase—a crisis, in the original sense of the word, meaning a passage. We’re shifting from classic search behaviors and environments to what will probably become a whole new way of thinking about and conducting search. But to me, it doesn’t feel entirely new. It actually reminds me of the very early days of the web—when we had more hair, fewer wrinkles, and were truly surfing the internet. Back then, searching meant moving from one place to another, not just sticking to a single search engine, which has basically become synonymous with Google.
Is Local Search Still Untouched by AI, or Have We Just Not Noticed?
Gianluca Fiorelli: But here’s the thing—aside from some initial experiments, like what Chat GPT is doing, it feels like local search is still somewhat untouched by the AI frenzy. Or am I wrong?
Greg Gifford: If we’re going to generalize, yes, I would say local search is still kind of protected from the all AI Overviews and AI search, but it’s starting to creep in, we’re starting to get elements of it and I think it’s pretty likely we’re going to see it be more prevalent soon. The problem, as you know, is that LLMs tend to hallucinate information.
When people have local search intent, they’re looking for a nearby place that sells the product or service they need. But when LLMs hallucinate, they can generate locations that don’t actually exist—which is a huge issue.
Once they figure out how to make it more reliable, I think we’ll see wider adoption. But right now, it’s just too unreliable. You’re not just looking for a piece of information; you’re looking for a real, physical business—a store, a plumber, an electrician—someone who can actually provide a service in your area.
For now, the problem is still somewhat isolated, but I don’t think that will last long.
How Younger Generations are Changing Search Habits
Gianluca Fiorelli: Yes, I can see that. But where do you think AI will start making its way in—maybe through the back door? Like, if we're using the ROC system, does that mean LLMs are already playing a role?
Greg Gifford: Companies are already integrating LLM technology into their platforms. For example, they’re offering AI-generated business descriptions instead of requiring you to write one yourself. The AI will scan your website, pull relevant details, and generate a description based on your categories and other data. They’re also rolling out AI-generated review replies—which, honestly, feels a little silly to me—but it’s another sign that these features are becoming more common.
I think part of this is about refining the model to be more accurate. But for those of us who have been in search marketing for a while—like you and me—Google is still our default. That’s partly because we’re from a generation where Google was ingrained in our online habits. But it’s also because, in our line of work, we rely heavily on search engines.
That said, user behavior has already shifted, especially among younger generations. People don’t just type something into Google and immediately make a purchase. They’re taking a multi-touch approach—checking social media, watching YouTube and TikTok videos, reading Reddit threads, and exploring industry-specific forums.
For years, people have talked about shifting from "search engine optimization" to "search experience optimization," and we’re already there. Assuming that Google is still the sole gateway to discovery is a mistake in today’s landscape. Businesses need to anticipate where their customers are looking for information and ensure they’re visible in those spaces.
Gianluca Fiorelli: Yes, it’s really about the search journey. I remember Google itself telling us a few summers ago that they had data showing the younger generation tends to use TikTok or Instagram when searching for places like restaurants. So, if Google itself was admitting this, it’s clear this is what’s happening.
And both of us have kids—yours are younger than mine—but we see every day how they search for things on Google. And, honestly, there are entire environments where nobody is really talking about private chat systems like Discord, which are actually a major tool for finding information among Gen Alpha and Gen Z.
So, yes, I totally agree with you. It’s really important for all of us to understand that the search journey isn’t just happening on Google anymore. And even when it is, it’s within Google’s broader ecosystem—like Google Search and YouTube, which is basically Google.
We can also say that people aren’t always searching for a specific place to buy something locally. Instead, they’re looking for recommendations—things like listicle-style articles, which are a great type of content where local businesses can be mentioned, cited, and even surfaced in LLMs.
Greg Gifford: Well, it makes sense because an LLM lets you search in a much more natural, conversational way than Google does.
For example, let’s say I want to find a brunch spot within a certain price range—one that has a patio, availability, takes reservations (so I’m guaranteed a table), and is also dog-friendly so I can bring my dog with me. That kind of search would be incredibly difficult to phrase as a Google query. Even if I typed out a long, detailed search, Google would likely just give me a generic list of brunch places with patios in my area. It wouldn’t go as far as filtering out places that accept reservations and allow dogs.
But with an LLM, I could simply say, “I’m looking for a brunch spot that fits these criteria,” and it would generate a response tailored to exactly what I asked. Now, is it always 100% accurate? Who knows, but at least it aligns with how people naturally think and talk.
For years, we’ve been trained to search in a rigid, keyword-based way—“brunch spots [city]” or “dog-friendly patio restaurant.” But that’s not how we actually speak. It’s no surprise that people are drawn to LLM-style searching because it mimics real conversation.
And honestly, the sci-fi nerd in me loves it—it feels a little like Star Trek...
Gianluca Fiorelli: Yeah, I was going to say the same
Greg Gifford: You know, now it's like you can just say out loud, "Here’s what I want," and it’ll give you the information—or display it on a screen if you need to see a list of options.
Meanwhile, search marketers are freaking out, going, "Oh my gosh, what’s going to happen with Google?" But I think they’re missing the bigger picture. There’s still going to be a need for what we do—it just won’t be about optimizing purely for Google. Instead, it’ll be about making sure customers can find us wherever they’re searching.
Will Google’s AI Mode Mark the True Beginning of AI-Powered Search
Gianluca Fiorelli: Totally! I'm just sticking with Google’s approach here. Don't you think that maybe the AI model Google is testing is still in its early stages? Right now, it’s just AI Overviews—nothing more.
But considering what Google showed us last year at Google I/O, where they introduced a highly conversational search experience with multimodal elements and heavy AI integration, I feel like that’s the direction they want to go. The thing is, they’re not quite there yet.
Maybe they’re using this as a first step to test AI-driven search. Don’t you think this could be Google’s move toward a fully conversational search experience?
Greg Gifford: They’ve been trying to move in this direction for years—ever since the Hummingbird update. The goal has always been to make natural language work better in search. And like you said, they want to get there, but they just haven’t quite nailed it yet.
Maybe it’s a technology issue. Maybe large language models (LLMs) just aren’t at the level where they can be fully reliable. Who knows? But one thing’s clear: anyone clinging to the idea that Google will always stay the same—insisting, “This is what I do, and it’s not going away. AI is just a fad. People aren’t even using it”—is in for a wake-up call.
Just yesterday, I saw a whole conversation on LinkedIn about this. People were talking about LLM adoption, saying things like, “ChatGPT only accounts for 0.0002% of search volume, and every other LLM is so small it’s barely even measurable.” Sure, that number sounds tiny. But considering that this technology only became widely available about a year ago, that’s still pretty remarkable growth.
And let’s be real—this is just the beginning. AI is improving fast. Once it gets really good, why would anyone want to go back to searching the old way?
Gianluca Fiorelli: Yeah, yeah—actually, after talking with some friends about this, we pretty much agreed that the real game-changer might be when Google is bold enough to make AI mode the default in the Google app—at least on Android.
I mean, once that happens, it could take over the market pretty quickly. Google already dominates search, so flipping the switch and getting people used to AI-driven interaction would be a natural next step. Kind of like when the iPhone first came out—people got familiar with the idea of smartphones, and then Android followed, offering a cheaper, competitive alternative while still capturing the "cool" factor. Maybe this is that moment for AI.
Greg Gifford: Yeah, we should, but we don’t know when it’s coming. Like you said a minute ago, I think Google realizes it’s not quite there yet. It’s definitely better than when they first rolled out the AI Overview stuff—you know, back when it was telling people to put glue on pizza.
Gianluca Fiorelli: Yes.
Greg Gifford: Some of the stuff Lilly found was just completely ridiculous. This isn't that bad—it’s much better—but it’s still not quite there yet. And I think that’s why they haven’t fully switched to AI yet. They understand that even the average person, someone who isn’t deep into search or playing with LLMs all the time, can tell that AI isn’t 100% reliable.
I think once it reaches that level, that’s when they’ll flip the switch. And just look at how fast it’s evolving. You mess around with Midjourney a lot—compare its first version to what it can do now. Same with DALL·E and all the other AI-powered image tools. Even Photoshop’s AI fill—when it first launched, it was impressive but rough. I was using it yesterday, and it’s dramatically better now. Everything is improving at an insane pace.
And now, you’ve got top engineers figuring out how to make AI run more efficiently, reducing the need for massive resources. That means things will only get faster. And with quantum chips entering the picture, capable of processing calculations at a whole new level, AI is about to take another huge leap forward.
Honestly, we’re on the brink of some serious sci-fi stuff—like Star Trek-level advancements. I wouldn’t be surprised if we have humanoid robots in our homes within our lifetime. It’s going to be incredible.
Local Search for Enterprise. What are the challenges?
Gianluca Fiorelli: Well, it’s also kind of weird for me—especially in Europe—when you think about how much smaller houses are compared to other places. That makes having a robot living with you even more of a headache! Jokes aside, let’s go back for a moment to local search.
We usually think of local search in relation to small and medium-sized businesses, but not many people talk about how it applies to enterprises.
For example, I live in Spain, and we all know that one of the biggest Spanish brands is Zara. With stores all over the world, Zara relies heavily on local search to manage its presence effectively. Large companies like this have complex needs, just like the automotive industry, where you've worked for many years.
How can AI help streamline this aspect of the work—especially when it comes to quality control or monitoring—making it less mechanical, less complicated, and more efficient than before?
Greg Gifford: Managing local SEO can be time-consuming because there’s a lot to think about. When dealing with a small business with a single location, it’s all about the economy of scale—you have to focus on content, technical SEO, link-building, site architecture, Google Business Profile optimization, customer reviews, citations, and more. Every element plays a role.
But when you're working with an enterprise business that has hundreds or thousands of locations, the approach shifts. It’s no longer about optimizing every single factor individually. Instead, small but strategic adjustments can drive massive results. For example, just optimizing Google Business Profiles consistently across all locations can have a huge impact. Something as simple as updating business categories—which might make a minor difference for a single-location business—can be game-changing for an enterprise brand with thousands of locations.
For enterprise SEO professionals, the focus shifts from the usual content strategy, site architecture, and technical SEO to the multi-location aspect. That means managing Google Business Profiles for all locations, creating location pages on the website, and potentially building out location-specific blog content.
The challenge? Efficiency. Let's say you're working with a business like Zara that has 500 locations across Spain (just as an example). Beyond Google Business Profile optimization, you also have to manage 500 location pages on the website. That means creating 500 unique title tags, 500 H1 headings, and 500 meta descriptions. Sure, you can follow a formula, but at the end of the day, someone still has to manually write and refine each one.
And yes, those elements definitely matter—especially at scale. But consider this: if you’re spending two minutes per page writing a title tag, H1, and meta description, that adds up to 1,000 minutes for 500 pages—a ridiculous amount of time!
Or you can go into your LLM of choice—let's just say ChatGPT, since that's what most people mean when they talk about LLMs. These days, you can go to ChatGPT and say, "Here's the format for my title tag. I need one for each of these 500 locations. Follow the same format." Boom—it generates them instantly.
Now, all you're doing is copying and pasting. Same with meta descriptions—boom, 500 variations, done. What used to take hours (or even a thousand minutes, you get the idea) now takes seconds.
There’s a lot of opportunity here. So many people are trying to figure out how to make LLMs do SEO for them. They’re using prompts like, “Imagine you're a skilled local SEO professional analyzing this website,”—you know, stuff like that. It’s kind of silly.
But when it comes to automation, LLMs are incredible at pattern detection. So, why not lean into that? If you have a consistent structure for your title tags, automate them. Boom. Same with meta descriptions—just generate them all at once. Sure, meta descriptions matter for click-through rates, but in the bigger picture?
Your time is better spent on things you can’t just automate with an LLM and still get great results.
Gianluca Fiorelli: For example, when it comes to meta descriptions, you can always improve your prompt. We’re just setting the context here—your brand documentation. So, you could say to the AI: Following the guidelines of the brand Bible I uploaded, create these meta descriptions according to these rules.
Greg Gifford: Yeah, exactly.
Gianluca Fiorelli: They'll reflect both your tone of voice and the brand's personality, so it will feel natural and on-brand—nothing off or unusual.
AI Levels the Playing Field, Helping Small Brands
Greg Gifford: Yeah, I think that’s a huge opportunity. Now that we have these LLMs and specialized sub-models that can handle coding, we’re seeing more people creating their own tools. You no longer need to dedicate developer resources upfront—maybe just for final cleanup—but you can get a working prototype just by having the LLMs code it for you.
For example, Darren Shaw recently built a really cool tool based on the concept of "freshness," which Ross Hudgens introduced. The idea is that if you analyze the top-ranking content for a given keyword, you’ll often find that fresher content tends to rank higher. By looking at the entire set of results, you can determine how frequently you need to publish content to stay competitive.
Darren took this concept further by applying it at a local level. Say you're searching for something like "best PC near me". His tool analyzes how often new content is needed in the local market to rank for that term. It’s a really smart implementation. Could you do this manually? Sure. You could scrape data, pull it into a spreadsheet, and analyze it yourself. But instead, Darren quickly built a free tool using AI, and now anyone can just input their keyword, hit a button, and get an answer—like, "You need to publish new content every two weeks to stay relevant for this phrase."
Before, building a tool like that would have required significant developer resources and coordination. Now, with AI, you can just create it yourself.
I saw another great example at SMX in Berlin last fall. Dan Petrovic built an entire vector model that maps out all the concepts on a website. He used an AI tool to code the whole thing, and the result was a 3D rotating model that visually represents the website’s structure and content embeddings.
That’s the kind of AI innovation I’m most excited about—not AI replacing our jobs, but AI making our jobs easier. These kinds of tools are what’s going to be really exciting in the near future.
Gianluca Fiorelli: I totally agree! I think this is one of the best ways we can use AI. Another great application of AI is leveraging its ability to create new things faster and more affordably. Of course, as you pointed out, the final result should still be verified by a developer or a web designer to ensure quality, especially in terms of look and feel.
But AI also gives smaller players a chance to stand out. For example, it allows them to create unique content that helps them reach not just a local audience but also people from around the world.
I always think about this in the context of tourism—maybe because I’m Italian and live in Spain, where tourism is such a major industry. Take a classic Italian restaurant in Florence. Many of its customers will naturally be locals or tourists from within Italy, so visibility isn’t a big issue there. But what about visitors from the U.S., Japan, or other parts of the world?
With AI-generated content, a restaurant could create something compelling enough to catch the attention of travel or food influencers. If that content is well-placed—on their website, for example—it could attract more international visitors. The right AI-generated content could help them gain citations, mentions, and visibility on platforms like ChatGPT, making them more discoverable.
And when people are searching for restaurants in Florence, they’re likely planning to visit soon. If they find your restaurant through this AI-enhanced visibility, they’ll probably stop by for a meal. If the experience is great, they become brand advocates, leaving reviews and spreading the word.
So yes, AI is invaluable for SEO, helping with repetitive tasks and automation. But more importantly, it empowers us to be more creative with content—turning visibility into real-world engagement.
Greg Gifford: Exactly! And that’s actually pretty funny. Was this supposed to be a lead-in to my topic next week at SMX Munich, or was that just a coincidence?
Gianluca Fiorelli: No, sincerely, I didn't know. I was going to ask you.
The Power of Reviews & User-Generated Content
Greg Gifford: Next week at SMX Munich, I’ll be talking about how to use user-generated content from your Google Business Profile to enhance your website experience. The whole idea is rooted in the concept of information gain—which, of course, you’re already familiar with.
Hopefully, everyone watching or listening understands it too, but I’m surprised it hasn’t gotten more attention. Google has made it clear that information gain is the key to success. That’s the kind of site that’s going to win.
Yet, marketers, website owners, and business owners are still stuck churning out the same generic, low-value content they always have.
Gianluca Fiorelli: Yeah, I think it's because people—especially marketers, SEO specialists, and website owners—are always obsessed with checking out what their competitors are doing and trying to mimic them.
Greg Gifford: Exactly, and that's not the way to win.
Gianluca Fiorelli: That's not the way to go. If you want to stand out, you can’t write the same blog post that 2 million other travel blogs are writing.
Greg Gifford: So that’s what this talk is about. People always say, “Check Reddit to see if people are talking about you.” It’s the same idea, but instead of searching through Reddit, Facebook, Twitter, BlueSky, or whatever platform you usually check, just pay attention to your Google Business Profile.
Your customer reviews tell you exactly what people think about you. Typically, when you get a bad review, it’s because the customer’s experience didn’t match their expectations. And when you get a good review, it’s because you exceeded those expectations.
Most people focus on bad reviews, looking for patterns—because if there’s a recurring issue, it points to a problem with customer service or the product itself that needs fixing. But not enough people talk about doing the same with good reviews.
If a business consistently gets positive feedback about certain things, those patterns matter. And this is where AI tools, like LLMs, come in handy. If you can download all your Google reviews and feed them into an AI, you can ask, What patterns do you see here?
It’s almost like an old-school word cloud, where the biggest words show what’s most frequently mentioned. But now, instead of just words, you get insights into common phrases, themes, and customer sentiment. Then, you can compare that to your website. Does the language your customers use match how you describe your business online?
Here’s a great example: A friend of mine, who’s also a speaker, has an office in Amsterdam. Around the corner, there’s this coffee shop that everyone in the neighborhood loves—it has tons of great reviews. But what’s interesting? 104 of those reviews specifically mention a friendly cat that hangs out in the café, cuddling up to customers and creating a fun, cozy atmosphere.
But when you look at the coffee shop’s website? Not a single mention of the cat. That’s a missed opportunity! If they highlighted the cat on their site, they’d instantly stand out from all the other cafés that just say, “We serve coffee and pastries.” Now, instead, it could be, “Come enjoy coffee, pastries, and meet our amazing, one-of-a-kind cat that’s going to make your experience incredible!” That alone could bring in more customers.
The same principle applies to the Q&A section of your Google Business Profile. When people ask a question, it often means the information isn’t easily found on your website. Sometimes, businesses brush this off, thinking, The info is there; they just didn’t look hard enough. But as business owners and marketers, we know our websites inside and out. The average customer? Not so much. If key details are buried three or four clicks deep, that’s a problem—you need to make it easier to find.
Ultimately, any business with a Google Business Profile can gain huge value by analyzing user-generated content—both reviews and Q&A. By incorporating that language into your website, you’re no longer just saying, We’re great because we say so. Instead, you’re proving, We’re great because our customers keep saying it. And that’s what truly sets a business apart.
AI-Powered Sentiment & Topic Analysis for Local Businesses
Gianluca Fiorelli: Yeah, exactly! And you can also use the same review as a confirmation on that page. I think your type of analysis is wonderful. It’s spot on.
I remember one of the first examples of AI presented to us was about using OpenAI’s embeddings for sentiment analysis. It was specifically for analyzing sentiment in reviews.
So, beyond just identifying topics and subtopics, you can also look at the tone of voice people use when discussing these topics. That way, you can catch any weak points in sentiment that might need addressing.
Also, I really enjoyed hearing you talk about the Q&A section in local business profiles. It reminded me of when I worked on the Valencia tourist board’s website. They needed to rewrite their place descriptions, but they kept producing the same generic, mini-Wikipedia-style content—totally useless.
At the time, LLMs weren’t widely available (or at least, I wasn’t aware of them), so I had to use a classic scraper. I scraped real-time queries about tourist spots in Valencia to see what people were actually asking. Then, I structured the content around those questions. Of course, I also used schema for places as a sort of template, making sure to include essential details like the name, address, official website (if applicable), and relevant information for museums, attractions, and so on.
I love this coincidence between our approaches! This is exactly my long-time philosophy: really analyzing the SERPs instead of just watching them and blaming Google for filling them with clutter. All those SERP features that Google pushes in front of us? They’re actually great clues about what people truly want to know.
So instead of getting lost in a sea of auto-generated keyword lists, scrape real user searches and queries straight from Google—it’s free data! From there, you can dig into query variations and related searches. But starting with what Google is already telling us? That’s a solid strategy.
Gianluca Fiorelli: Speaking of reviews, you mentioned earlier how Google now lets you reply with AI. It reminds me of Gmail’s AI-generated replies. But I think where AI-generated responses shine—especially for merchants—is when you connect your Google Business Profile with Google Merchant Center.
I saw this in action with a client in the floral industry in the U.S. Instead of hiring an expensive web designer to enhance stock photos of flowers, they used AI-powered tools. Sure, these tools aren’t perfect—they’re not the latest Adobe suite—but they’re increasingly tailored for merchants, and they get the job done.
Greg Gifford: It helps level the playing field because, as an SMB, you can now compete more easily with massive companies that have unlimited budgets. These tools make you more efficient and allow you to do things that would’ve required hiring someone with tons of experience—at a high cost—before.
I really like that. I think innovation is a good thing. Sure, some people in the industry are worried because Google won’t be the sole source anymore. But honestly, it hasn’t been for a long time. LLMs are just making that more obvious. Even before LLMs, my kids would search on YouTube before ever going to Google. The industry is just catching up to consumer behavior faster than it used to.
Gianluca Fiorelli: I totally agree. And, um, another classic in local search is citations. We mentioned Darren Shaw earlier—he recently talked about the importance of local link building. He might have been referring to a study by Ahrefs (I think) that suggested links are losing importance. But for local SEO, they’re still quite valuable, maybe because they’re tied to local link building rather than the traditional concept of citations in a Name, Address, and Phone Number (NAP) format. Instead, they serve as a way for Google to verify that a local business is genuinely relevant to its area.
And I think this is where the advantage of being a strong local small business comes into play. When you’re used to dealing with people face-to-face and truly understand your community, you know who can amplify your business—whether it’s through word of mouth, content, or other means.
Maybe this is also a way small businesses can tap into large language models (LLMs), as I mentioned earlier.
How to Stay Relevant in an AI-Powered Search World
Greg Gifford: Well, here’s the thing—LLMs are all about pattern detection, and honestly, that’s what Google is too. At its core, Google is just a massive pattern detection engine. Do you need to approach things differently? Maybe at some point, but right now, AI Overviews are the big thing, and people are actively researching how to show up in them. It’s kind of like when featured snippets first appeared 10 years ago—everyone was scrambling to figure out how to get one.
Back then, people panicked, saying, “Oh no, featured snippets are going to take away traffic!” But in reality, they didn’t really hurt traffic that much. And if you did land a featured snippet, you still got business from it—so why worry? The same thing applies now. If you show up in an AI Overview, does it really matter if people don’t visit your website? The bigger question is: are you getting the leads? That’s what truly matters.
Take the automotive industry in the U.S., where data privacy is a big deal. There’s a company that implemented one of those cookie consent pop-ups, letting users opt out of tracking. If someone clicks “I don’t want to be tracked,” it disables Google Analytics. So, we’ve seen dealerships where overnight, their website traffic drops by 50%. They freak out, thinking their SEO isn’t working. But then we ask: Have your phone calls dropped? No. Have your form submissions dropped? No. Have your live chats dropped? Nope. In fact, all conversion points are steady or improving—only the traffic data is disappearing because people aren’t being tracked.
This is something businesses need to get used to: Google Analytics can only tell you so much. More and more, people are discovering businesses through YouTube, TikTok, Facebook—platforms that don’t always track traffic in the same way. And now, with AI-powered search, users might not even visit your website at all. But if they still call you and make a purchase, does it really matter?
Your website is shifting from being the place customers go to learn about you to being the source that informs other platforms. Customers may find you elsewhere, but those platforms are still pulling from what’s on your site. That’s the new reality of search.
Gianluca Fiorelli: Totally agree. I don’t think it’s going to happen right now—maybe not even within a year—but definitely in the future. This is something I was discussing with Andrea Volpini from WordLift.
We should really start thinking about visibility, not just traffic in the traditional sense. Because, in reality, the thing—and I mean “thing” quite literally—that will be visiting our websites won’t necessarily be a human user looking to book a table or schedule a test drive. Instead, it’ll be an AI agent, likely from an application, handling those interactions for them.
Greg Gifford: Because I’m just going to pick up my phone and say, “Hey, I need reservations.” I don’t want to say S-I-R-I out loud because my phone will think I’m talking to it, but you get the idea. Whatever your phone’s assistant is called, I’ll just say, “Hey, book a table for three at this restaurant at 9 PM on the patio,” and it’ll handle it for me.
Or, like you mentioned, if I want to book a test drive for the new Ford Bronco—no problem. My phone will just take care of it. It’ll go to the right website or whatever system it needs to access, and boom, it’s done.
The point is, these assistants are doing the heavy lifting for us. Instead of humans manually visiting websites and filling out forms, the AI just takes care of it. And really—who cares why? It just works.
Gianluca Fiorelli: Yes, exactly.
Greg Gifford: Our job has always been to make sure our clients can be found when customers are looking for them. In the past, that meant helping people show up better on Google because that’s where customers were searching. If things shift to AI or something else we can’t even imagine yet, that doesn’t mean SEO disappears—it just means we’ll be optimizing for a different experience.
Gianluca Fiorelli: Yeah, it’s exactly like you were saying before! And it’s funny because that actually ties into the tagline of my own website: I love SEO, which I see as Search Experience Optimization.
But I also want to reference something our good friend Lexi Mills said in a past episode—SEO isn’t just about traffic anymore. I mean, sure, traffic is still a byproduct, but it’s increasingly about brand visibility. It’s about making sure your brand stands in front of potential customers all the time, everywhere.
That’s why branded search is having a revival lately. It’s probably the best indicator that your visibility efforts are actually paying off. And that’s why it’s so important to break down the silos that traditionally kept different marketing efforts separate.
Which brings me to my question for you—there’s still this isolated way of thinking and working in SEO, not for everyone, of course, but for the majority. How do you see that evolving? And based on your experience (since, let’s be honest, we’ve been in this game for a while—though we’re still looking young, of course!), what advice would you give to the new generation of SEOs?
Especially considering how search behavior is changing—people are searching on TikTok now! But if you’re not the one leading TikTok marketing, how do you create synergy across all these channels that contribute to overall brand visibility?
The Importance of Understanding “Why” in SEO
Greg Gifford: Marketing has always been about one key question: How do we get our brand in front of potential customers?
Before the internet, businesses had to decide—should we put up a billboard? Run ads in the newspaper? Advertise on TV or radio? Maybe send out direct mail? The goal was always the same: to ensure that when people needed a solution, they already knew our brand and were more likely to choose us.
Then came the internet, and suddenly, people were searching for solutions online. Marketing adapted, and the focus shifted to making sure our brand showed up in those searches. SEO became a specialized subset of marketing, but the core goal remained unchanged: when someone is looking for a solution, we want to be in the mix when they make their decision.
That’s the essence of what we do, in the simplest terms. And it’s not just about Google.
For anyone new to SEO—or marketing in general—the best advice is to think strategically. One of the biggest challenges many SEOs face is that they learn the how without understanding the why.
They learn how to get a site to show up better, how to do SEO: title tags, H1s, meta descriptions, alt text, technical SEO, link building—you name it. They know these actions are important because they help a site rank better. But do they know why? Why does fresh content matter? Why do links matter?
When you understand the why behind these tactics, you gain long-term adaptability. Algorithms change, platforms evolve, and new channels emerge. Take TikTok, for example. Five years ago, it wasn’t even on the radar. Now, it’s a massive marketing channel. If you’re stuck thinking, “SEO is just about ranking on Google,” you might miss opportunities like that.
So, as you’re learning, ask yourself: Are you just following a checklist from a website, podcast, or video? Or are you digging deeper to understand the strategy behind it all?
At the end of the day, marketing isn’t about driving traffic to Google—it’s about being found wherever your customers are looking. And if you understand why something works, you’ll be able to adapt the how as the landscape shifts. Stay agile, stay curious, and always keep the bigger picture in mind.
Gianluca Fiorelli: I love that you emphasize the importance of the why question. If I think of a Search Session as a podcast, this is essentially the why behind a Search Session. Of course, I love when people share tricks, tips, and actionable insights, but for this session, I think focusing on the why was the right approach.
Rapid-Fire Movie Q&A
Gianluca Fiorelli: We’re getting close to the end, but before we wrap up, I’d love to do something I always do with my guests—a rapid-fire Q&A. However, in your case, I’m switching things up! Since we’re both big movie lovers, I’m going to ask quick questions about movies, characters, actors, and directors. Your answers will give us a glimpse not just into your taste in films, but also into you as a person.
So, let’s kick things off: What’s the one movie you find yourself rewatching every year?
Greg Gifford: There’s a lot to unpack there. I watch all the Halloween movies every year during Halloween. As for Star Wars, I don’t do a full marathon, but I’ll watch one or two movies at a time—probably around five total per year.
Every year, I also make sure to watch the Lord of the Rings Extended Edition. And The Fifth Element? I could watch that ten times a day, every day, and never get tired of it.
Mostly, though, I gravitate toward horror—that’s my go-to genre.
A better question might be: What’s my default movie to watch on airplanes? I fly a lot because of speaking engagements, so I’m constantly on the move. By the time movies make it to in-flight entertainment, I’ve usually already seen them. So I always have to download my own TV shows, or I’ll just play video games on my Steam Deck.
Lately, though, my go-to airplane movie has been Deadpool and Wolverine. In just the last five months, I’ve probably watched it ten times. If there’s nothing else to watch, that’s my default.
Gianluca Fiorelli: If someone wanted to torture you by making you watch a movie, which one would it be?
Greg Gifford: That is an excellent question. Um, gosh. Honestly, uh, I tried to watch the new Francis Ford Coppola movie, Megalopolis. Have you seen it?
Gianluca Fiorelli: Yes, I saw it.
Greg Gifford: Did you watch the whole thing?
Gianluca Fiorelli: Almost half of it.
Greg Gifford: I watched about 20 minutes of it before giving up. I honestly can't remember the last time I saw so many awful movies in a row—or the last time I refused to finish one. But with that one, I just thought, This is such garbage, I’m not wasting my time.
So yeah, that would definitely be at the top of my list.
As for others… hmm. It’s hard to think of something else that would truly feel like torture to sit through.
Gianluca Fiorelli: Well, to make you laugh, let me tell you a little anecdote. In my case, I’d be tortured with the first Final Destination.
Greg Gifford: Oh, really?
Gianluca Fiorelli: Yes, because it was so obvious to me. It was really like a classic video game I was playing at the time, and it was so mechanical in its execution. But when I watched it, something happened.
You know that feeling when you start to laugh and just can’t stop? That was me. I laughed so hard that I was actually kicked out of the movie theater.
Greg Gifford: That’s awesome. But yeah, I agree, the first one was pretty awful.
Gianluca Fiorelli: So, instead, let me ask you this: If you lived in a parallel world made entirely of movie characters, who would you be? Just pick one—or mix a few together.
Greg Gifford: Oh, man. Probably James Bond. I am a massive James Bond fan. I have seen every James Bond film on opening night in the theater since 1987.
Gianluca Fiorelli: Well, that's a long time.
Greg Gifford: Yeah, I love James Bond movies. I mean, I got James Bond tattooed on me!
Gianluca Fiorelli: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Greg Gifford: Uh, I think if I had to choose a world full of movie characters to live in—and I could be any character—I’d probably go with James Bond.
Gianluca Fiorelli: If you have to choose—Disneyland or Universal Studios? Okay, okay, it's quite clear.
Greg Gifford: Yeah, no, I’m a huge Disney fan. I mean, you can probably see it—I don’t know if it’s all in the shot, but here, I’ll put it right in the center. That’s my Disney pin collection right there. I collect Disney pins, and that’s the lightsaber I built at Disney. You can see my Disney hats on the wall, and down there, I’ve got the Disney Lego castle.
Oh, and those? That’s the singing heads from the Haunted Mansion ride.
So yeah, I’d pick Disney over Universal any day of the week. But ask me again next year after I’ve been to the new Universal park opening in May, because that thing looks insane. It might just become my new go-to.
Gianluca Fiorelli: Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Greg, for being our guest at The Search Session. It was such a great pleasure to have you here.
Greg Gifford: Aw, thanks for having me on. It was a blast chatting.
Gianluca Fiorelli: I hope to see you soon! By the time this episode goes live, you'll already be at SMX—Munich, if I'm not mistaken.
Greg Gifford: Yep, that's correct. Are you going to Brighton?
Gianluca Fiorelli: I’m heading to Brighton! So, if you want to catch up with Greg—who, by the way, is hitting a major milestone at BrightonSEO—you’ll definitely find him there. And you’ll also find me, probably as an enthusiastic attendee… or maybe just hanging out in one of the many pubs by the sea.
Big thanks to Greg once again, and see you all in the next episode of The Search Session!
Podcast Host
Gianluca Fiorelli
With almost 20 years of experience in web marketing, Gianluca Fiorelli is a Strategic and International SEO Consultant who helps businesses improve their visibility and performance on organic search. Gianluca collaborated with clients from various industries and regions, such as Glassdoor, Idealista, Rastreator.com, Outsystems, Chess.com, SIXT Ride, Vegetables by Bayer, Visit California, Gamepix, James Edition and many others.
A very active member of the SEO community, Gianluca daily shares his insights and best practices on SEO, content, Search marketing strategy and the evolution of Search on social media channels such as X, Bluesky and LinkedIn and through the blog on his website: IloveSEO.net.
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