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