90-Day Checklist for Local GEO

Consumers no longer search alone. Their AI mediates: scanning, comparing, and shortlisting before a human ever looks. 68% of brands are absent from those recommendations. The good news is you can fix it. This checklist covers the three pillars and four phases that get you found, trusted, and chosen.

What GEO delivers in 90 days

2x citations and 3-9x higher conversions. The numbers behind the shift:

$750B of consumer spend shifting to AI search
68% of brands missing from AI recommendations
60% of searches end without a website click

The three pillars to win in AI search

The foundation behind the checklist.

Source of truth. NAP, hours, services, photos: accurate and consistent everywhere AI looks.
Context engineering. Reviews, FAQs, local content: living proof of relevance across 10-16 sources.
Orchestration. Coordinated systems, AI agents, and continuous updates at scale.

Your 90-day GEO action plan

Phase 1 (Week 1): Foundational analysis

Get your data house in order. Stop optimizing blind.

Ensure NAP details are identical across Google, Apple Maps, Yelp, and key directories
Ask real customer questions in LLMs and note where you appear vs. where competitors dominate
Set KPIs: Mention Rate, Citation Rate, Share of Voice
Prioritize target locations, starting with flagship or high-growth sites

Phase 2 (Days 7-30): Context engineering and targeted content

Fill blind spots. Become the primary source for the prompts that matter.

Create dedicated pages, blog posts, or FAQs for prompts where you are currently absent
Address specific customer needs (e.g. accessibility, dietary options, parking, opening hours)
Track new content URLs in GEO Studio to monitor AI search performance
Scale formats that earn citations and cut what does not

Phase 3 (Days 30-60): Surgical placement and off-page authority

Place your brand on the sources AI already trusts.

Reverse-engineer which blogs, forums, and local sites LLMs cite for your key prompts
Target sites ranking 20-40 on Google: high AI citation rate, low competition
Avoid expensive big-name publishers ($50K+), which have low impact on AI recommendations
Engage locally: join relevant community conversations and respond to reviews promptly

Phase 4 (Days 60-90): Orchestration and compounding

Turn one-off wins into a compounding engine for customer acquisition.

Track AI citation rates, mentions, and Share of Voice, and tie results to enquiries and revenue
Monitor emerging customer questions and content gaps
Refresh content for seasonal changes, local events, or trending queries
Repeat the cycle. AI visibility is never static

Ready to see where you stand?

GEO Studio maps your AI search presence, flags the gaps, and shows you exactly what to fix across every location. You can also read the full GEO Playbook for the research behind this checklist.

Sources: Uberall GEO Playbook 2026; Uberall webinar "Local GEO & AI Search: A 90-day Plan". Data: McKinsey, Athena HQ State of AI Search, and Uberall proprietary consumer research.

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