# How Local SEO is Evolving in AI Discovery

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/voices-of-search-a-search-engine-optimization-seo-content-marketing-podcast-754186/how-local-seo-is-evolving-in-ai-discovery
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/voices-of-search-a-search-engine-optimization-seo-content-marketing-podcast-754186/how-local-seo-is-evolving-in-ai-discovery.md
Podcast: [Voices of Search // A Search Engine Optimization (SEO) & Content Marketing Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/voices-of-search-a-search-engine-optimization-seo-content-marketing-podcast-754186)
Published: 2026-07-27T13:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://pdst.fm/e/rss.art19.com/episodes/08666d72-464d-48a8-98b4-041a0d3727ad.mp3?rss_browser=BAhJIg90cmFuc2NyaWJyBjoGRVQ%3D--952c5701c84ad333c69d5faa668f8177091704f0
Audio file: https://pdst.fm/e/rss.art19.com/episodes/08666d72-464d-48a8-98b4-041a0d3727ad.mp3?rss_browser=BAhJIg90cmFuc2NyaWJyBjoGRVQ%3D--952c5701c84ad333c69d5faa668f8177091704f0
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Duration seconds: 2863

## Resource

Local pack ads grew from 1% to 22% of tracked searches. Joy Hawkins, owner and president of Sterling Sky, has led over 1,000 local SEO tests across nearly two decades to determine which ranking factors actually drive results for local businesses. This conversation covers why algorithmic domain-wide penalties are now hitting small businesses that scale AI-generated location and model pages, how authority signals for local have shifted toward Google reviews, active social presence, indexed Facebook groups, and third-party awards rather than link building, and why call tracking with recorded calls and integrated texting outperforms traffic metrics for measuring genuine lead quality. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

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## Transcript

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