When someone asks ChatGPT, Gemini or Perplexity for the "best [service] near me", the AI returns a short list of named businesses. If your business isn't on it, you never even enter the consideration set - the customer goes to whoever the model recommended.

Mentova tracks your local visibility across AI assistants the same way it tracks national brands: which queries you appear in, which competitors are recommended instead, and which sources (directories, review platforms, local press) the AI leans on for your area.

This guide is for clinics, restaurants, agencies, trades, shops and any business that serves a defined geography.

Set up local tracking

  1. Create a brand for your business as usual (Settings → Brand).
  2. Set the locality and mark the brand as local so generated prompts include geographic intent ("near me", your city, your neighbourhood).
  3. Add your real-world competitors - the other businesses that show up for the same searches.
  4. Create topics around the services you offer ("emergency plumber", "best brunch", "family dentist").

Mentova then generates location-aware prompts and runs them across the models, so your mention rate reflects how often the AI recommends you for local intent.

What to look at

  • Mention rate on local intent - how often you appear when the query carries "near me" or your city name.
  • Competitor recommendations - which nearby businesses the AI names instead, and on which queries.
  • Sources - the directories and review sites (Google Business Profile, Yelp, TripAdvisor, local guides) the AI cites for your category and area. These are where local visibility is won.

Closing local gaps

Local AI visibility is usually driven by structured presence and reviews, not by your website alone. The Opportunities and Sources pages point you to:

  • Directories and local listings where competitors appear and you don't.
  • Review platforms the AI trusts for your category - prioritise the ones it actually cites.
  • Content angles (local guides, comparison posts) that earn a mention.

Tip - Local intent is highly seasonal and location-specific. Schedule a weekly analysis (Automation) so you catch shifts in who the AI recommends before they cost you walk-ins.

  • Sources - find the local platforms the AI cites.
  • Opportunities - act on the gaps where competitors appear and you don't.
  • Automation - keep local tracking fresh on a schedule.