A practical guide for Cheltenham Chamber of Commerce members

Jane Fazackerly, SaaS Content Studio

You’ve no doubt noticed the explosion of acronyms. Not long ago, all the focus was on SEO, but now everyone’s talking about AEO, GEO, AIO, and there’ll probably be another new acronym along soon.

While I don’t believe in chasing acronyms, I think it’s reasonable to say that if you’re not getting cited in AI Overviews, you’re either losing out on a significant number of opportunities, or you’re going to become invisible online.

AI Overviews, if you haven’t come across them yet, are the AI-generated summaries Google shows at the top of search results. They pull information from trusted sources, and if your business isn’t one of them, you’re missing out on opportunities and risking becoming invisible to high-intent buyers.

If that line puts you in panic mode, it shouldn’t; as a local business owner, I would focus on the following:

Knowing your ideal customer

I always say, “If you’re marketing to everyone, you’re marketing to no one.” And that’s especially true for local businesses.

These businesses often know their customers personally, but don’t always reflect that online.

You need to know who your ideal customers are before you can start marketing to them. If you haven’t already, create an Ideal Customer Profile.

If you need help with that, get in touch.

Match search intent

People searching for “best CRM” or “best accountant” want answers.

For instance, if someone searches “best café in Cheltenham for remote work,” they’re looking for details like:

• · Opening hours
• · Wi-Fi quality
• · Seating areas
• · Real photos

Not a generic blog about “why coffee shops matter.”

If you don’t have a clear local SEO strategy, you also need to start looking at that.

I can help if you’re unsure where to begin.

Use your first-party data

This is your biggest competitive advantage.

First-party data is one of the best ways to create content that stands out. With AI depersonalising just about everything, your data gives you access to insights personalised to your brand. You can use these insights to build authority, citations, and develop digital PR strategies.

Here are some examples for local businesses:

• · A gym sharing member progress trends
• · A café sharing most-ordered drinks by season
• · A solicitor sharing the top 5 questions clients ask
• · A tradesperson sharing before/after project stats
• · A consultant sharing anonymised client insights

If you’re not using your data yet, start small, or ask me to help you identify what you already have.

Search Everywhere Optimisation

It’s time to start using a new kind of SEO: Search Everywhere Optimisation. People don’t just search Google anymore. They search:

• · YouTube
• · Reddit
• · TikTok
• · G2
• · Trustpilot
• · Local Facebook groups
• · And increasingly… LLMs

For Cheltenham businesses, this might mean:

• · Being active in local groups
• · Encouraging reviews
• · Publishing helpful guides
• · Sharing expertise on LinkedIn
• · Being present where your customers already are
• If you’re not sure where your audience spends time, I can help you map that out.

Practical Steps for Chamber Members

If you want to get ahead with your marketing in the AI age, here’s what you can do this month to improve your visibility:

Add FAQs to your key pages

Perfect for LLMs, Google, and customers.

Show your expertise clearly

Add:

• · Case studies
• · Before/after examples
• · Photos of real work
• · Expert quotes
• · Team bios with credentials
• Structure your content properly

Clear headings, summaries, and scannable formatting help both humans and AI. Begin articles by answering the question first, before leading into stats etc.

Make your business recognisable

LLMs cite entities they trust. That means:

• · Consistent branding
• · Updated Google Business Profile
• · Reviews
• · Mentions in local press
• · Clear About pages
• · Author names on content

If you need help improving any of these, get in touch.

• The Bottom Line for Cheltenham Businesses

Digital marketing is changing fast, but the core principles haven’t.

If you:

• · Understand your audience
• · Match search intent
• · Share original insights
• · Demonstrate expertise
• · Make your content easy to understand
• …you’ll give yourself the best chance of showing up in Google, in LLMs, and everywhere your customers search next.

And if you’re a Chamber member who wants help with online marketing, content optimisation and repurposing, digital PR, or creating a customer persona, I’m right here in Cheltenham and happy to help.