In this episode of E-Coffee with Experts, Mike Forgie, Owner at Next Step Connect, shares how local SEO is evolving beyond backlinks toward brand mentions, authority signals, sentiment, and community-driven visibility.
Mike explains why traditional ranking tactics like PBNs are fading, and what founders, marketers, and agencies should focus on instead to stay discoverable in Google AI Overviews and LLM-powered search.
You’ll learn how to make your business citable instead of just rankable, how local authority influences AI recommendations, and why structured content depth now beats shallow keyword targeting.
He also shares practical insights on:
- Local SEO strategies that influence AI search results
- Whether backlinks still matter in 2026
- Authority signals that impact citation visibility
- Using voice-search-style content for discoverability
- The rise of AI agents inside marketing workflows
- Why community signals outperform national brand noise
- Claude vs ChatGPT for SEO execution workflows
If you’re a founder, marketing leader, or SEO strategist preparing for the next shift in search, this episode gives a practical roadmap for staying visible in an AI-first ecosystem.
Takeaways:
- Backlinks still matter, but brand mentions are growing stronger signals
- AI search favors trusted sources with positive brand sentiment
- Local SEO authority comes from community visibility and coverage
- Detailed website pages improve chances of AI citations
- Google Business Profile remains a key local ranking signal
- Voice-style content improves discoverability in AI search
- AI tools help execution, but strategy still needs human direction
- Automation agents will soon support daily agency workflows
- Niche focus helps agencies scale faster and stay relevant
- Community-driven marketing strengthens long-term search visibility