What Actually Works for Local Business Marketing in 2026

SEO, AI & Local Visibility - Explained Simply

Local marketing is changing fast.

Search behaviour is shifting, AI is influencing how businesses are discovered, and posting constantly on social media is no longer the answer, especially for local businesses.

This lunch & learn is designed for business owners, founders, and service providers who want to understand what actually helps local customers find them in 2026, without becoming marketers or content creators.

Hosted by Saffron Creative, a Vancouver-based marketing studio, this session breaks down local visibility in a way that’s practical, approachable, and immediately useful.

What we’ll cover

• What’s still working for local business marketing
• How Google, SEO, and AI-powered search impact local visibility
• A simple explanation of GEO / AEO (Generative & Answer Engine Optimisation)
• Common local marketing mistakes, and what to focus on instead
• How to build visibility without posting every day

What you’ll leave with

• A clear understanding of how local customers actually find businesses
• A simple framework for improving your local visibility
• A one-page takeaway you can reference after the session
• Access to a post-event local visibility check (limited availability)

Who this is for

• Local business owners
• Service-based businesses
• Consultants and founders