By Giselle Aguiar

hen it comes to local search engine optimization (SEO), Google is still the main, go-to search engine. However, it’s not the only game in town! Now, with the increased use of artificial intelligence (AI), especially the new AI search engines like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Perplexity, and others, searchers have alternatives.

You may have noticed Google’s AI Overviews (AIOs) when you do a Google search. These are responding to the query and appear at the top of search engine results page (SERP). In those search results, the goal is to answer the question or deliver on the query with the most relevant answer or response.

Unfortunately, in the AI search engines, you get what are called “zero-click” mentions. In other words, there are no links—at least not at this time. Remember, AI is constantly evolving and constantly learning, which is why you should be constantly producing content.

Nevertheless, when a potential customer is searching for a self-storage facility, what comes up in these AIOs is critical. If they like what they see, they’ll keep scrolling and eventually find your facility’s website—if you’ve optimized everything for local SEO and have content relevant to the search.

Given that the self-storage industry is so competitive, how do you get your facility’s name, location, and link to come up in these search engines?

The new big factor is your online reputation, and online reviews play a critical role.

First, keep in mind that AI cannot and does not have an opinion. Thus, it looks for reviews, comments, and recommendations from all over the internet.

Think of online reviews as today’s word-of-mouth recommendations. Trust is the biggest driver. People buy from whom they know and trust.

Star ratings are important. You always want to shoot for four or five stars. The average star count not only helps a searcher choose a business, but people also use it to rule out a business that has less than a four-star average. Having only five-star reviews actually looks suspicious.

Naturally, AI relies on what customers write about your business, and it looks everywhere.

How often are you getting Google Reviews? Simply put, review velocity is how often you get new reviews. The average review velocity for the self-storage industry in the U.S. isn’t widely published as a standardized metric. However, based on industry behavior and digital marketing trends, self-storage facilities typically see modest but steady review activity, especially compared to high-engagement sectors like restaurants or retail. Several factors influence review velocity in your industry’s space:

• Customer interaction is low frequency. Most users rent a unit and may not interact again for months.
• Review prompts are often tied to move-in or move-out events. Nonetheless, if a customer has a problem, and you or your staff resolves it quickly and courteously, they may leave a review.
• Large operators with strong digital strategies (like Public Storage or Extra Space Storage) tend to generate more reviews through automated follow-ups and incentives.

A good target is one to two new reviews per 100 customers per month, though this can vary by location and customer base.

Why does a facility with 4.4 stars get a higher placement in the Google Maps Local-Pack than your business with 4.6 stars? Look at how many reviews they have and then the frequency. Like mentioned previously, if you’re up against one of the big players, you have your work cut out for you. More on that in a bit.

Going back to the trust factor, AI is looking for mentions of your business in other places besides Google Reviews, including social media (Facebook and Reddit), online local magazine citations and listings, local bloggers, and third-party sites like Yelp.

For example, if you sponsor a local event or do community work, ask them to tag or mention you in social media, any publication, or on their website. This is hyper-local public relations (PR).

Additionally, click-through rates to your website play a part. How often do people click over to your website from search results? That’s where titles and meta descriptions come in. Look for my article “Get More Clicks” about titles and meta tags in the April 2025 issue of Messenger.

Specifically, Google notices the EEAT (experience, expertise, authority, and trustworthiness) of a review. That’s a review where the customer states that he or she was there, why they were there, how your facility fulfilled their needs, and how satisfied they were.

If you haven’t been getting good reviews, then you need to focus on customer service and the overall customer experience. That starts when the potential customer first touches anything regarding your business. Usually, that begins with your website’s User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI). I’ll dive into the specifics on UX and UI in a future article.

Boosting review velocity for a self-storage business is absolutely doable—it just takes the right blend of timing, tech, and a human touch. Here are six strategies to get more reviews flowing in:

Move-in and move-out are prime review opportunities—they’re emotionally charged milestones and customers are more likely to share feedback. Have a sign or flyer at the front desk with the QR code of your Google Business Profile (GBP) Reviews. You can get that from your GBP. Besides that, send an email or SMS (text message) within 24 to 48 hours of these events while the experience is still fresh. If you don’t have an SMS service, add a review request to your email receipts.

Use CRM tools or property management software to trigger review requests automatically. Keep the message friendly and personalized: mention the unit type, the owner/manager’s name, and a quick thank you. See the sample template in the “Requesting Reviews” sidebar at the end of this article.

Include direct links to your Google or Yelp review pages; don’t make them search. Use QR codes on receipts, signage, and even moving truck rentals. Give them a choice to review or recommend you on Facebook and other directories also.

Reply to every review, even the short ones. It shows you’re listening, which encourages others to write in. A warm, witty response can inspire second-time reviewers too. If you do get a bad review or complaint, respond quickly with a fix. Diffuse the bad and encourage the good.

Empower managers and front-line staff to remind customers in person during walkthroughs or close-outs. Give team incentives for every genuine review collected as part of their service interactions. Ask the customer to mention a team member who stood out for them.

The appearance of the owner and/or manager in pictures is important. Post events like auctions and community participation.

Once you get it set up and your staff trained, this should become a regular, ordinary task. You’ll want to check your Google Analytics and the Google Search Console monthly to track your progress and see if your efforts are making a difference.