Business Intelligence

Local vs Global: Why AI Search Treats Them Differently

Google Maps, ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini each serve different results depending on whether they think you are a local business or a national/global brand. Our scanner auto-detects your mode and adjusts the entire audit strategy accordingly.

What Each Mode Means

Your business falls into one of two categories based on the signals your website sends to search engines and AI models.

Local Business

You serve customers in a specific city or region. Walk-ins, service areas, or local appointments.

  • Dental clinics, restaurants, contractors
  • Real estate agents, salons, auto repair
  • Any business with a Google Business Profile
  • Service-area businesses (plumbers, cleaners)
  • Multi-location but city-focused

National / Global

You sell online, serve the whole country, or operate a brand that is not tied to one city.

  • E-commerce stores, SaaS platforms
  • National franchises (corporate site)
  • Media, publishers, content brands
  • Online-only services, apps
  • Businesses with "nationwide" or "free shipping"
Why does this matter? When ChatGPT or Google recommends a "dentist near me", they look for LocalBusiness schema, a Google Business Profile, and NAP congruency. When someone asks for "best project management software", they look for authority signals, product schema, and broad content coverage. Wrong signals = wrong audience = invisible.

How Our Scanner Detects Your Mode

The scanner checks 6 signal categories and assigns a score. A total of 15 points or higher = Local. Below 15 = National/Global.

Signal Points Example
LocalBusiness schema found +40 @type: "Dentist" or "Restaurant"
City name in title, meta, or headings +25 "Best Plumber in Edmonton"
City in schema address +20 addressLocality: "Calgary"
Local schema subtype +15 ProfessionalService, FinancialService, AutoRepair
areaServed defined +10 areaServed: "Greater Edmonton Area"
City name in domain/URL +10 edmonton-dental.ca
National keywords detected -30 "nationwide", "free shipping", "e-commerce", "SaaS"
// Example: a dental clinic in Edmonton
LocalBusiness schema ............. +40
City "edmonton" in title ........ +25
Schema city: Edmonton ........... +20
Schema type: Dentist ............ +15
// Total: 100 → LOCAL mode (threshold: 15)

// Example: a SaaS platform with no schema
No LocalBusiness schema ......... 0
"software" in meta .............. -30
// Total: -30 → NATIONAL mode
Common misdetection causes If your local business is showing as "National", it usually means your website is missing local signals: no LocalBusiness schema, no city in your title or meta description, and no structured address. The fix is straightforward — add a LocalBusiness JSON-LD block with your city and address.

What Changes Between Modes

The scanner, the Command Center, and all reports adapt their analysis based on your detected mode.

Local Mode
National/Global Mode
Competitor search
Google Maps + city keyword
Competitor search
Broad industry keyword, no city filter
Geo-Grid
25-point map around your city
National Ranking
Multi-city presence check
NAP Congruency
Name, Address, Phone cross-check
Brand Entity
Organization schema + sameAs links
GBP signals
Hours, categories, reviews, CID
Authority signals
Product schema, SoftwareApplication, breadcrumbs
Schema focus
LocalBusiness, Service, FAQ, Review
Schema focus
Organization, Product, WebSite, Article
Battle Map
City-specific competitive intelligence
Battle Map
National competitive landscape

Your Priority Checklist

Local Business Priorities

  1. LocalBusiness schema with correct subtype, address, phone, hours, and areaServed
  2. Google Business Profile fully completed with matching NAP (Name, Address, Phone)
  3. NAP congruency across website, schema, GBP, Facebook, Instagram, and directories
  4. City in title tag and meta description ("Best [Service] in [City]")
  5. FAQ schema answering "People Also Ask" questions for your city + service
  6. Geo-grid check to see exactly where you rank on the map
  7. Citations on Yelp, BBB, and industry directories

National/Global Priorities

  1. Organization schema with logo, sameAs, contactPoint, and founder
  2. Product or SoftwareApplication schema with offers, pricing, and reviews
  3. Breadcrumb schema for clear site hierarchy
  4. Content authority via FAQ schema, Article schema, and blog
  5. Brand mentions across social platforms (LinkedIn, YouTube, X)
  6. AI bot access via robots.txt (GPTBot, ClaudeBot) and llms.txt
  7. National competitor benchmarking via Battle Map

Can I Override the Detection?

Yes. The Command Center has a Local / National toggle at the top of the dashboard. If the auto-detection is wrong (e.g., you are a local business but your website lacks local signals), you can switch modes manually. This changes:

Pro tip If you have to manually override, it means your website is sending the wrong signals. Fix the underlying issue (add LocalBusiness schema, put your city in the title) so that AI search engines also detect you correctly — not just our scanner.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the scanner decide if my business is local or global?

It checks 6 signal categories: LocalBusiness schema (+40), city in content (+25), city in schema address (+20), local schema subtypes (+15), areaServed (+10), and city in URL (+10). National keywords like "nationwide" subtract 30 points. Score of 15+ = Local.

What is the difference between local and global mode in the audit?

Local mode focuses on Google Maps ranking, GBP, NAP congruency, geo-grid visibility, and city-specific competitors. Global mode focuses on domain authority, Product/Organization schema, national competitor benchmarking, and brand entity recognition.

Can a business be both local and global?

Yes. Franchises and multi-location businesses can serve specific cities while having a national brand. The scanner picks the primary mode from your homepage signals, but you can toggle manually in the Command Center to explore both views.

Why does my local business show as national?

Your website is missing local signals. Most commonly: no LocalBusiness schema, no city name in the title or meta description, and no structured address in JSON-LD. Add these and AI search engines (and our scanner) will correctly identify you as local.

Find Out Which Mode Your Website Is In

Our $27 scan auto-detects your mode and gives you a full breakdown of what signals are present, what is missing, and exactly what to fix.

Run a $27 Scan See All Plans

Related Resources

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Entity Analysis

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