Field-tested plays6 min read
Winning local 'best of' recommendations
When someone asks 'best [thing] in [city]', here's how to be the name that comes up.
Where the answer comes from
AI engines triangulate: editorial 'best of' lists (Eater, Time Out, local blogs), review platforms (Google, Yelp, Tripadvisor), and structured pages on your own site. If you're missing from any of those, you're missing from the answer.
The pitch list
Make a list of every "best of" article in your city for your category. Pitch each one a short, specific story — a new menu item, a milestone, a quirky detail. One landed mention often unlocks a dozen AI citations.
Own your category page
Create a page on your site like 'The best [category] in [neighborhood]' that honestly compares yourself to the top alternatives. AI engines reward transparency and quote these pages back.
Hands-on
Try this before the next lesson
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