More and more users are using ChatGPT to ask for local recommendations such as:
- "best real estate agencies in Orihuela Costa"
- "Dutch agents in Los Alcázares"
- "real estate agencies near me"
What many don't know is that ChatGPT's local responses don't only come from Google Maps or Google Business Profile as expected. Its main source of information is currently Foursquare, a platform that seemed forgotten… but has now become a key player thanks to its integration with OpenAI.
And this changes the rules of the local SEO game.
Where does ChatGPT get local results from?
For a few months, ChatGPT has started showing local businesses in its responses, something it didn't do before. And what's striking is not that it does it, but where it gets this information from.
Although many might think it relies on Google Business Profile, the main data source ChatGPT uses for local searches is Foursquare. Only if it doesn't find enough information there does it turn to other sources like Google.
This means that if your business is not listed or properly optimised on Foursquare, your visibility on ChatGPT could be severely limited. And at a time when more and more users rely on AI tools to search for recommendations, this makes a huge difference.
Why is it so important to be on Foursquare?
Foursquare was once a location-based social network. Today it serves as a massive database of places and businesses, used by dozens of apps… including ChatGPT's conversational AI.
This partnership has brought Foursquare unexpected relevance and made many businesses rethink their local visibility strategy.
According to data from Yaggoseo and Natzir Turrado:
- Between 60% and 70% of local results on ChatGPT come from Foursquare.
- It is especially important in small towns or niche businesses.
- Its database includes over 100 million points of interest in more than 200 countries.
Does Google no longer matter?
It does matter. In fact, when ChatGPT doesn't find enough information on Foursquare, it turns to Google Business Profile.
That's why it's essential to have both profiles well optimised and aligned.
What factors does ChatGPT consider to show businesses?
According to the tool itself and expert analysis, these are the factors that influence a business appearing on ChatGPT:
- Complete and up-to-date profiles
- Number and quality of recent reviews
- Consistency of data across platforms (website, Google, Foursquare, social media)
- Geographical proximity to the user making the search
- Active digital presence (functional website, updated social media…)
Additionally, ChatGPT does not rank on its own: it depends on the order in which it receives data from its providers. That is, if Foursquare has your profile listed earlier and more thoroughly than Google, you are likely to appear first in the response.
What can you do as a real estate agency?
- Search for your business on Foursquare: go to foursquare.com and check if it already appears.
- Claim or create your profile: update all the details (name, address, phone number, category, website, hours, photos…).
- Ensure consistency: use the same data on Google, your website, and social media.
- Include strategic keywords: “real estate agents in Torrevieja”, “properties for sale in Costa Blanca”, etc.
- Check your Google profile: it is still key, and it is also used as a source by ChatGPT.
It's not the future. It's the present.
ChatGPT is already showing local results to millions of users. And many of them no longer go through Google, but ask directly to their artificial intelligence assistant.
If your real estate agency is not on Foursquare or your profile is outdated, you simply won’t appear at that critical decision moment.
Want to be where your clients are searching? We are real estate marketing consultants
At Mediaelx, we are up to date with the changes brought by artificial intelligence and we are already incorporating this innovation into the digital strategy of all our clients with SEO + Consultancy service.
If you are already a client, you don’t need to worry: your real estate agency is already on its way to being visible in ChatGPT’s local searches as well.
Don’t know if you appear on Foursquare? Want to improve your visibility in AI searches?
Contact us. We’ll help you optimise your presence where it truly matters.
- WhatsApp: +34 601 223 257
- Phone: +34 600 567 207
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