Keywords have always been the backbone of SEO. But in today’s world, where AI-powered discovery engines like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Perplexity are reshaping how people search, keywords aren’t just about rankings anymore.

They’re the building blocks AI uses to connect user prompts with your business. If your keywords don’t align with what customers actually ask AI models, you risk being invisible in the new discovery ecosystem.

For SaaS SEO providers managing multi-location brands, this means two things:

1. Identifying the right niche-specific keywords.
   
2. Optimizing them so AI models see and recommend your clients.
   

Step 1: Understand How AI Uses Keywords

When a user prompt hits an AI engine, the model breaks it down into semantic elements.

For example:

Prompt: “Where’s the best yoga studio in Austin with evening classes?”

• AI extracts: “yoga studio,” “Austin,” “evening classes,” “best.”
  
• It then matches these against business data: listings, schema, reviews, and content.
  

If your client’s data doesn’t contain those keywords, AI won’t make the connection, even if the studio fits the criteria.

Step 2: Identify Keywords Based on Niche

Different industries require different keyword strategies. Here’s how to uncover them:

1. Listen to Customer Language

Use reviews, forums, and Reddit threads to identify how customers describe the niche. Example:

• Hotels: “pet-friendly,” “free breakfast,” “walkable.”
  
• Restaurants: “late-night,” “vegan,” “outdoor seating.”
  
• Clinics: “walk-ins welcome,” “same-day appointments,” “urgent care.”
  

2. Map Prompts to Keywords

Turn real prompts into keywords. Example:

• Prompt: “Best dentist near me that takes walk-ins.”
  
• Keywords: “dentist,” “walk-ins,” “open now,” “emergency appointments.”
  

3. Check Competitor Coverage

Audit which keywords competitors are using on Google Business Profiles, local landing pages, and schema.

4. Niche-Specific Attributes

Each industry has attributes that must be included. Example:

• Gyms: “day passes,” “personal training,” “24-hour access.”
  
• Spas: “sauna,” “couples massage,” “organic products.”
  

Step 3: Layer AI Into Keyword Strategy

AI tools can accelerate keyword discovery and validation. Instead of guessing, you can:

• Use AI to simulate customer prompts
  Ask ChatGPT: “If I were searching for a [niche business], what phrases would I use?”
  
• Validate keyword coverage
  Test prompts in Gemini or Perplexity and see which businesses appear—and which don’t.
  
• Generate long-tail keyword clusters
  AI can help expand from “yoga studio” to “yoga studio near downtown Austin with beginner classes.”
  

This mirrors the Forbes piece’s idea of using prompts to understand audience needs—but applies it to SEO + discovery optimization.

Step 4: Optimize Keywords for AI Discovery

1. Embed Keywords in Listings

Make sure they appear in Google Business Profiles, Yelp descriptions, Apple Maps, and industry directories.

2. Implement Schema

Use serviceType, amenityFeature, and openingHoursSpecification tags to connect keywords to structured data.

3. Encourage Keyword-Rich Reviews

Prompt customers to leave reviews with specifics: “Loved the gluten-free pizza and late-night hours.”

4. Create Localized Landing Pages

Each location should have unique keyword coverage tied to its neighborhood and niche.

5. Test in AI Engines

Search for client-related prompts in AI tools to ensure the keywords trigger visibility.

Why Multi-Location Brands Must Nail This

Without niche-specific keywords, multi-location businesses risk being flattened into generic categories. For example:

• A restaurant with no mention of “vegan options” may never surface for vegan prompts.
  
• A hotel without “airport shuttle” listed may lose travelers—even if they offer it.
  
• A clinic with no “walk-in urgent care” mentions may miss high-intent patients.
  

What EZOMA does for your business

Ezoma aligns keywords with AI discovery by:

• Structuring enriched, keyword-optimized data from across 100+ platforms into an AI ingestable shape.
  
• Ensuring attributes and schema map to niche-specific prompts.
  
• Normalizing data across all locations for consistent AI visibility.
  
• Providing visibility reporting so providers can see how keywords trigger AI mentions and compare the before/after.
  

By pairing AI-powered prompt engineering with local data exchange’s EZOMA, providers can future-proof their clients’ visibility.

Keywords aren’t dead, they’re evolving. In the AI-first era, keywords are the connective tissue between user prompts and business visibility.

For SaaS SEO providers, success depends on:

• Identifying niche-specific keywords.
  
• Embedding them into structured business data.
  
• Testing coverage across AI discovery engines.
  

The businesses that do this won’t just rank in Google, they’ll show up in AI recommendations when it matters most.