How My Curiosity About AI in Digital Marketing Started Generating More Local Leads for My Clients
For the past year, a simple question has been driving almost everything in my work: “How far can AI really take my clients’ digital marketing?” That curiosity has turned into very real results in the form of more exposure, better-qualified leads, and more efficient campaigns for local service businesses. hubspot+1
Why Curiosity About AI Matters
A lot of marketers bought tools; fewer stopped to ask how AI should fit into strategy, not just workflow. Your curiosity as a business owner or marketer is actually an asset, because it pushes you to test, measure, and refine instead of blindly trusting the tech. hubspot
Over the last year, exploring AI has helped shift my role from “content producer” to “strategic orchestrator,” using large language models (LLMs) and analytics to make every piece of content work harder for visibility and conversion. audiencescience+1
How LLMs Level Up Content and EEAT
Search is rewarding content that shows real experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness (EEAT). AI doesn’t replace that—your real-world experience does—but it can help surface and structure it so both humans and algorithms clearly see your value. digitalmarketinginstitute
Here’s how that looks in practice:
- Turning messy notes from a job site into structured case studies with clear before/after outcomes, then optimizing them for local queries like “emergency water damage restoration in Frederick MD” or “driveway paving near me.” digitalfirst+1
- Using LLMs to suggest FAQ sections based on search intent (“How much does asphalt paving cost?” “How long before I can park on it?”), then editing those answers with your actual on-the-ground experience. digitalmarketinginstitute+1
The key is that AI drafts and proposes structure, but you inject the real stories, photos, numbers, and nuanced advice that build EEAT.
Practical AI “Coding” for Better Targeting
You don’t need to be a software engineer, but treating prompts like mini “scripts” (prompt engineering) makes AI outputs far more strategic. Think of each prompt as a reusable function in your marketing stack. ibm
For example, a reusable lead-gen prompt framework might look like:
- “Act as a local SEO specialist for [service] in [city]. Analyze these keywords, then propose a content angle, title tag, meta description, and 3 calls-to-action focused on phone calls and quote requests.”
- “Rewrite this Google Business Profile post to include one primary keyword, one secondary location keyword, and a clear call to call, text, or request a quote.” digitalfirst+1
Over time, these become your own “AI playbook”—prompt templates that consistently generate SEO-friendly copy, ad variations, and schema ideas tailored to your niche.
Concrete Ways Clients Have Gained Exposure and Leads
Here are a few of the ways AI has directly translated into more visibility and inquiries for local clients:
- Hyper-relevant content at scale: Instead of writing one generic blog about “asphalt paving,” AI helps map and outline dozens of pages and posts around real search patterns—“blacktop driveway repair,” “parking lot milling,” “sealcoating vs repaving,” and so on—so you cover the whole topic cluster with less manual effort. hubspot+1
- Smarter ad creative and audiences: AI tools analyze which headlines, descriptions, and offers are resonating, then suggest new variants aligned with high-intent queries and demographics, improving click-through rates and lowering cost per lead. persado+1
- Behavior-based personalization: AI-powered systems can trigger different email sequences or on-site messages based on what a visitor viewed (e.g., residential vs commercial services), so prospects feel understood and move faster toward a quote. metricswatch+1
For service businesses, this often translates into more phone calls, more form fills, and fewer “tire kickers.”
Using AI to Strengthen Local SEO and GBP
Local search is where many of your customers are won or lost. AI can quietly power a lot of the behind-the-scenes work that improves your map pack visibility and organic reach. ziplines+1
Examples include:
- Generating consistent, on-brand Google Business Profile posts that reference services, neighborhoods, and pain points your customers actually search, while you layer in real photos and project details. digitalfirst+1
- Drafting location page outlines that highlight nearby landmarks, service areas, and use cases in ways that feel natural to users but map closely to local search behavior. ziplines+1
Here’s a quick look at how these AI-driven improvements map to outcomes:
| AI Focus Area | What AI Helps With | Result for Clients |
|---|---|---|
| Content & EEAT | Structuring case studies, FAQs, topical clusters digitalfirst+1 | More organic traffic and time on site digitalmarketinginstitute |
| Ad Creative & Copy | Testing headlines, CTAs, and offers at scale persado | Higher CTR and lower CPL persado+1 |
| Local & GBP Optimization | Drafting posts, service blurbs, and FAQs ziplines+1 | Better map visibility and local calls ziplines |
| Personalization & Nurture | Behavior-based emails and on-site messages metricswatch+1 | Better lead quality and close rates metricswatch |
Guardrails: Keeping AI Human, Ethical, and On-Brand
There are real risks if AI is left unchecked—generic content, hallucinated facts, or messaging that feels off-brand. That’s why the most important part of this journey has been keeping a human-in-the-loop process. audiencescience+1
That means:
- Treating AI outputs as first drafts and hypothesis generators, not final truth.
- Verifying facts, adding your own experience, and making sure claims match what you can actually deliver for customers.ibm
- Staying transparent and respectful of privacy, especially when using predictive analytics or personalization based on user behavior.audiencescience
Done right, AI doesn’t replace the relationship between you and your customers; it amplifies your ability to show up consistently, communicate clearly, and serve them better.
Further Reading on AI in Marketing
For deeper dives you can reference (and link in your blog):
- IBM – “A guide to AI in marketing” (high-level overview of AI, ML, and use cases). ibm
- HubSpot – “8 ways to use AI in digital marketing” (tactical examples for content, email, and ads). hubspot
- Digital Marketing Institute – “How AI is Changing Digital Marketing” (how AI affects search, personalization, and customer experience). digitalmarketinginstitute
By staying curious and intentional about how AI, LLMs, and light “coding” through prompts fit into your strategy, you not only keep up with the industry—you give your clients a real competitive edge in getting seen, trusted, and contacted first. audiencescience+1
Michael Spinoe is one of the top digital marketing experts in Maryland and Northern Virginia, blending years of hands-on experience with a proven track record of helping trades-based businesses grow online. As a President’s Club winner at Hibu and a former plumbing business owner, he brings real-world insight to SEO, Google Ads, Facebook and Instagram campaigns, display banners, websites, and full-scale local digital strategies. Trusted by over 100 clients nationwide, Michael is known for his honesty, deep product knowledge, and results-driven approach—consistently boosting visibility, leads, and ROI for roofers, chimney companies, HVAC businesses, plumbers, and more. His work is highlighted through customer testimonials, including Leon Fence’s success story, and his YouTube channel, Digital Marketing with Michael, where he educates and supports both English- and Spanish-speaking communities. To grow your business with a true partner in digital marketing, contact Michael directly at 240-910-1299.
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