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Short answer: Answer real customer questions in plain, factual language, publish complete and current facility details, build accurate listings and genuine reviews across the web, create substantial location pages, and regularly ask AI tools the questions your customers ask to see whether you appear.
Mark’s checklist #
- Direct answers to real questions. A strong FAQ: “What size unit do I need for a two-bedroom apartment?”, “Do you require insurance?”, “Climate-controlled vs standard?”, “Can I get in at night?” Write clear, declarative sentences; AI skips vague marketing phrases like “great service.”
- Concrete facility facts. Exact address, office and gate hours, every unit size with current pricing, amenities, payment methods, lease terms and current specials.
- Third-party authority. Accurate listings on Google Business Profile, Yelp, aggregators and directories such as SpareFoot and StorageCafe, local chamber sites, and a steady flow of genuine Google reviews. AI compares many sources, not just your homepage.
- Real location pages. Neighborhoods served, directions from landmarks, and the customers you serve (students near a university, boat owners near a marina). Thin “city + storage” pages no longer work.
- Keep it current. Outdated pricing pages tend to be ignored.
- Test it. Periodically ask ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google’s AI Overviews what a customer would ask in your market. If a competitor is recommended and you aren’t, that’s a content and authority gap to close.
The same thinking applies beyond your website: blog posts, packing and organizing videos, guest posts with local movers and partnerships with realtors and apartment communities can all become sources an AI cites.
Related answers #
- What is GSO (generative search optimization) and why does it matter for self-storage?
- Why do landing pages still matter in self-storage marketing?
- How should self-storage operators choose and vet vendors?
Source: Mark’s post The New World of GSO and How It Applies To Your Self Storage Business
