Be the store
AI sends people to.
Customers ask AI where to shop before they leave the house. If your stores aren't in that answer, you're losing foot traffic to competitors who are.
AI is replacing Google Maps as the
#1 local discovery channel
Shoppers used to search "shoe store near me" on Google. Now they ask AI — and trust the first recommendation. Local advertising needs a new playbook.
Measure what drives foot traffic from AI
Direction requests and map views don't capture AI influence. Drive-to-store campaigns are measured by how AI recommends your locations in local queries.
Local Mention Rate
How often AI recommends your store or location when users ask "near me" or city-specific queries.
Recommendation Position
Where your store ranks in the AI answer. First location mentioned captures the highest foot traffic intent.
Visit Intent Lift
Whether AI frames your location as "top-rated", "closest", or "best for" — driving real-world visits.
Why retailers need AI search advertising
AI is becoming the default local advisor. Retailers and brands with physical locations that activate now capture foot traffic before competitors even show up.
Show Up in Local AI Queries
When users ask AI "best store near me" or "where to buy in [city]", your locations appear in the answer across all AI engines.
Drive Foot Traffic From AI Search
Convert AI recommendations into real-world store visits. Bridge the gap between digital intent and physical presence.
Target City & Location-Based Prompts
Go beyond generic keywords. Reach users asking AI about specific neighborhoods, shopping areas, and local buying needs.
Scale Across Store Networks
One campaign, hundreds of locations. Activate local AI visibility across your entire retail footprint simultaneously.
Own Your Local Category in AI
Secure placements on local authority pages AI trusts most — city guides, local review sites, regional publications.
Launch Fast, Optimize by Location
Activate local campaigns in minutes. See which cities and prompts drive the most recommendation lift and store visits.
From local audit to foot traffic in 4 steps
Map your local AI visibility gaps, place your stores on trusted sources, and drive foot traffic from AI answers.
Audit Your Local AI Visibility
See how AI engines currently answer local queries in your category. Identify cities and prompts where competitors are recommended and you're absent.
Map Local Publisher Pages AI Trusts
We identify the local review sites, city guides, and regional publications AI cites for "near me" and location queries in your markets.
Place Your Stores on Trusted Local Sources
Launch contextual ads on the local publisher pages AI references. Your locations become part of AI's local recommendations.
Track Local Lift & Scale Markets
Monitor local mention rate, recommendation position, and visit intent lift by city. Double down on the locations driving the most traffic.
One platform. Full control.
Set your budget, target local prompts, launch drive-to-store campaigns, and track visit intent lift — no minimum spend.
Drive-to-Store Campaigns
Target local queries, place your stores on trusted sources, and forecast visit intent lift before going live.
| Simulation Name | Campaign Date | Goal | Placements | AI Platforms | Budget | Targeted Prompts | Local Mention Rate | Est. Forecast | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Paris Flagship Stores Decathlon — Île-de-France | Jan 1, 2026 — Mar 31, 2026 | DRIVE TO STORE | 16 |  '%20fill-rule='evenodd'%20d='M11.469,4l11.39,10.494v-0.002V4.024h2.217v10.517%20L36.518,4v11.965h4.697v17.258h-4.683v10.654L25.077,33.813v10.18h-2.217V33.979L11.482,44V33.224H6.785V15.965h4.685V4z%20M21.188,18.155H9.002v12.878h2.477v-4.062L21.188,18.155z%20M13.699,27.943v11.17l9.16-8.068V19.623L13.699,27.943z%20M25.141,30.938%20V19.612l9.163,8.321v5.291h0.012v5.775L25.141,30.938z%20M36.532,31.033h2.466V18.155H26.903l9.629,8.725V31.033z%20M34.301,15.965%20V9.038l-7.519,6.927H34.301z%20M21.205,15.965h-7.519V9.038L21.205,15.965z'%20clip-rule='evenodd'/%3e%3c/svg%3e) | $28,000 | 185 | 26% | 1.4M Impressions | |
Auto Dealership Network Renault — Lyon & Marseille | Feb 1, 2026 — Apr 30, 2026 | DRIVE TO STORE | 22 | %20scale(2.81%202.81)'%20%3e%3clinearGradient%20id='SVGID_1'%20gradientUnits='userSpaceOnUse'%20x1='60.0525'%20y1='33.3396'%20x2='34.8444'%20y2='52.867'%3e%3cstop%20offset='0%25'%20style='stop-color:rgb(145,104,192);stop-opacity:%201'/%3e%3cstop%20offset='34.300000000000004%25'%20style='stop-color:rgb(86,132,209);stop-opacity:%201'/%3e%3cstop%20offset='67.2%25'%20style='stop-color:rgb(27,161,227);stop-opacity:%201'/%3e%3c/linearGradient%3e%3cpath%20d='M%2090%2045.09%20C%2065.838%2046.573%2046.573%2065.838%2045.09%2090%20h%20-0.18%20C%2043.43%2065.837%2024.163%2046.57%200%2045.09%20v%20-0.18%20C%2024.163%2043.43%2043.43%2024.163%2044.91%200%20h%200.18%20C%2046.573%2024.162%2065.838%2043.427%2090%2044.91%20V%2045.09%20z'%20style='stroke:%20none;%20stroke-width:%201;%20stroke-dasharray:%20none;%20stroke-linecap:%20butt;%20stroke-linejoin:%20miter;%20stroke-miterlimit:%2010;%20fill:%20url(%23SVGID_1);%20fill-rule:%20nonzero;%20opacity:%201;'%20transform='%20matrix(1%200%200%201%200%200)%20'%20stroke-linecap='round'%20/%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/svg%3e)  | $42,000 | 148 | 19% | 920K Impressions | |
Pharmacy Local Visibility Pharmacie Lafayette — Nationwide | Mar 1, 2026 — May 31, 2026 | DRIVE TO STORE | 34 | | $55,000 | 276 | 31% | 2.6M Impressions |
See how retailers are driving
foot traffic from AI search
Discover how retail chains, dealerships, and local businesses are capturing foot traffic through the Smalk Ad Network.
"Our dealerships were invisible in AI local queries. After launching with Smalk, we became the #1 recommended dealership in 3 of our 5 target cities — and saw a measurable increase in showroom visits."
FAQs
Common questions about drive-to-store campaigns in AI search and the Smalk Ad Network.
AI won't send customers to your store
if it doesn't know you're there.
Millions of local buying decisions now start with an AI answer. The stores that get recommended are the ones that advertise on the sources AI trusts.