Expanding as "AI Search [Michibito]" for Stores Chosen by Both AI and People

Glade Inc. (Representative: Yoshihiro Sawada) has unified the name of its AIO countermeasure service for businesses to "AI Search [Michibito]". This service aims to create a state where information is "correctly understood by AI and clearly delivered to people" in a new environment that assumes generative AI, while retaining the know-how of AIO countermeasures that have been provided to date, in the era of AI search.

Background of the Service

Previously, SEO measures to rank company websites high in search results were the focus of customer acquisition. Subsequently, with the spread of smartphones, the behavior of searching for stores starting from Google Maps became widespread, and efforts to improve rankings on maps, known as MEO measures, also became important.

And now, we are evolving into an era where Google's generative AI, "AI Overviews," is displayed at the top of search results, directly presenting "recommended stores" in response to user questions. In other words, not only "whether it appears in search results or on maps," but "whether it is chosen as a recommendation by generative AI" is beginning to become a new turning point for customer acquisition.

In future customer acquisition, "optimization to be chosen by AI" will be indispensable. The key to this is AIO (AI Overviews Optimization / AI Search Optimization), which involves organizing store information, reviews, and website structure for generative AI such as Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot.

"AI Search [Michibito]"

"AI Search [Michibito]" is an AIO countermeasure service that supports customer acquisition in the AI search era, comprehensively solving store customer acquisition challenges such as "not being found in searches," "reviews not increasing," and "not having the capacity for inbound support."

It supports everything from AIO (AI Search / AI Overviews countermeasures) to search ranking improvements, review management, and multilingual support within a single system, assisting in creating stores that are chosen by both AI and people. It not only displays accurate and attractive information on Google Search and Google Maps but also designs the structure, keywords, and review responses from an AI perspective so that this information can be appropriately cited and recommended by AI search.

Furthermore, as specific countermeasure methods are constantly updated with changes in the search environment,

"AI Search [Michibito]" continuously catches up with the latest information and provides AI search optimization measures that are considered effective at that time. Precisely because it is an era of rapid change, as a continuously evolving service, it will continue to support businesses in maintaining a state where they are "continuously chosen by both AI and people."

Service Overview

1 Citation Measures

Citations refer to the state where basic information such as store name, address, phone number, and website is published with the same content on Google, Apple Maps, Bing Maps, SNS, and various other sites. Generative AI and search engines judge the reliability of store information based on this "information consistency," making it important for the same information to be available everywhere.

"AI Search [Michibito]" supports major platforms both domestically and internationally, and by correctly updating store information in bulk, it maintains complete consistency of NAP (Name/Address/Phone). This ensures "store information that is easy to verify online," naturally boosting ratings from search engines and AI, and increasing the probability of being adopted in AI answers and recommendations.

2 Bulk Management and Operation of Store Information and Instagram Integration

It enables the correct bulk management and operation of store information displayed on Google Search and Google Maps.

Information such as photos, business hours, and product details can be managed collectively, and information for multiple stores can also be managed in bulk, preventing omissions in updates and information discrepancies between stores.

By simply updating Google Business Profile (GBP), all information is updated in bulk, ensuring that business hours are always communicated correctly. Furthermore, integration with Instagram allows for automatic and frequent information updates, which is also a feature. By automatically linking posted photos and the latest information to store pages and GBP, the content of the pages can be kept consistently rich, enhancing the "information freshness" rating from Google.

Additionally, with a function to distribute linked destinations using hashtags included in posts, if tags are set for each store such as "#Shibuya," "#Shinjuku," or "#Ikebukuro," it is possible to strategically update information for multiple stores from a single Instagram account.

By being able to set only posts with specific hashtags as synchronization targets, it is possible to achieve safe and efficient information dissemination tailored to the characteristics of each platform, while automatically excluding posts that may violate guidelines or Instagram-exclusive content.

3 Automated AI Posting, Multilingual Support, and Review Promotion

With the introduction of this new feature, even companies not operating Instagram will find that managing GBP requires very little effort. It reduces posting tasks for store information dissemination by up to 90% while enabling continuous posting. By simply selecting images, entering text, and setting the posting date and time, AI automatically generates the post content and handles scheduled delivery, allowing for continuous operation by setting it up once every 1-2 months.

Even if there are no images, AI can generate images and text, and with automatic translation into up to 20 languages and support for setting up scheduled posts and links to detail pages, it enables smooth information dissemination not only to domestic customers but also to inbound tourists (inbound measures).

Specifically, by organizing store descriptions, menus, and prices in major languages such as English, Chinese, and Korean, it supports key factors that influence the choices of inbound tourists when searching for stores on Google Search and Google Maps. Furthermore, a review promotion tool in the form of a questionnaire accessed via QR code naturally guides users to post Google reviews with the feeling of "answering a questionnaire," and the display language automatically switches according to the device's language settings, making it easier to collect natural reviews from users worldwide. This supports the accumulation of multilingual and reliable store information and reviews, helping to maintain a state where stores are chosen by both AI and people.

Main Benefits for User Companies and Stores

By introducing this service, businesses can go beyond simply improving search rankings and review and disseminate information with a focus on "in what context and for what kind of questions should our company appear as a candidate." This aims to make it easier for businesses to be summarized by AI in a way that clearly conveys their strengths when users search by combining criteria such as "area," "genre," "budget," and "experiential value," and thus be more likely to be considered.

Furthermore, for companies and stores, the process of re-verbalizing their business content, value proposition, and strengths, and aligning them into a consistent message across channels, provides an opportunity to reconfirm "What kind of company (store) are we?" and "What value do we offer to whom?" A key feature of "AI Search [Michibito]" is that while it is a search countermeasure, it also functions as branding support that re-examines the brand's core values and positioning.

Pricing Plans

Initial Cost

50,000 yen

[BASIC PLAN] GBP account acquisition support, initial setup, GBP basic information optimization, anti-tampering, Instagram

posting integration/LINE notification function Automatic linkage of GBP photo posts, citation measures

Inbound measures (multilingual support)

Review promotion (questionnaire tool)

Review reply AI

30,000 yen/month

*All prices above are before tax.

Future Outlook

AI search is expected to rapidly increase its presence within search engines, map applications, and various AI assistants in the future. Glade Inc. will continue to provide search countermeasure support as a partner for companies and stores that positively embrace these environmental changes through "AI Search [Michibito]."

We aim to share the perspective of "information design for being chosen by AI" with more businesses going forward, and in an era where AI is becoming the main player in search, we will continue to work on building a foundation for companies and brands to function not just as "entities to be searched for" but as "guides that lead user choices."

Company Overview

Company Name

Glade Inc.

Location

1-8-5 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0002

Representative Name

Yoshihiro Sawada

Business Activities

AI-focused marketing, business reconstruction support, reuse business, beauty/food and beverage business, etc.

Official HP

https://michibito.io/

Official Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/michibito_ai/

Glade Official HP

https://glade.co.jp/