Quick Answer / AI-Friendly Summary
Google and AI search (including SGE) are moving from keyword matching to understanding entities (people, places, businesses, topics).
If you’re a local business in San Diego, Google wants to know: Who are you? What topics do you own? Are you the right business for this user in this location?
Building topical authority (creating deep content around your services, location, and audience) helps you win rankings, Maps/GBP visibility, and future AI-driven search experiences.
I’m Jen Ruhman, owner of a SEO company in San Diego, and I help local brands future-proof their SEO.
Call/text me: (619) 719-1315 if you want me to build this for you.
Why I’m Talking About This Now
I’m Jen Ruhman, and I’ve been doing SEO in San Diego for a long time. Over the last couple of years I’ve watched Google shift from “who used the keyword more times” to “who is the real authority on this topic and in this city.” That shift is only getting stronger as we get closer to 2026.
A lot of business owners in places like North Park, La Jolla, Point Loma, and Chula Vista still think SEO is just adding keywords and fixing their Google Business Profile. That used to work. Now? Google and AI search want to understand you as an entity. That means Google wants to connect your business name, your services, your location, your website, your social media, your reviews, and even your mentions around the web.
If you don’t build that picture for Google, your competitors will.
So I’m going to break down what entity-driven SEO is, why it matters for San Diego businesses, and how to build topical authority in a way that works for AI search, SGE, and traditional search at the same time.
What Is Entity-Driven SEO?
Entity-driven SEO is SEO that focuses on helping Google understand who you are, what you do, and where you do it — not just what keywords you used on a page.
An “entity” can be:
Your business (example: Jen Ruhman SEO)
A location (example: San Diego, CA)
A service (example: SEO services, Brazilian blowout, autism evaluations San Diego, etc.)
A person (example: Dr. Ben Mousavi, Elisabeth Dawson — I know you’ve seen me write for these types of brands )
When Google understands that your business is tied to a location and a service, it can confidently show you in:
Local packs
SGE / AI overviews
“People also search for” panels
Branded search results
“Best [service] in San Diego” queries
That’s why I tell my clients: stop thinking “I need one page for SEO” and start thinking “I need to teach Google that I am the authority for this topic in San Diego.”
Why This Matters More Before 2026
By 2026, AI-generated answers and Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) will take up even more space at the top of the SERPs. That means if your business isn’t recognized as the best entity for a query, the AI answer may skip you.
Right now, we still have time to feed Google everything it needs:
Consistent NAP (name, address, phone)
Content clusters around services
Local relevance signals (neighborhoods, landmarks, service areas)
Schema
Reviews matching the service
A real human behind the brand (that’s the E-E-A-T part)
If you’re reading this and thinking, “I don’t have that built out yet,” call/text me at (619) 719-1315 and I can build that topical authority plan for you.
How Google Sees a San Diego Business (Example)
Let me make this simple. Let’s say you’re a medspa in Point Loma. Google wants to know:
Are you really in San Diego?
Do you actually offer Botox, Sculptra, or filler?
Do people in San Diego talk about you or review you?
Does your website have content about those services?
Does your business match the intent of the search?
Are you the most complete entity for that service in that area?
If another business has 10 strong, helpful posts around “Botox San Diego,” “Botox near Point Loma,” “how much does Botox cost in San Diego,” etc., and you only have one service page, Google will likely pick them for AI answers. That’s topical authority.
Topical Authority: The Part Most Local Businesses Skip
Topical authority just means you’ve covered your topic well enough that Google trusts you.
For example, on my own site, JenRuhman.com, I don’t just say “I do SEO.” I publish content about:
Local SEO in San Diego
GBP optimization
AI search and SGE
Content clustering
How to outrank national competitors locally
That signals I’m not just a random marketer — I’m an SEO expert in San Diego.
You can do the same in your niche. If you’re a dog trainer in San Diego, write deeply about San Diego dog parks, San Diego leash laws, puppy training, separation anxiety, group classes in La Jolla, etc. Google sees that pattern.
E-E-A-T: Showing You’re a Real Expert
One thing that keeps showing up in successful sites is E-E-A-T:
Experience – Have you actually done the work?
Expertise – Do you explain it clearly?
Authoritativeness – Do others reference you?
Trustworthiness – Are you real?
I always tell clients, “Let’s show Google there’s a real person behind this business.” That’s why I write in the first person, add San Diego context, and sometimes tell a quick story.
A Quick Personal Story
A few years ago, a local business owner in San Diego told me, “Jen, I’ve had the same website for 8 years and it never ranks.” When I checked it, they had one page per service, no local context, no blogs, no schema, and everything was written like a brochure.
We added 10 blog posts targeting San Diego neighborhoods and service-related questions. Within a few months they started getting leads because now Google knew exactly what audience to show them to. That’s the power of entity + topical authority. It wasn’t magic — it was structure.
Optimizing for AI Search and SGE
Here’s the part most SEO blogs skip: AI answers need structured, clear, fact-based content to pull from. If your site is vague, AI can’t feature you.
To optimize for AI search:
Put short, direct answers near the top (like I did in the “Quick Answer” section).
Use clear subheadings so AI can map topics.
Add local entities: “San Diego,” “La Jolla,” “Chula Vista,” “Point Loma.”
Use schema (FAQ, LocalBusiness, Service).
Be consistent with your business name and phone: Call/text me: (619) 719-1315 — see how I repeat that? That’s a signal.
When AI looks for “SEO company San Diego,” I want it to see me, my content, and my entity across the web.
Building a Content Cluster Around Your Core Service
If you want to rank for “roofing company San Diego” or “IV therapy San Diego” or “autism evaluations San Diego,” don’t just make one page. Build a cluster.
Example Cluster for a Local Service
Main page: “IV Therapy San Diego”
Supporting posts:
“How much does IV therapy cost in San Diego?”
“IV therapy vs vitamin shots in San Diego”
“Who is IV therapy best for?”
“Mobile IV therapy in La Jolla”
“Is IV therapy safe?”
Each of those pages reinforces the entity: you + IV therapy + San Diego.
This is exactly what I do for clients, and it works because it matches how Google and AI now understand topics.
Local Relevance: Don’t Be Generic
If you’re in San Diego, sound like San Diego.
Mention:
Neighborhoods: La Jolla, North Park, Hillcrest, Encinitas, Mission Valley
Landmarks: Balboa Park, UTC, Liberty Station
Local search intent: “near me,” “in San Diego,” “open now,” “best in San Diego”
When I write content for San Diego clients, I make sure the content feels local. That helps both users and Google trust you more.
Use SEO-Friendly Anchor Text
To help my own site rank, I naturally drop in anchor text like:
If you need a trusted SEO company San Diego, I can help you plan this.
I’ve been working as an SEO expert in San Diego for years, and entity-based SEO is one of the fastest ways to future-proof rankings.
You should do the same on your site — internally link to your main service or home page using keyword-rich anchors (but don’t spam it).
Technical Pieces You Shouldn’t Skip
Entity-driven SEO isn’t just content. Make sure you also:
Add LocalBusiness schema with your NAP
Keep GBP updated with services and posts
Use the same phone number everywhere
Get listed on relevant San Diego directories
Keep your About page human and real
Use FAQ schema (I’ll add some below)
Make sure every page has a clear topic
Google wants to connect the dots. Let’s make the dots obvious.
What Happens If You Don’t Do This?
Honestly? You get filtered out.
When SGE shows “Here are some businesses in San Diego that offer X,” it’s going to show the ones with:
Clear entity signals
Topical authority
Consistent local presence
Real expertise
If your site is thin and generic, you might still index, but you won’t be the one AI recommends.
Let’s Build Your Authority Now
Entity-driven SEO isn’t a trend — it’s the direction everything is moving. By 2026, search is going to be even more AI-assisted, and the sites that win will be the ones that already told Google, “This is who I am, this is what I do, and this is where I serve.”
I’m already doing this for San Diego businesses — medspas, mental health clinics, dog trainers, mortgage brokers, restaurants in Chinatown (yes, even those ).
If you want me to build this for your business, reach out.
Call/text me: (619) 719-1315
Or visit Jen Ruhman SEO – SEO company San Diego and let’s get your topical authority in place before everyone else catches up.
FAQs
1. What is entity-driven SEO in simple terms?
It’s SEO that helps Google fully understand your business — not just what keywords you used, but who you are, where you’re located, and what topics you should rank for.
2. Do I need multiple blog posts about the same service?
Yes, but with different angles. That’s how you build topical authority. Think of it like showing Google you can answer every question on the subject.
3. Will this help me in Google Business Profile/Maps?
Yes. Strong entity signals and local content help Google match you to more “near me” searches.
4. How long does entity-building take?
It depends on how much content and structure you already have. Some clients see movement in weeks, others in months — but it’s a long-term asset.
5. Can you do this for me?
Yes. Call/text me at (619) 719-1315 and I can audit what you have and map out content, schema, and internal links.
