For community banks, this is an opportunity to: • Showcase leaders as trusted neighbors and advocates. • Highlight their skills, recommendations, and community service. • Ensure consistency across platforms so AI can distinguish them from others with similar names. When AI tools answer questions like, “Who is the best contact for small business lending in [county]?” you want your people to appear. FIGHTING MISINFORMATION: A COMMUNITY DEFENSE Community banks have long been guardians against fraud and misinformation in finance. Now, AI introduces new risks such as deepfake executives, fake reviews damaging reputations or even spoofed press releases creating false impressions. The lesson from other industries is clear: Misinformation can spiral out of control in hours. GEO strategy isn’t just about visibility — it’s also about defense. Community banks must: • Secure official accounts with two-factor authentication. • Use AI monitoring tools to detect false narratives early. • Have a plan to respond swiftly with clear, trusted communication. In doing so, they not only protect their own reputation but also reinforce their role as stewards of trust in the communities they serve. GEO AS A COMMUNITY IMPERATIVE The transition from SEO to GEO is not optional. Just as ignoring Google 20 years ago meant invisibility, ignoring AI search today risks irrelevance. But for community banks, this is more than a marketing challenge — it is a moral imperative. The heart of community banking has always been trust, service and resilience. GEO is simply the new frontier for ensuring those values shine through in a digital world. By embracing clarity, consistency and credibility, community banks can ensure that when neighbors ask AI for advice, the answers point to the institutions that have always been there for them. Because at the end of the day, GEO is not just about optimization. It’s about preserving the story of how community banks care for their communities and making sure that story is heard in the places where people now turn for truth. Interested in learning more? Read our newest whitepaper on the SEO to GEO transformation now by scanning the QR code. https://www.aicrisk.com/ai-risk-white-paper Joe McMann is a seasoned entrepreneur and corporate strategist who currently serves as co-founder & CRO at Artificial Intelligence Risk Inc. (AIR). In his role at AIR, Joe leads business and corporate development for a global business recognized as the premier platform to integrate high-risk AI safely. As a seven-time founder, Joe specializes in bridging the gap between innovative technology and practical implementation. Under AIR’s tutelage, community banks can gain a tangible pathway to leverage enterprise-grade AI securely and effectively, ensuring accelerated innovation while preserving the relationships and trust that make community banking so valuable. 17 The Community Banker
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