On the Trail: June 2026

Last month, one trend stood out clearly across Hike customer data: more small businesses are turning ideas into action.

Rather than spending time figuring out what to do next, customers are using Kit, our AI SEO expert, to discover opportunities, publish content, improve local visibility, and strengthen their online presence.

For many small businesses, that's where growth really happens - not in the reports, but in the implementation.

What businesses focused on this month

Finding new opportunities

Keyword research remained one of the most-used areas of the platform, with customers generating nearly 5,000 new keyword opportunities during May.

Why it matters: Every keyword represents a potential customer search. By identifying what people are actively looking for, businesses can create content that helps them show up in search results, AI-generated answers, and local searches.

Publishing more Kit-generated content

More customers moved from planning to publishing this month. In terms of local business SEO - we’re seeing more website updates, content approvals, and Google Business Profile posts increase - as businesses focus on keeping their online presence active and up to date.

Why it matters: Fresh content helps search engines understand that your business is active, relevant, and continuing to serve customers. Over time, that can lead to greater visibility and more enquiries.

A standout trend: creating new pages

One of the strongest growth areas in May was new website page content. Interaction with page creation increased by 168%, showing that more businesses are expanding their websites rather than simply updating existing pages.

Why it matters: Every new page creates another opportunity for potential customers to discover your business. Whether it's a service page, location page, guide, or FAQ, each one helps you reach people searching for exactly what you offer.

Local SEO keywords helps grow visibility for your business

Businesses also spent more time improving their local presence. Activity in Google Listing Manager increased significantly, particularly through new photo uploads and profile updates. At the same time, more customers began tracking their local rankings in greater detail.

Why it matters: Most small businesses win customers locally. Understanding where you appear in search results and keeping your business profile active helps more nearby customers find and choose you.

Moving from insight to action

The pattern this month is encouraging. Businesses aren't just researching opportunities - they're acting on them. More content is being published. More pages are being created. More local profiles are being improved.

The businesses making the most progress on Hike are doing it consistently: publishing Kit's content, improving their Google Business Profile, responding to and generating more reviews, and acting on the opportunities Kit surfaces.

Over the next month, we'll be running a series on AI visibility and what businesses like yours can do today to prepare for how customers will search tomorrow.

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Keep climbing!

The Hike Team

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