CITIES: Attracting Entrepreneurs & Local Businesses Through Search Intelligence

Cities want to attract entrepreneurs, independent shop owners, artisans, and restaurateurs to revitalise commercial streets and reduce vacancy.
However, traditional tools (events, newsletters, economic development offices, vacant unit listings) do not reveal who is actually looking to open a business, nor what residents objectively want in their city.

The Challenge

1. No visibility into who wants to open a business

Most future business owners start on Google:

“open a beauty salon”
“open a café”
“rent a retail space”
“open a shop in my city”

These signals never reach the municipality’s radar.

2. Cities do not know what their residents truly want

Should the city attract:
a florist?
a coffee shop?
a greengrocer?
an Italian restaurant?
a thrift store?

How do you objectively understand residents’ expectations?
→ With Search Intelligence.

3. Municipal communication is not aligned with entrepreneurs’ language

Cities talk about “commercial revitalisation”, “territorial dynamics”, “urban reactivation”.
Entrepreneurs search:
“how to open a business”,
“city centre rent prices”,
“grants to open a shop”.

4. Entrepreneurs migrate to places where demand is visible and well-documented

If they cannot see:

• local demand,
• the potential of the area,
• a clear roadmap explaining how to open a business,

they will choose another city — or postpone their project entirely.

The Yourban.ai Solution — Search Intelligence for Cities

Yourban.ai reveals exactly who is searching for what, where, and which types of businesses residents expect, enabling cities to become truly attractive destinations for entrepreneurs.

1) Identify entrepreneurs actively searching to open a business

How many are searching?
In which categories?

2) Understand which businesses are most in demand locally

Coffee shop? Bakery? Indian restaurant? Fromagerie? Repair workshop?

Search data uncovers:

• residents’ priority needs,
• emerging trends (e.g., explosion of “pickleball”),
• and helps you adapt your documentation and support materials proactively.

3) Attract entrepreneurs with content aligned to their search behavior

Cities can create targeted pages such as:

“How to open a business in [City]”
“Available retail units in [City]”
“Entrepreneur support programs – [City]”

→ and appear on Google before neighbouring cities.

4) Guide entrepreneurs to the right neighbourhoods

Identify:

• streets with high demand
• underserved areas
• districts experiencing growth

Outcomes for Cities

Before Yourban.ai

• Difficulty attracting entrepreneurs (high cost, low number of qualified candidates)
• Poor visibility on local commercial demand (studies are expensive and often outdated)
• Persistent commercial vacancy

With Yourban.ai

• Attraction driven by real local demand
• Clear understanding of the most sought-after businesses
• Stronger visibility on Google & AI
• Reduction of commercial vacancy
• More dynamic, economically attractive city

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