It is not your imagination. Your website traffic may be shrinking even though your rankings have not moved. Calls and form submissions feel slower. If you have been watching your Google Business Profile insights, you may have noticed fewer people taking action.
There is a reason for that.
It is called AI Overviews, and Google has rolled it out as part of a much larger change in how search works. For local business owners, this shift matters more than any ordinary algorithm update, because it changes what a search result even looks like.
Here is what is happening, and what to do about it.
What Are AI Overviews?
AI Overviews are the summaries Google now generates at the top of many search results. Instead of leading with a list of links, Google uses AI to read across multiple sources and write a short answer to the question directly on the results page.
These summaries are written by Google’s models rather than copied from any single site. They are not something you opt into. Google decides when to show one, how it is worded, and which sources get referenced.
In many cases that answer appears above the website links, above the ads, and above the local map pack.
So you can still rank well and still lose the visit, because the searcher never scrolls past the answer. That is a zero click search, and it is now a normal part of how people use Google.
Why This Matters for Local Businesses
Say someone searches “how fast can a plumber fix a leaking pipe.”
A few years ago they would have gotten blog posts, a local plumber’s FAQ page, and a forum thread or two.
Now Google may answer it directly with something like: a licensed plumber can usually fix a leaking pipe within an hour, look for providers offering 24/7 service with strong reviews for emergency response.
That answer does not rank local businesses by proximity the way the map pack does. What it can do is pull in details from businesses whose content and reviews actually mention emergency response, 24/7 availability, or pipe repair speed.
The impression forms right there, before the searcher ever types “plumber near me.”
Google is not only showing results anymore. It is making recommendations. If your business is not part of that recommendation, you are not in the running.
Where Those Answers Come From
Traditional SEO had reasonably well understood inputs: content, links, speed, relevance. AI Overviews lean on semantic understanding instead, which means the system is working out what the best answer is rather than matching a keyword.
Based on what these summaries consistently reference, the sources that matter most for a local business are:
- Your Google Business Profile, particularly your services, categories, and reviews
- Established third party directories such as Yelp, Angi, and the BBB, plus the directories specific to your trade
- Genuinely helpful content on your own site, especially how to articles and service explanations
- Discussion across forums, Reddit, and question and answer style pages
If your business is thin in those places, you are unlikely to be included. This is the same shift I wrote about in what generative engine optimization is and why it is different, and it is worth understanding before you spend another dollar on search.
What Local Businesses Should Do Now
You are not out of the game. You do have to optimize differently.
1. Tighten Up Your Google Business Profile
Every word in your profile carries more weight now. Update your service list, write a real business description, and make sure your primary category is exactly right. Add photos. Post updates regularly. Your profile is one of the most reliable factual sources Google has about your business.
2. Encourage Reviews That Name the Service
Reviews get scanned for patterns. A review that says “they replaced our water heater the same day” tells the system far more than one that says “great job.” Ask customers to mention what you actually did for them. If asking feels awkward, there is a way to get more five star reviews without begging.
3. Get Listed and Stay Consistent
This is less about backlinks and more about citations. Your name, address, and phone number should match everywhere they appear: Yelp, Angi, the BBB, your chamber of commerce, and any directory specific to your trade. Inconsistent details make you a less reliable source.
4. Put Real Content on Your Website
A thin service page does not give anything to reference. Detailed FAQs, how to guides, and posts that answer the questions customers actually ask are what get summarized. A roofer can write about telling whether shingles need replacing after a storm. A dentist can explain how often a deep cleaning is really necessary. Our guide to creating great local content covers how to find those topics.
5. Do Not Skip Video
Google increasingly reads video content, YouTube in particular. A short explainer titled around a real question, with a transcript and a link back to your site, gives the system one more place to find you.
A Reality Check: Not Every Search Triggers an Overview
Let me be clear about the limits here. When someone types “dentist near me” or “best dog groomer” plus a city, an AI Overview usually does not appear. You still get the map pack, the local listings, and sometimes ads, the same as before.
Overviews show up on questions. Things like whether microneedling is safe for sensitive skin, or how long an HVAC installation takes. Those are the searches where a buyer is forming an opinion, and they are exactly the ones worth being visible in. This is part of the same broader move toward conversational search covered in voice search and local SEO.
Does This Replace Traditional SEO?
No, but it does change where the attention lands. The short version:
- SEO gets you on the page.
- AI Overviews decide whether you get seen.
The goal is no longer only to rank. It is to be referenced. That means writing for helpfulness, relevance, and context rather than for keyword placement.
Where to Start
This is the most disruptive change to local search in years, and it is also an opening. Most of your competitors have not adjusted for it yet. The businesses that take it seriously now will be the ones Google reaches for when a customer asks a question.
If you are already showing up in the map pack, you have a head start. The next step is making sure Google’s AI sees you as the best answer too.
If you are not sure where you stand, a free website audit is the fastest way to find out. I will show you how your site, your profile, and your reviews look to the systems now deciding what customers see.
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