Google’s AI is Rewriting Local SEO—Is Your Business Still Showing Up?
Google is quietly transforming how people find local services—and if you're not adapting, your business could be left out of the conversation.
With the rollout of AI Overviews (AIOs) in Google Search, answers—not just links—are now front and center. And within those AI-generated summaries, ads for local services are being woven in contextually, not displayed in the traditional sidebar or top-of-page format.
With the rollout of AI Overviews (AIOs) in Google Search, answers—not just links—are now front and center. And within those AI-generated summaries, ads for local services are being woven in contextually, not displayed in the traditional sidebar or top-of-page format.
What’s Changing for Local Providers?
When someone searches for “best plumber near me” or “estate lawyer in Austin”, Google’s AI now builds a comprehensive summary—often recommending a few providers or services directly within the response.
But here’s the twist: these new AI-native ad placements are subtle, deeply contextual, and behaviorally different from the ads we’re used to.
We’re seeing early AI ad activity across:
But here’s the twist: these new AI-native ad placements are subtle, deeply contextual, and behaviorally different from the ads we’re used to.
We’re seeing early AI ad activity across:
If your business relies on local discovery, your strategy must evolve.
Why This Matters
These new placements are more than just ads—they act like recommendations from the AI assistant itself. And users don’t engage the same way they would with old-school PPC or map packs.
To succeed in this new ecosystem, local marketers need to:
To succeed in this new ecosystem, local marketers need to:
We’ve been testing what gets surfaced and what gets skipped in these new AI-driven local queries. The results are eye-opening—and actionable.
This is the biggest shift in local search since Google Maps. Don’t let your competitors become the AI’s default recommendation.
Let’s position your brand where local customers actually look now.
Would you like a more conversational or visual version for email marketing (e.g. HTML + mobile-friendly layout)? I can also help create matching landing page copy.
Let’s position your brand where local customers actually look now.
Would you like a more conversational or visual version for email marketing (e.g. HTML + mobile-friendly layout)? I can also help create matching landing page copy.
Ready to Elevate Your Local Search Presence?
