AI search is changing how customers find local businesses
More searches now end with an AI summary instead of a click. Here is what that means for local businesses, and five things to do about it.
Search for "best tacos near me" today and there is a good chance the first thing you see is not a list of websites. It is an AI written answer that summarizes your options, pulls in ratings and points you to a map. For local businesses, that shift changes how customers find you and how often they ever reach your website.
Fewer clicks, faster decisions
Pew Research Center tracked the real browsing of 900 U.S. adults in March 2025. About 18 percent of their Google searches produced an AI summary. When a summary appeared, people clicked a regular search result on 8 percent of visits, compared with 15 percent when there was no summary. They clicked a link inside the summary itself on just 1 percent of visits.
In other words, more people are making up their minds right on the results page. If your business is not part of that answer, you may never get the chance to make your case.
What AI search uses for local answers
When researchers at Human Level tested Google's AI Mode on local searches, the usual three business map listing disappeared and was replaced by an AI answer listing up to ten businesses, each with a short description, plus a map at the end. The businesses that normally appear at the top of the map results also showed up in AI Mode.
The information behind those answers comes from places you already control or influence:
- Your Google Business Profile. Ratings, categories, hours, services and attributes all feed the answer.
- Your reviews. A steady flow of recent, detailed reviews helps you stand out.
- Your website. Clear, consistent information about what you offer and where you are.
- Mentions around the web. Directories, local media and social profiles that agree with each other.
Five things to do this month
- Finish your Business Profile. Pick the right primary and secondary categories, list every service, add current hours and holiday hours, upload real photos and fill out attributes like outdoor seating, live music or free estimates.
- Ask for reviews every week. Make it a habit, not a campaign. Reply to every review, good or bad, in a friendly, specific way.
- Answer real questions on your website. AI answers love plain facts. Spell out your services, service areas, hours, price ranges and the questions customers ask most.
- Keep your details consistent. Your business name, address and phone number should match everywhere: your site, your profile, directories and social pages.
- Track calls and directions, not just clicks. If fewer people click through, website visits alone will undersell your results. Watch calls, direction requests, bookings and form fills.
The bottom line
AI search does not replace the basics. It rewards them. Businesses with complete profiles, steady reviews and clear, fast websites are the ones AI answers have the most to say about. If you want help getting there, that is exactly what we do.