What changed
Google now shows AI-written answers above some results, and people ask AI tools for recommendations. For quick questions, fewer people click through to websites. That's real.
What didn't
- Local service searches still show the map pack, with call buttons.
- People with an urgent problem still want a phone number, not an essay.
- Google says there's nothing special needed to appear in AI features. It's the same SEO basics.
- AI answers draw on the same sources: your profile, reviews, website and listings.
What matters more now
- A complete Business Profile, because more tools read it.
- Reviews that describe the job and the suburb.
- Clear, factual answers on your website: prices, areas, timeframes.
- Consistent details everywhere your business appears.
What matters less
Thin pages written only to rank, and keyword tricks. Google's spam updates keep hitting them, and AI answers ignore them because they say nothing new.
The bottom line
Local SEO is still the cheapest steady source of calls for most local businesses. It's just less about tricks and more about being genuinely the best-documented business in your area.
Rather not do this yourself? Our Google Business Profile management handles the profile, the posts and the reviews every week, for one monthly fee.