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How AI search is changing the way customers find local businesses

October 4, 2026 · By The Liftofly team

What is AI search, and why does it matter to a local business?

AI search means that a tool such as Google, ChatGPT or Gemini writes a short answer to a question instead of only showing a list of links. For a local business, this matters because some customers now get a recommendation without ever visiting a website.

You may have seen this already. You type a question into Google, and a box of text appears at the top with a summary. Google calls these AI Overviews. There is also an "AI Mode," where you chat with Google to get answers. Other tools, such as ChatGPT, work in a similar way.

This does not mean your business is about to disappear. It does mean a few habits are worth checking. This post sorts what research shows from what is mostly sales talk.

Are people really clicking less when an AI summary appears?

Yes, in one large study. Pew Research Center followed 900 U.S. adults during March 2025 and looked at 68,879 Google searches. When an AI summary appeared, people clicked a regular result link in 8% of visits. When there was no AI summary, they did so in 15% of visits.

Here are the other numbers from that study:

  • AI summaries appeared in 18% of the searches Pew looked at.
  • Only about 1% of visits with an AI summary included a click on a link inside the summary.
  • People ended their browsing session more often after seeing a summary: 26% of the time, compared with 16%.

This is a study of general Google searches, not only local ones. It tells us that when an AI answer is shown, fewer people click through. It does not tell us how your own business is doing.

Do customers use AI to find local businesses?

Some do, and the share is growing. In BrightLocal's 2026 Local Consumer Review Survey, 45% of consumers said they use ChatGPT or another generative AI tool for local business recommendations.

Keep two things in mind. First, this is what people said in a survey, not a count of what they did. Second, BrightLocal sells local marketing software, so it has an interest in this topic. The number is a useful signal, not a promise.

The same research says 97% of consumers read reviews for local businesses. Reviews matter whether a person finds you through a map, a search result or an AI answer.

How often does an AI summary show up for local searches?

Less often than you might think, for the most common kind of local search. Whitespark, a local search company, tested 540 searches in three U.S. cities in May 2025. Only about 15% of traditional local searches, such as "primary care clinic Phoenix," showed an AI Overview. Meanwhile, 93% showed the usual local map results.

This was one study, run at one point in time, and things change quickly. Still, it is a reminder that the familiar map listing is still there for many local searches.

What do you need to do differently for AI search?

Mostly nothing new. Google says there are no additional requirements to appear in AI Overviews or AI Mode, and no other special steps are needed. It also says you do not need special AI files or markup. Traffic from these features is counted inside normal Search Console reports.

Google's own advice points to the basics:

  • Let Google read your website.
  • Make your important content readable text, not just pictures.
  • Give visitors a good experience on the page.
  • Keep your Google Business Profile current.

Google also says there is no way to pay for a better local ranking. For local searches it talks about three things: how well your profile matches the search, how close you are, and how well known you are. Reviews and links from other sites help with the last one.

What is hype, and what is not?

Here is a plain sorting of common claims.

Supported by evidence

  • Clicks fall when an AI summary is shown (Pew, 2025).
  • Many customers read reviews before choosing a local business (BrightLocal, 2026).
  • Google says normal good practice is enough for its AI features.
  • A complete, accurate Google Business Profile is part of Google's own advice.

Hype, or not proven

  • "Add special code and AI will cite you." Ahrefs checked 1,885 pages that added structured data (a kind of hidden label on a page) against matching pages that did not. After 30 days, it found no meaningful change in AI citations. That test does not mean the code is useless for other reasons. It means it is not a magic switch.
  • "You need a special AI file." Google says you do not.
  • "We can guarantee you will be named by AI." No one controls what an AI tool says. Answers can differ from one try to the next.

If someone sells you a guarantee in this area, ask them to put it in writing and explain how they could possibly deliver it.

Quick checklist

Use this list. None of it needs special tools.

  • Search your business name on Google. Is your phone number, address and hours correct?
  • Do you have recent reviews, and do you reply to them?
  • Does your website say clearly what you do, where you work and how to reach you, in plain text?
  • Does your website load and read well on a phone?
  • Is the same name, address and phone number used on your website, Google profile and other listings?
  • Try asking an AI tool a question a customer might ask, such as "plumber near me." See what it says about you. Try it a few times, because answers change.

What should you do next?

Do the checklist above. It will help with regular Google search, with maps and with AI tools at the same time. You do not need a separate plan for each.

If you would like help with this, ask your Liftofly representative or contact us.

Want help with this? Ask your Liftofly representative, or send us a message.
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