Google AI Overviews Now Show 32% Fewer Local Businesses Than Traditional Results
What happened
New data from multiple local SEO tracking firms confirms that Google's AI Overviews — the AI-generated answer boxes that appear above traditional search results — are showing 32% fewer local businesses than the standard map pack.
AI Overviews are now present on roughly 15% of all Google searches globally, and that figure is climbing every quarter. Over two billion monthly users now see them. When they appear for local queries like "plumber near me" or "electrician in Manchester," fewer businesses make the cut — and those that do get significantly more visibility.
The shift is part of Google's broader move from keyword matching to intent matching. Ask Maps, Google's AI-powered local search feature, now interprets queries like "who's good for emergency boiler repair on a Sunday" and surfaces businesses whose profiles, reviews, and content match that intent — not just the category keyword.
What this means for tradespeople
The local three-pack is effectively becoming a local two-pack — or sometimes a one-pack — when AI Overviews trigger. If your Google Business Profile isn't among the strongest in your area, you're now invisible to a growing share of searchers.
This matters most for tradespeople in competitive areas. If there are ten plumbers in your town and AI Overviews only surface two, the ones with the most recent reviews, the most complete profiles, and the clearest service descriptions will be the ones Google's AI picks. Everyone else drops off the page entirely.
The good news: Google's AI relies heavily on your reviews and profile content to make its selection. That means a sole trader with 40 genuine, recent reviews can outrank a larger firm with 200 stale ones.
What to do about it
Your Google Business Profile is now your AI-readable shopfront. Make sure it has a detailed business description mentioning every service you offer, recent photos of your work (Google's Vision AI scans them to verify your services), and a steady flow of new reviews.
TapReview is a £9/month tool that helps UK tradespeople get more Google reviews by sending automated review requests via WhatsApp and SMS after every job. Consistent, recent reviews are the single biggest factor in whether Google's AI surfaces your business or skips it.
Source: ALM Corp — How AI Is Impacting Local Search: Data, Facts, and What Every Business Must Do in 2026