Google AI Overview Local Pack Causing Major Drops in Local Visibility

Google is shaking up local SEO once again. In recent weeks, many businesses have reported significant drops in visibility on their Google Business Profile and local listings due to the rollout of AI-powered Overviews in local packs. Some companies are seeing declines of 50% or more, dramatically impacting calls, traffic, and overall local search performance.

SEO expert Joy Hawkins recently highlighted this trend in her blog post, AI is Quietly Taking Over Local SEO! No One’s Ready for This, and has been sharing ongoing updates on X. She points out that the AI Overview can replace the traditional 3-pack in search results, often diverting clicks away from organic business listings and toward paid ads.

According to Joy, “I’ve been tracking AI-powered local packs. This feature displaces the traditional 3-pack, lowering traffic to Google Business Profiles while increasing clicks to ads.” Data from Places Scout indicates that AI Local Packs now appear for roughly 8% of keywords, with the number steadily rising.

This change highlights the growing influence of AI in local search results and the importance for businesses to adapt their local SEO strategies. Monitoring your Google Business Profile metrics and optimizing for AI-driven search results could become essential to maintaining visibility in the evolving local search landscape.

If your business is seeing drops in local visibility due to Google’s AI-powered local packs, now is the time to take action. Earn SEO, a leading provider of local SEO services in NYC, helps businesses optimize their Google Business Profiles, improve local rankings, and adapt to the changing search landscape. Our experts can craft strategies to maintain visibility, drive more calls, and capture the right traffic. Don’t let AI-driven changes impact your business; partner with us and stay ahead in local search.