AI is reshaping local search: Here’s what enterprise brands need to know

If your local search metrics look a little different this year—fewer clicks, fewer calls—you’re not imagining it. Consumer behavior is changing, and the shift is being driven by AI.

In our latest analysis of over 233,000 business locations across the U.S., we saw a clear trend: while search visibility on Google remains strong (and in some cases growing), direct consumer actions such as calls, clicks, and direction requests are decreasing across nearly every industry.

This doesn’t mean people have lost interest. It means the way they interact with search results is evolving quickly.

What’s happening and why it matters

Google is increasingly displaying richer, more interactive content right within search results. AI-generated overviews, expanded FAQs, and real-time updates are helping people get the answers they need without ever visiting a website.

People are still searching. But their behavior after the search is changing. That shift has major implications for brands that depend on search to drive outcomes like foot traffic, appointments, or purchases.

What this means for your brand

Your Google Business Profile (GBP) is no longer just a directory listing. It is a key part of your brand experience and often the first and only place where a customer interacts with you.

This shift requires a fresh approach:

• Ensure it’s complete. Accurate hours, updated photos, and detailed business information are essential.
• Make it useful. Include actionable content such as menus, booking options, FAQs, and product availability.
• Build trust. Ratings, reviews, and recent updates play a major role in customer decision-making.

Your GBP should be treated with the same attention as your homepage. It needs to clearly show what makes your brand the right choice and give customers a reason to take action.

Trends we’re seeing by industry

• Retail and financial services: Phone calls are dropping as customers increasingly turn to chat and self-service options.
• Restaurants and hospitality: Requests for driving directions remain strong and continue to signal high conversion intent.
• Across all sectors: Website clicks are down, but that doesn’t mean customer interest has declined. Instead, users are finding what they need without leaving the search page.

What you can do now

• Focus on engagement, not just visibility. Being found is important, but what customers see and experience after that is what drives outcomes.
• Prioritize mobile. Most searches happen on mobile devices, and your profile may look very different there than on desktop. Optimize and audit with mobile in mind.
• Keep content fresh and actionable. AI favors relevance. Outdated or sparse profiles can easily be skipped over.
• Respond to reviews. Engaging with both positive and negative feedback shows appreciation, accountability, and a commitment to customer experience. It also strengthens brand credibility.
• Rethink success metrics. Go beyond impressions and rankings to include real engagement—clicks, calls, direction requests, and customer sentiment.

Final thoughts

AI is not just changing how people search. It is also raising the bar for what they expect to find. Many customers now make decisions without ever leaving the search results page. That’s why enterprise brands need to think of local search as a space for interaction and influence, not just discovery.

The businesses that succeed will be those that provide clear, useful, and trustworthy information right when it matters most.

Want to see how your locations are performing in this new search environment?

You can explore the full 2025 Google Local Search Report and request a customized local search audit at RioSEO.com.