Google’s AI Deep Dive: The exciting local search shakeup you can’t ignore

Google just flipped the local search script, and it’s already reshaping how brands show up or don’t. Enter Google’s AI Deep Dive mode.

Two recent changes set this all in motion, and these aren’t just technical tweaks. They’re fundamental shifts in how Google decides who earns visibility, trust, and clicks in a world where AI is the front door to discovery.

First came Google’s June 2025 core algorithm update. Then on July 9, it introduced a new mode within AI Overviews. A week later, a blog post confirmed the shift: “More advanced AI capabilities are coming to Search.”

Together, these updates mark the start of a new era: one where sentiment, star ratings, and authority signals outweigh keyword stuffing and map-pack tactics.

For brands relying on local search: If you’re not optimizing your review strategy and reputation management for AI, you’re fading from view.

What changed: Google’s AI Deep Dive Mode & core algorithm update

The first tremors came with Google’s core algorithm update, which began rolling out June 24–25 and continued into early July. The update hit hard, but not how most expected.

Across nearly all industries, impressions dropped. Fast.

In some cases, the drop was as steep as 30–50% compared to previous months. However, while impressions declined, engagement metrics such as clicks, calls, and direction requests remained steady or even increased.

So what happened?

In short, Google is cleaning house. It’s cutting out the noise, dropping impressions that were never meaningful in the first place. For example, if your business used to appear in searches that weren’t truly relevant—like a pet store showing up for “restaurants near me”—those phantom impressions are slowly being removed.

This isn’t a local SEO penalty. It’s a precision upgrade.

And that pruning of noise paved the way for what came next: a deeper, AI-driven view of local results.

Google introduces Gemini 2.5 Pro: What this means for local marketers

On July 9, Google rolled out a new mode within AI Overviews. Then on July 16, it published a blog post titled “More advanced AI capabilities are coming to Search” that confirmed how fast—and far—this shift is moving. 

Here’s what it looks like in action.

When a user searches for something like “best coffee near me” or “affordable dog groomers in Denver,” the top of the results page now includes an AI Overview. This snippet includes a quick description of top-rated places, links directly to their Google Business Profiles, and shows off their average star ratings. In some test environments, the user can even toggle into a deeper view to explore more businesses, sorted by rating and reputation.

There’s also a deeper wrinkle. Some of the “lost” impressions may not be lost at all; they might just be getting rerouted into this new AI experience. Google’s AI Overview and Deep Dive environments may not register in traditional reporting yet, which means engagement could be happening off the radar. In other words, this isn’t just a drop… it’s a shift.

This is not a test. It’s the new normal.

What the AI prioritizes: Sentiment, star ratings, and authority

If you’ve spent the last few years focused on proximity and category optimization, it’s time to pivot.

In this new experience, Google Search is prioritizing businesses with high-quality reputations—both on their own listings and across the web.

We’re seeing the AI pull data from:

• Google Business Profile (GBP) reviews
• Star ratings, especially 4.9 and above
• Review sentiment (positive tone, descriptive language)
• Trusted third-party sources like Yelp, TripAdvisor, Facebook, and even YouTube
• Local business websites that embed their own GBP reviews

We’re also seeing a clear boost for businesses that embed their Google reviews directly on their websites. Sites like Docs of Denver are showing up repeatedly in AI panels—not because of SEO tricks, but because they’ve turned their own pages into review-rich sources Google can trust.

In test environments, businesses are ranked by reputation, and only those with 4.9+ star ratings consistently appear.  Everyone else? Pushed out of sight.

This isn’t just about numbers. It’s about quality, consistency, and trust. Google is drawing directly from the words customers use—what they praise, what they criticize, how often they leave feedback, and where those reviews live online.

Even the knowledge panels accompanying some AI Overviews are changing. Instead of pulling from just structured data or business profiles, they now highlight:

• Quotes from GBP reviews
• Mentions from Yelp and TripAdvisor
• Embedded reviews from business websites
• Social signals from platforms like Facebook and Instagram

If your business hasn’t invested in building out those trust signals, AI might simply pass you over.

Translation: The old playbook—optimize your NAP and hope for the best—is done.

To rank, you need high-quality reviews and an active, consistent presence across the digital ecosystem.

AI Mode just got smarter with Gemini 2.5 Pro and Deep Search

Just days after expanding AI Overviews, Google rolled out its most advanced AI features yet. On July 16, it announced Gemini 2.5 Pro and Deep Search—now live for Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers in the U.S

These tools mark a shift in how Google thinks about search:

Search is becoming your researcher

Deep Search issues hundreds of real-time queries, compares information across the web, and delivers a fully cited summary in seconds. For brands, this means your content, reviews, and citations must be clear, accurate, and AI-readable—because that’s what’s feeding the response.

AI is taking action for users

With new agentic features, Search can now call businesses directly asking about prices, availability, and services. If your info is incomplete, AI won’t just skip the call, it might skip your listing entirely.

Here’s the takeaway for local brands

You’re no longer just optimizing to be seen. You’re optimizing to be understood. Gemini and Deep Search are teaching Google’s AI how to make decisions—and your listings, reviews, and citations are the training data.

The bar just got higher. Meet it, or miss the moment.

The hidden cost of doing nothing

A Rio SEO client in the athletic retail space recently tested the power of proactive review generation. They launched a 90-day email campaign encouraging recent customers to leave reviews on Google. The goal was simple: increase the number of fresh reviews and raise their average star rating.

It worked.

Over the course of the campaign, they saw:

• A 400% increase in review volume
• A 16% lift in average rating

But then they paused the campaign. Within six weeks, review volume plummeted 75% and their average store rating dropped 12%.

Now, consider what that means in an AI-powered local landscape, where visibility hinges on review freshness, frequency, and sentiment. If your reviews are months old, your average is mediocre, and your response rate is poor, Google’s AI won’t feature your business. Not because you’re doing something wrong, but because someone else is doing it better.

Without a steady stream of feedback, your reputation won’t just plateau; it’ll regress. Google’s AI rewards momentum, and without it, your average will slide toward the statistical middle.

Action plan: How to compete in an AI-first search environment

This isn’t about SEO hacks or technical tricks. This is about building a reputation strategy that Google can trust, and that customers want to engage with.

Here’s how to do it.

1. Launch review solicitation campaigns

Don’t wait for customers to leave a review. Ask them. Use post-purchase emails or mobile prompts to encourage quick feedback. Keep it simple. Make it frictionless. And focus on driving both volume and quality. The more reviews you earn, and the better their tone and rating, the stronger your visibility in AI Overviews.

Aim to push your average rating above 4.5, and hold it there.

2. Manage your reputation like your visibility depends on it (because it does)

It’s not enough to collect reviews. You have to respond to them. Every time.

Monitor reviews daily. Address complaints quickly and publicly. Thank loyal customers. Build a pattern of active engagement.

Platforms that support review monitoring, sentiment alerts, and response templates can make this easier to scale across locations. But what matters most is consistency. Google’s AI is watching.

3. Expand your digital footprint—and your citations

The new AI Overviews don’t just scan your GBP listing. They’re pulling from across the web. Make sure you’re present and active in places Google trusts.

Start here:

• Yelp: A must-have for services, retail, and professional verticals
• TripAdvisor: Critical for restaurants, hotels, and attractions
• Facebook and Instagram: Google is picking up brand signals from these platforms
• YouTube: Especially valuable for brands with how-to content, reviews, or community engagement
• Your own website: If you’re not embedding your Google reviews, you’re missing a key signal

Yelp and TripAdvisor, in particular, are emerging as must-haves, not nice-to-haves. Yelp appears prominently in AI panels for services and retail, while TripAdvisor is dominating restaurant and hospitality results. These platforms aren’t part of most basic listing packages, but for brands serious about visibility, investing in these citations is no longer optional.

Think of it as building a trust network around your brand. The more consistently you show up across authoritative platforms, the stronger your authority in AI search becomes.

Your reviews are your ranking

Local search is no longer a game of proximity and metadata. It’s a reflection of what people are saying, how often they’re saying it, and where.

In AI search, customer experience writes the rules. Google’s AI surfaces what real people say, not what brands claim.

That means:

• A high average star rating isn’t optional. It’s the price of entry.
• Fresh reviews from happy customers aren’t nice to have. They’re your visibility engine.
• Ignoring reputation management isn’t just risky. It’s disqualifying.

This is about customer experience, not clever optimization. And Google is making that clear with every update.

Google’s AI doesn’t care how long you’ve been around. It cares what your customers are saying—right now. Review sentiment, volume, and freshness are the top-ranking factors in AI Overviews. Everything else comes second.

Talk to your reputation team today

You can’t out-keyword AI.

But you can build trust. You can encourage feedback. You can create a customer experience that fuels visibility, loyalty, and revenue.

Talk to your internal CX team. Partner with a reputation platform. Develop a plan for generating high-quality reviews and providing fast, consistent responses.

The future of local search isn’t just algorithmic. It’s emotional, authentic, and powered by real people. That’s what AI is learning from—and that’s where brands need to meet it.e sales across Apple Maps, Google, and the rest of the local ecosystem.