If you’re a marketing manager for a local plumbing company and you’re seeing fewer calls come in, even though your Google Ads are running, this post is for you. Customers are changing how they find businesses like yours, and it’s time to adapt to AI-driven search.
According to Gartner, Inc., 67% of B2B buyers prefer a rep-free experience, wanting to engage on their own terms. A 2025 survey by Gartner also revealed that 45% of buyers used AI during a recent purchase. This shift means potential customers are using AI tools like Google’s AI Overviews to research and vet businesses before ever contacting them. This is a big change from relying solely on traditional search results and paid ads. To stay competitive, you need to show up prominently in these AI-powered recommendations.
1. Claim and Optimize Your Google Business Profile
Your Google Business Profile (GBP) is the foundation of your local SEO strategy, and it’s now even more critical for appearing in AI Overviews. Think of your GBP as your digital storefront. If it’s incomplete or inaccurate, AI algorithms will have a harder time understanding and recommending your business. Practitioners in this space often find that businesses with fully optimized profiles see a significant boost in visibility.
Here’s what you need to do:
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Claim your listing: If you haven’t already, claim your GBP listing and verify ownership.
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Complete every section: Fill out every field in your profile, including business hours, services offered, address, phone number, website, and a detailed business description.
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Choose the right categories: Select the most relevant primary and secondary categories for your business. Be specific and accurate.
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Upload high-quality photos: Add photos of your storefront, team, products, and services. High-quality visuals make a positive impression and help AI understand your business.
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Manage reviews: Encourage customers to leave reviews and respond to them promptly, both positive and negative. Reviews are a key ranking factor in local search and influence AI recommendations.
2. Build a Strong Local SEO Foundation
Local SEO is the process of optimizing your online presence to rank higher in local search results. This includes everything from your website to your citations to your online reputation. A strong local SEO foundation is essential for appearing in AI Overviews because it signals to AI algorithms that your business is relevant and trustworthy. Driving traffic to your local business website starts with local SEO.
Here are some key local SEO tactics:
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Optimize your website for local keywords: Include location-based keywords throughout your website content, including page titles, meta descriptions, headings, and body text.
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Build local citations: List your business in relevant online directories and citation sites, such as Yelp, Yellow Pages, and industry-specific directories. Ensure your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) are consistent across all citations.
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Get local backlinks: Earn backlinks from other local businesses, organizations, and websites. Backlinks are a vote of confidence from other websites and help improve your website’s authority.
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Create local content: Publish blog posts, articles, and other content that is relevant to your local community. This helps you attract local customers and establish yourself as a local expert.
3. Create Comprehensive and Informative Content
AI Overviews are designed to provide users with comprehensive and informative answers to their questions. To appear in these overviews, you need to create content that is equally comprehensive and informative. Consider a hypothetical landscaping company we’ll call GreenThumb Gardens. They saw a significant increase in AI Overview visibility after revamping their website with detailed service pages and a robust blog addressing common customer questions.
Here’s what to focus on:
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Answer common questions: Identify the questions your target audience is asking and create content that answers those questions in detail. Use keyword research tools to find relevant questions.
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Provide in-depth information: Don’t just scratch the surface. Provide comprehensive information that goes beyond basic answers.
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Use clear and concise language: Make your content easy to read and understand. Avoid jargon and technical terms.
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Optimize for readability: Use headings, subheadings, bullet points, and images to break up your content and make it more visually appealing.
4. Focus on Topical Authority
Topical authority is the concept of becoming a recognized expert on a specific topic. When you have topical authority, AI algorithms are more likely to trust and recommend your content. One pattern we see is that businesses that create a cluster of content around a core topic tend to rank higher in AI Overviews for related queries. A custom marketing strategy can help you identify and capitalize on your topical authority.
Here’s how to build topical authority:
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Choose a niche: Focus on a specific niche within your industry. This will make it easier to become an expert on that topic.
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Create a content hub: Develop a central hub of content around your chosen niche. This could be a blog, a resource library, or a series of guides.
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Link internally: Link your content together to create a cohesive and comprehensive resource.
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Promote your content: Share your content on social media, email, and other channels to reach a wider audience.
5. Monitor and Adapt
AI is constantly evolving, so it’s important to monitor your performance and adapt your strategy accordingly. Track your rankings, traffic, and conversions to see what’s working and what’s not. Pay attention to changes in AI Overviews and adjust your content and SEO tactics to stay ahead of the curve. It’s important to note that the BARQAR helps your team launch smarter, faster marketing.
Here are some key metrics to track:
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Keyword rankings: Track your rankings for relevant keywords in both traditional search results and AI Overviews.
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Website traffic: Monitor your website traffic from search engines and AI Overviews.
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Conversions: Track the number of leads, sales, and other conversions you generate from search engines and AI Overviews.
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User engagement: Monitor user engagement metrics, such as bounce rate, time on page, and pages per session.
To stay ahead in the AI-driven landscape, start by auditing your online presence. Determine if AI tools like Google AI Overviews recommend you by learning how home contractors can get recommended by AI Search.
Ready to take the next step?
Don’t let the changing AI search landscape leave you behind. Contact BARQAR today to learn how our expert strategists and rogIQ AI can help you dominate AI Overviews and attract more customers. We’ll help you create a custom marketing strategy that drives results.
