Have AI Overviews Changed Traffic for Local Businesses? What Our Clients' Data Shows
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For the local businesses we looked at, [summary of what the data shows, for example: clicks from informational searches fell while calls and quote requests held steady]. AI Overviews mostly answer general questions, while people searching for a tradie or clinic nearby still click, call or open Maps. The practical response is to track leads, not just traffic, and to keep your Google profile and service pages strong.
What are AI Overviews?
AI Overviews are AI-generated summaries at the top of some Google results, with links to sources. Google says pages appear in them through normal indexing, with no extra technical requirements, and that traffic from AI features is counted in your overall Search Console data rather than shown separately (Google).
What did we measure?
- [X] Melbourne small business clients across [trades and professions], with permission
- Search Console clicks and impressions for [period before] versus [period after]
- Split by query type: questions ("how much does…"), service searches ("plumber St Albans") and brand searches
- Google Business Profile calls, website clicks and direction requests over the same periods
- Enquiries recorded by each business, where available
This is a small sample. Seasonality, site changes and ads can also move the numbers, and we note those where we know about them.
What did we find?
| Measure | Change | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Clicks from question searches | [X]% | [X] |
| Clicks from service plus suburb searches | [X]% | [X] |
| Brand search clicks | [X]% | [X] |
| Google profile calls | [X]% | [X] |
| Enquiries | [X]% | [X] |
[Two or three sentences on the main pattern. Only claim what the table shows.]
Why might local searches be less affected?
Someone searching "emergency plumber Deer Park" usually wants to call someone, not read a summary. That's our reasoning from the data above, not a Google statement. Informational posts, such as "how to unblock a drain", are more likely to be answered on the results page.
What should local businesses do?
- Track calls and enquiries, not just website visits. See call tracking for small businesses and the Google Business Profile performance report
- Keep service and suburb pages specific and useful. See suburb pages for SEO
- Write blog posts with real local experience and data that a summary can't replace
- Check Search Console monthly. See Search Console for business owners
Next step
Morphic can review your Search Console and Google profile data and show you where leads are really coming from. Get a free quote, or book a 30-minute call.
Related services: local SEO and Google Business Profile management.
Related reading: AI Search for Local Businesses and Does a Small Business Need a Blog?.
Title 07 to Title 15 and Main Content 07 to Main Content 15: leave empty.
Key Takeaways
[Main finding from client data.]
Local, ready-to-buy searches still lead to calls and clicks.
Google counts AI feature traffic within normal Search Console data.
Measure leads, not just traffic.
Strong service pages and an active Google profile remain the priority.
Emon Datta
Founder, Morphic Agency
Morphic Agency is a Melbourne-based UX design agency. We've shipped 50+ products across 15+ countries.
