What Google’s AI Overviews Mean for Philadelphia Service Businesses

Search Google for a common question these days and you may see an AI-written answer near the top of the results. Google calls it an AI Overview. Sometimes it gives people enough information that they never need to click a website. Other times, they follow the links to learn more.

If you run a service business in Philly, you might be wondering what that means for you. Are customers still finding you? Should you be doing something different?

Here’s the short answer. Google’s AI answers are changing which searches bring people to your website. Some questions that used to generate visits now get answered right on Google. But that doesn’t automatically mean fewer customers. People still need to find, compare, and contact businesses when they’re ready to hire.

Below, we’ll cover what’s changing, what isn’t, and four things you can do about it this month.

What an AI Overview is

An AI Overview is a short summary Google writes with AI and places near the top of some search results. It pulls information from websites across the web, combines it into a quick answer, and usually lists a few of those websites as sources.

Sometimes the person gets what they need without visiting a website at all. That’s called a “zero-click search.” Other times, the summary gives them a starting point, and they click through to learn more.

Other AI tools work in a similar way. People ask ChatGPT or Google’s Gemini questions in everyday language, and those tools answer, sometimes by naming specific local businesses.

Google also has AI Mode, a separate tab in search where people can ask follow-up questions in a chat. It uses the same general approach: give people a useful answer and provide links when they want to explore further.

What the experts are seeing

In June 2026, Search Engine Journal surveyed 166 experienced SEO professionals about how AI answers and zero-click searches were affecting the websites they manage. Here’s what they reported:

• 58% saw a negative impact. 32% called it moderate, and 26% called it significant.
• 18% saw no clear effect.
• 13% reported a positive impact.
• 11% said it was too early or too difficult to tell.

So yes, AI search is having a real effect on the websites these professionals manage. But the results don’t mean every business is losing customers.

In the same survey, 39% reported steady or improving leads and conversions even when website traffic was flat or declining.

That’s an important distinction for a local service business. A drop in website visits is worth understanding, but it doesn’t tell you by itself whether fewer people are hiring you.

The people who manage search for a living aren’t giving up on Google, either. 81% expect their SEO budgets to stay the same or grow over the next year. They’re adjusting, not walking away.

Keep in mind that this was a survey of search professionals, not Philadelphia service businesses specifically. It’s a useful look at what’s happening across the industry, not a prediction of what will happen to your business.

Which searches AI is taking, and which it isn’t

Not every Google search works the same way anymore. AI Overviews are more useful for some questions than others, and people don’t always click through to a website after reading an answer.

Here’s what that can look like for a Philadelphia service business:

The biggest thing to remember is that fewer clicks don’t necessarily mean fewer customers.

Someone wondering why their furnace makes a strange noise might get an answer without visiting an HVAC company’s website. But someone with no heat on a January night in Mayfair still needs a person who can fix it.

That doesn’t mean AI has no effect on hiring decisions. AI tools are starting to recommend specific businesses, too.

And those recommendations aren’t always right. AI can pull from outdated websites, old reviews, or forum discussions. It might describe services you no longer offer or give people the wrong idea about your prices.

That’s another reason to keep your services, contact information, and service areas accurate wherever customers might find you.

How to show up in AI Overviews: four things to do this month

You don’t need a complicated new marketing strategy to get started. Most of the basics are things you can handle yourself.

1. Fill out your Google Business Profile completely

Your Google Business Profile is your free listing that appears in Google Maps and search results.

Make sure it has every service you offer, your current hours, real photos, and accurate service areas. If you work in Roxborough, Manayunk, South Philly, or other Philadelphia neighborhoods, make that clear on your website, too.

A complete, accurate listing helps customers understand what you do and how to reach you. It also gives Google better information about your business.

2. Answer the questions customers ask before they hire you

Think about what people ask when they’re close to making a decision.

How much does it cost? Do you serve my neighborhood? How quickly can you come out? What happens during a typical appointment?

Put those answers on your website. Use real price ranges when you can, explain what affects the cost, and describe what customers should expect.

Only 16% of the SEO professionals surveyed said they were using a strategy focused on answering these ready-to-buy questions in AI search.

That doesn’t mean answering them guarantees you’ll appear in an AI Overview. But clear, accurate information helps customers make decisions, whether they find it through Google, an AI answer, or your website.

3. Ask an AI about your business

Open ChatGPT or Google and type something a customer might ask.

Try “Who’s a good electrician in South Philly?” or “Find an HVAC company near Roxborough.”

See which businesses appear. Is yours mentioned? If it is, are your services and contact details correct?

Do this once a month and write down what you find. The answers can vary, so don’t treat one search as a report card.

If you use Google Search Console, you can also check its Generative AI performance report to see where your website is getting exposure in Google’s AI search features. The report shows impressions, meaning how often your site appeared, rather than a complete count of leads or customers.

Only 9% of the SEO professionals surveyed said they felt very confident measuring AI search visibility. Even the experts are figuring this out.

For now, a simple monthly check is a useful place to start.

4. Keep the reviews coming

When someone is deciding who to hire, other customers’ experiences matter.

Ask happy customers to leave an honest Google review. A short text with a direct link to your review page works well.

Keep your business information consistent across your website, Google Business Profile, and other places where you’re listed.

Reviews and mentions can help people evaluate your business and give search systems more information about it. They don’t guarantee a recommendation from AI, but they’re worth maintaining regardless.

Common questions about AI Overviews

What is an AI Overview?

An AI Overview is a short, AI-written answer that Google shows near the top of some search results. It summarizes information from websites and provides links to sources people can visit for more details.

Are AI Overviews accurate?

Not always. AI can misunderstand information, combine details from different sources, or use outdated material.

That’s why it matters that your own website and Google Business Profile have current prices, services, hours, and contact information. You can’t control every AI answer, but you can make your own information accurate and easy to find.

Can I turn off AI Overviews for my business?

You can’t stop Google from showing AI Overviews to people who search. But you can choose whether your own website’s content appears in certain Google AI features.

In 2026, Google introduced a control in Search Console that lets website owners exclude their links and content from AI Overviews, AI Mode, and certain AI features in Google Discover.

You’ll find it under Settings → Search generative AI.

There’s a trade-off. If you exclude your website, you also give up the chance to receive traffic from those AI features. Google can still show AI answers using information from other websites.

For most Philadelphia service businesses, the better starting point is to leave your website included and make sure your information is accurate and helpful.

Do I have to pay to show up in an AI Overview?

No. You don’t have to buy an ad to have your website cited in an AI Overview.

Google chooses supporting links based on its search systems. Clear, useful content and accurate business information can help make your website eligible, but there’s no guaranteed way to get included.

You don’t need special AI software or a new kind of website just to participate.

The bottom line

Google’s AI answers are changing how people find information, and some searches may send fewer visitors to business websites. But fewer visits don’t automatically mean fewer customers.

People still need reliable information when they’re deciding who to hire. Your job is to make sure they can find accurate details about your services, hours, service area, and reputation, whether they discover you through Google Maps, your website, or an AI answer.

And keep watching the numbers that matter: phone calls, booking requests, and paying customers. Those will tell you more about how your business is doing than website visits alone.

Rhema Marketing has been helping Philadelphia service businesses get found on Google since 2009, and we’ve watched search change plenty of times. If you’d like a second set of eyes on how you show up in Google and AI answers, get in touch.

You’ll talk directly with Bob, and you’ll get a straight answer in plain English, including what you can handle yourself.

Sources:

• State of Search 2027, Search Engine Journal (survey of 166 SEO professionals, June 2026).
• Search generative AI control, Google Search Console Help.
• Generative AI performance report, Google Search Console Help.