Google AI Overviews and your local business
What it is, what customers ask it, and what we check.
What Google AI Overviews is
AI Overviews are short AI-written summaries that Google shows at the top of some search results, with links to the pages the summary is based on. They appear for some searches and not others.
What customers ask it
People use assistants for questions like these:
- How much does a water heater replacement involve?
- How do I choose a house cleaner?
- What is the best way to find a trustworthy mechanic?
What we check
Our AI search tracker asks the questions you choose, on a schedule, and keeps a capped sample of the answers. Plain code then looks for three things in each answer:
- Whether your business is mentioned by name
- Which web addresses are cited as sources
- Which competitors are named
You see the trend over time and the questions asked. Which assistants are included depends on how your account is set up, and we say which ones in your report.
What you can do
- Give each service its own page that answers the questions customers ask.
- Keep your name, address and phone number the same everywhere.
- Keep your Google Business Profile complete and your reviews current.
- Use clear headings and plain words, so your page is easy to quote.
What we cannot do
We cannot control what Google AI Overviews says, how it chooses sources, or whether it mentions you. Nobody can. We do not promise a position or a mention.
Questions
Do you check Google AI Overviews?
We check the assistants that are set up for your account, and we tell you which ones are in your report. Ask us whether Google AI Overviews is included. We only say a platform is checked when it is.
Can you get my business shown in Google AI Overviews?
No. Nobody controls what an assistant says, and we do not promise a mention. We make your information clear, accurate and easy to find.
How do you tell whether I am mentioned?
We use plain code, not AI, to look for your business name, the web addresses cited and the competitors named in each answer.
Is the result complete?
No. Answers vary from one question to the next, so a check is a sample of what customers may see.
Where to go next
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