AI Overviews, AI Local Packs, Local Services Ads (LSAs), Google Ads — all of these are taking up an increasing amount of space in local search, occupying prime real estate and pushing traditional Local Packs and organic results further and further down the page. The result is often lower visibility and fewer clicks and calls for local businesses.
Further compounding the issue is that your visibility can be shrinking even if your rankings remain stable. That's why it's so crucial to look beyond traditional rank tracking to make data-backed decisions that help offset shrinking visibility and expand a brand's footprint well beyond traditional local search results.
The Giveaway: Fewer Google Business Profile Calls and Clicks
One of the clearest signals of shrinking visibility is a sustained drop in calls from Google Business Profiles.
AI-powered Local Packs are increasingly replacing the traditional 3-Pack on mobile (according to Sterling Sky, they're present in 8% and counting of mobile results). AI Overviews are also absorbing attention at the top of the page and driving more zero-click behavior. Ads are everywhere.
When customers get answers, recommendations, or shortlists directly from AI-generated results or competitor ads, they often never scroll far enough to see your business in the standard Local Pack at all.
This creates a visibility trap. Your rankings can remain stable, your Share of Local Voice (SoLV) can still look strong, and yet your calls and clicks decline. Customers are making decisions earlier in the search experience, sometimes before the Local Pack even appears on screen. If your business is not included in those early surfaces, you effectively do not exist for that search.
Because of this, performance trends from GBP can act as an early warning system. When calls and clicks trend downward while rankings remain strong, it is often a sign that visibility is shrinking higher up the page, not that performance inside the Local Pack is deteriorating.
Pro Tip: Track your GBP performance metrics with Falcon Guard to see when your clicks and calls drop, even if your traditional visibility remains high.
3 Possible Solutions To Shrinking Local Visibility
There is no single fix for this shift. Offsetting shrinking organic visibility requires expanding your footprint across more surfaces where decisions are now happening.
1. Layer in Paid Visibility
Local Services Ads and Google Search Ads remain some of the most reliable ways to reclaim lost top-of-page exposure. These paid placements consistently sit above organic results and include direct call functionality.
In markets where AI features, ads, or even the proximity of competitor locations are hurting your visibility, paid ads can help restore call volume quickly. This can be especially effective when organic rankings have hit a ceiling and further optimization produces diminishing returns.
Paid visibility should not replace local SEO, but it can stabilize conversions while organic surfaces continue to lose visibility.
2. Increase AI Visibility Alongside Traditional Search Visibility
AI-driven local discovery is here to stay, and it's been not-so-quietly reshaping how customers choose businesses in real time.
Businesses that appear in both traditional Google Search/Maps results and AI-generated recommendations are better positioned to win business as decision-making shifts to earlier in the customer journey. This includes visibility in Google AI Overviews, AI-powered Local Packs, and external platforms like ChatGPT.
AI results are inconsistent by nature, which makes measurement critical. Tracking Share of AI Voice (SAIV) allows you to understand how often your business is mentioned or recommended across AI search platforms and how that compares to competitors. From there, optimization focuses on the sources AI relies on most frequently, including business listings, reviews, authoritative content, and brand mentions across the web.
AI visibility may not always translate into direct calls, since many AI experiences lack click-to-call functionality and encourage zero-click decisions. However, strong AI presence increases the likelihood that customers choose your business before they ever reach a traditional results page.
3. Add More Locations Where Possible
If physical expansion is viable, adding more locations can have a huge impact. Each location is another opportunity to appear across Google Maps, Local Packs, paid placements, and AI-generated results. In dense markets, additional locations can meaningfully increase overall exposure even if individual locations face ranking pressure from proximity and competition.
Keep in mind that this is not about keyword coverage. It's about physical presence translating into more visibility across more queries.
Traditional Local SEO Still Matters, But It Is No Longer Enough
None of this is to suggest that you should abandon traditional local SEO fundamentals. GBP optimization, citations, link building, reviews, location pages, and ongoing rank tracking and SEO remain essential.
What has changed is the role those efforts play. Ranking well inside the Local Pack is no longer a guarantee of visibility or conversions. To maintain and grow search performance, local businesses need to supplement organic strategies with expansion, paid strategies, and deliberate AI visibility optimization.
The goal of local SEO is no longer to win a single results section. It's to maximize your brand's presence everywhere customers are exposed to local options and making decisions, often before they ever scroll down the results page.
FAQs on Shrinking Local Search Visibility
Why are my Google Business Profile calls dropping even though my rankings haven't changed?
AI Overviews and AI-powered Local Packs now appear above or in place of traditional Local Packs, especially on mobile. Customers make decisions from these AI results before ever scrolling down to see the traditional 3-Pack where you rank. Ads are also taking up more prime real estate than ever.
What's the difference between Share of Local Voice (SoLV) and Share of AI Voice (SAIV)?
SoLV measures your visibility in traditional Google Maps and Local Pack results. SAIV tracks how often your business appears in AI-powered search, like Google AI Overviews and ChatGPT. Strong SoLV doesn't guarantee strong SAIV, making separate tracking crucial.
Should I stop investing in traditional local SEO?
No. Traditional local SEO remains essential, but it's no longer sufficient on its own. You need to strategically layer in paid visibility and AI search optimization to maintain performance as organic visibility shrinks.
How quickly can I expect results from Local Services Ads or Google Search Ads?
Paid visibility can restore call volume within days or weeks. It's the fastest solution for offsetting organic visibility losses, including when you've hit a proximity ceiling.
How do I know if shrinking visibility is affecting my business?
Track calls and clicks from your Google Business Profile over time. If these metrics trend downward while rankings remain stable, visibility is likely shrinking higher up the page.
