For SMBs and Local Businesses

If you're a small/medium business or local founder hustling to rank in your community, Google just changed some of the rules (again). With AI Mode, a lot of generic queries will be answered directly by Google's AI. That means fewer people scrolling to find, say, the "best pizza in Coquitlam" – the AI might just tell them, citing a couple of sources. To ensure you get cited or recommended, local SEO data becomes crucial.

Action 1: Keep your Google Business Profile and local schema markup up to date. The AI will be pulling from Google's knowledge graph and local listings when someone asks for local recommendations. Make sure your hours, reviews, and descriptions are current. Use LocalBusiness schema on your site so the AI has structured info to chew on.

Action 2: Encourage great reviews and content that AI can quote. AI Mode might say "Joe's Pizzeria – popular for its wood-fired crust." If that snippet is from a review or an article, you want those positive soundbites out there. Continue to build your local reputation online; the AI will amplify word-of-mouth (word-of-AI?).

Action 3: Adapt to AI-driven booking. With Project Mariner's agent features, someone might simply say, "Book me a table at the top-rated sushi place nearby." If you're that sushi place, you'll want to be integrated with online reservation systems that the AI can access. Consider adopting Reserve with Google or ensuring your site's booking widget is easily navigable by bots.

Action 4: Leverage local imagery. If Android XR glasses and Search's live camera features take off, people could find you through photos (think: pointing a phone down the street to see what shops are there). So, have appealing storefront signage and upload photos that represent your business well. Visual search is coming – be recognizable.

In short, local businesses should continue traditional SEO best practices but also think about Answer Engine Optimization for local queries. The era of "10 blue links" is fading; it's now about being the trusted answer or recommendation. 

The upside: if you become the featured answer (like being mentioned by the AI), you might see a boost in awareness even without a click, as users will hear your name from the AI itself. The downside: if you're result #5 today, you might be invisible in AI Mode. So aim to be the authority in your niche. It's time to double down on quality and local expertise.