Hi everyone! Linda Donnelly here, from Business Solutions Marketing Group. For over ten years, my team and I have been right there with you, helping small businesses navigate the wild world of online marketing. And lately, I know a lot of you have been looking at your Google reports with a bit of a puzzled look.

You might be checking your Search Console (that’s Google’s tool that shows you how your website is doing in searches) and thinking, “Whoa, what just happened to my calls and clicks?!” If your numbers look a little… well, a little messy, you are definitely not alone! There’s a new kid on the block: Google’s AI Mode.

So, let’s chat about Is Google’s AI Mode Hurting Your Metrics? and what you need to know to keep your cool and keep your business shining!

Is Google’s AI Mode Hurting Your Metrics? What Small Businesses Need to Know!

Okay, first things first: Don’t panic! Seriously, take a deep breath. If your numbers for calls, directions, or website clicks seem to have dropped out of nowhere, it’s probably not because your business suddenly got less popular. It’s more about how Google is showing information these days, and how it’s reporting it to us.

You see, Google has been rolling out this new “AI Mode” (which you might also hear called “AI Overviews” or “Search Generative Experience”). It’s basically Google using super-smart AI to give people quick answers right there on the search page, without them needing to click to a website.

And guess what? This isn’t just for a few searches. Google now displays a Search Generative element for a whopping 86.8% of all search queries! (Source: SEO.AI, 2024). That’s almost every search someone makes!

The “Hot Mess” in Your Search Console Reports (Don’t Panic!)

Now, here’s the tricky part, and why your reports might look like a “hot mess.” Google’s new AI Mode just started showing up in your Search Console reports. That’s cool because we can see it now, but there’s a big catch.

When your business shows up in this AI Mode, it often doesn’t show the usual easy-to-click buttons for calls, directions, or even your website that you see on your regular Google Business Profile. Over 50% of users are now using AI Mode, which means a lot of potential customers are seeing your business in a new way where those familiar buttons aren’t always there.

So, what does this mean? It means your performance reports – the ones showing how many calls, directions, or website clicks you get – might suddenly look like they’ve gone down the drain. It’s not you, it’s how Google is reporting these metrics. AI Mode clicks and impressions are being counted in Search Console, but they’re not always separated out in a clear way, and the direct “call” or “direction” buttons from your Google Business Profile aren’t tracked the same way when someone interacts with the AI summary.

We’re all expecting Google to straighten this out eventually, so just ride the wave and expect some reporting weirdness for a bit. It’s a new tool, and Google is still figuring out the best way to show us the numbers.

How Google’s AI Overviews Are Changing the Game for Rankings

Okay, so besides the reporting quirks, how does this “AI Mode” (let’s call them AI Overviews for clarity, since that’s what you usually see in search results) actually change how people find you?

Well, the big thing is something called “zero-click searches.” This means people get their answer right on Google’s page, without ever having to click on your website. Imagine asking a question, and Google just gives you the perfect answer instantly. You don’t need to click anything else, right? This is happening a lot!

• Nearly 60% of Google searches in 2024 didn’t lead to a single click on another website. (Source: SparkToro via Scrum Digital, 2025). That’s almost 2 out of every 3 people finding what they need directly on Google! And this is projected to go even higher, possibly surpassing 70% by 2025.

What this means for your ranking is that if your website used to be the first link, it might now be pushed down by a big AI summary. AI Overviews can make the number one organic listing shift down the page by 1,562 pixels on average. (Source: SEO.AI, 2024). That’s like scrolling down one and a half computer screens just to see the first regular website link!

This shift also affects how many people click on your regular listings. When AI Overviews are present, the organic click-through rate (how often people click your link) can drop significantly. Some studies have shown a decrease from 1.41% to 0.64% when AI Overviews were around. (Source: Blushark Digital, 2025).

It’s a big change, but it’s not the end of the world for your business. It just means we need to adapt how we think about getting found online.

So, What Can a Small Business Do? Your Action Plan!

Now for the good stuff! How do you make sure your business still gets found, even with all these AI changes?

1. Stay Calm & Ride the Wave: This is the most important first step. Don’t panic and rewrite your whole marketing plan over one bad report. Google is still figuring this out, and the numbers will likely become clearer over time.
2. Check Your Rankings with Heat Map Audits: Since your Search Console numbers might be a little wonky for calls and clicks, don’t forget about heat map audits! These are awesome tools that show you, visually, how your business ranks in local searches across a specific area. It’s like a colored map showing you exactly where you’re strong and where you need a little more help. They won’t be impacted in the same way as those other metrics, so they’re a reliable way to see your actual local search performance.
3. Double Down on Your Google Business Profile (GBP): Your GBP is more important than ever! AI Overviews pull a lot of information directly from these profiles. Make sure yours is super complete, accurate, and regularly updated with photos, videos, and correct hours.
4. Be the Authority: Show Your E-E-A-T! Google’s AI loves “E-E-A-T” – that stands for Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. Make sure your website content shows you know your stuff! Share your experience, back up your claims, and build trust with your customers. AI relies heavily on this to decide if your business is worth recommending.
5. Create Comprehensive, Question-Answering Content: Since AI wants to summarize answers, make sure your website content provides those clear, concise answers. Think about all the questions your customers ask, and write blog posts or create pages that answer them fully and simply. If your content is the best answer, Google’s AI is more likely to use it and link to it.
6. Embrace Video Marketing (Again!): We talked about this before, and it’s still true! Multimedia, especially video, helps AI understand your content better. Plus, video keeps people engaged, which is always a good thing for SEO. Videos can even show up in AI Overviews!
7. Use Structured Data (Schema Markup): This sounds fancy, but it’s like giving Google and AI a secret code that helps them understand what your content is about. Using structured data makes it easier for AI to pull snippets and summaries from your site.
8. Keep Your Reputation Spotless: AI Overviews pull heavily from online reviews to decide if your brand is trustworthy. Positive reviews and good online sentiment actually “train” the AI to recommend your business! So, keep encouraging happy customers to leave reviews and handle any bad ones quickly and professionally.

It’s Not About Killing the Click, It’s About Evolution.

It’s easy to get worried when you see big changes like Google’s AI Mode. But Google’s goal isn’t to stop people from visiting websites entirely. It’s about delivering the most relevant information as quickly as possible. This means your business needs to adapt!

Your online presence needs to be super clear, complete, and well-managed across all platforms – your website, your Google Business Profile, review sites, and social media. If you have solid, trustworthy information out there, AI will have plenty of good stuff to “learn” from about your business.

Are you feeling a bit overwhelmed by these changes, or just want to make sure your business is ready for the AI future? That’s exactly what Business Solutions Marketing Group is here for! We specialize in making sense of these shifts and turning them into opportunities for your small business. From Video Marketing that gets seen, to expert Reputation Management and Google Business Listing Optimization, we’ve got your back.

Don’t let Google’s AI Mode leave your business in the dark! It’s time to adapt and thrive.

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