How to "Rank" in Google AI Mode

tips on AI prominence for local businesses

April 30, 2026

What does the average local business owner need to do to show up in Google’s AI Mode? Definitely not just what they used to do to get into the Local Pack.

This image is from a Ziptie study on Trends in AI Overviews

Traditional local SEO is a lot of work, but it’s pretty straightforward: optimize your GBP and website, build citations, get reviews, and boom - you’re ranking.

AI local SEO, on the other hand, is a lot of work AND it’s not straightforward at all:

  • AI will give you a different answer to the same local query every time

  • It doesn’t only refer to the sources you have control over (like your GBP and website), but to what the entire internet says about you

  • It uses a much more complicated system of finding answers to questions than traditional search (query fan-out)

  • and the list goes on

While the shift to AI search is frustrating for many local SEOs, it also opens up new opportunities for businesses that never ranked #1 on Maps to gain more local visibility.

In her new guide, Miriam Ellis shares a step-by-step checklist for Google AI Mode prominence. Read it and download your copy of the checklist here 👇️

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