If you’ve noticed your website traffic dipping lately, or you’re getting fewer calls even though your Google ranking looks fine, you’re not imagining things.
The way people search for local businesses has quietly changed. And most small business owners have no idea it’s happened.
Over the past year, artificial intelligence has moved from a buzzword to a real force in how customers find and choose businesses like yours. If you run a trade or service business in the Sutherland Shire, this shift affects you directly.
Here’s what’s happening, why it matters, and what you can do about it.
Google Doesn’t Look the Way It Used To
You know the drill. Someone searches “plumber near me” or “best physio Sutherland Shire” and Google shows a list of results. You click one, visit the website, maybe make a call.
That’s how it used to work.
Now, Google often answers the question before anyone clicks anything. These are called AI Overviews, and they appear at the very top of the search results page. Google’s AI reads through multiple websites, pulls together a summary, and presents it as a neat little answer box.
The result? The traditional list of links gets pushed further down the page. And many people never scroll past the AI answer.
According to research from BrainBuddy.ai, AI Overviews now appear in more than 20% of Australian searches. That’s one in every five searches where Google is answering the question directly, using AI, before showing traditional results.
And here’s the big number: data from SparkToro shows that roughly 68% of all Google searches now end without a single click to any website. When an AI Overview is present, that figure jumps to roughly 83% (Click-Vision, 2025).
Let that sink in. For many searches, eight out of ten people get what they need without ever visiting your website.
It’s Not Just Google Anymore
Google is still the biggest player, but it’s no longer the only one.
More and more Australians are using AI tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity to search for information, including local business recommendations. Instead of typing a search into Google, they’re asking an AI assistant, “Who’s the best electrician in Cronulla?” or “Can you recommend an SEO company in Sydney’s south?”
These AI tools don’t show a list of ten blue links. They give one answer, sometimes two, based on what they’ve learned from websites, reviews and other sources across the internet.
Perplexity alone now has over 100 million monthly active users globally, a tenfold increase from 2024 (Sacra, April 2026). ChatGPT’s search function has also grown rapidly. These aren’t fringe tools anymore. Real people, including your potential customers, are using them to make decisions about who to call.
Why This Matters for Local Businesses
You might be thinking, “That’s all very interesting, but does it really affect a small business in the Shire?”
Short answer: yes.
Here’s why. Almost half of all Google searches (46%) have local intent (Google Internal Data). People searching for “blocked drain Engadine” or “dentist near Caringbah” are looking for a local business to call right now.
When AI steps in and answers that question directly, the businesses that get mentioned in that AI answer win. The ones that don’t? They’re invisible, even if they’ve been ranking well for years.
And this isn’t a future problem. It’s happening now. Local SEO contributes an estimated AUD $4.2 billion in annual revenue across Australian businesses (DesignBox, 2026). That’s a lot of money flowing to businesses that show up when and where customers are looking.
If your business isn’t part of the answer, someone else’s is.
What Makes AI Choose One Business Over Another?
This is the question that matters most. If AI tools are summarising information and recommending businesses, how do you make sure yours gets recommended?
AI systems don’t pick businesses at random. They pull from sources they consider trustworthy, authoritative and relevant. Here’s what that means in practical terms:
Your website content needs to be genuinely helpful. AI tools favour content that clearly answers real questions. If your website just lists your services with no explanation, there’s nothing for an AI to reference. But if you have a page that explains “what to do when your hot water system breaks down” or “how to choose a physiotherapist,” that’s the kind of content AI pulls from.
Your Google Business Profile matters more than ever. AI Overviews for local queries often pull data directly from Google Business Profiles. If yours is incomplete, outdated or missing photos and reviews, you’re making it harder for AI to recommend you.
Reviews and reputation carry weight. AI tools look at what real customers are saying. A steady stream of recent, genuine reviews tells AI systems that your business is active, trusted and delivering good service. In fact, 81% of consumers use Google reviews to evaluate local businesses, and 73% only trust reviews from the past 30 days (BrightLocal Consumer Review Survey, 2025).
Local relevance is a big deal. Content that specifically mentions your service area, such as the Sutherland Shire, suburbs you cover, or local landmarks, helps AI understand where you operate. Generic content that could apply to any business anywhere won’t cut it. Being specific about your local area is one of the most effective things you can do.
So What Should You Actually Do?
Here’s the good news. You don’t need to become an AI expert or overhaul your entire marketing strategy overnight. But there are some straightforward steps that will put you in a much stronger position.
1. Make sure your Google Business Profile is fully complete and up to date. Every field filled in, fresh photos, current services listed, and regular posts. This is your single most important digital asset right now.
2. Create content that answers your customers’ real questions. Think about what people ask you on the phone or on the job. Those questions are exactly what people are typing into Google and asking AI assistants. Write about them on your website in plain, helpful language.
3. Actively collect and respond to Google reviews. Don’t just ask for reviews once and forget about it. Make it part of your routine. And always respond to reviews, because 97% of people who read reviews also read the business owner’s response (BrightLocal, 2025).
4. Be specific about your location. Mention the Sutherland Shire, the suburbs you serve, and the local community you’re part of. This helps both Google and AI tools connect your business with local searches.
5. Keep your website content fresh. AI and Google both favour content that’s current. If your last blog post was from 2023, that sends a signal. Regular updates show that your business is active and your information is reliable.
The Bottom Line
AI hasn’t made good marketing irrelevant. If anything, it’s made it more important. The businesses that create genuinely helpful content, maintain a strong online presence, and build real trust with their customers are the ones AI will recommend.
The shift is already here. The question isn’t whether AI will affect your business. It’s whether you’re set up to benefit from it or be left behind.
If you’re not sure where your business stands with all of this, or you’d like a clear plan to make sure you’re showing up where your customers are looking, we’re here to help. Book a free discovery call and we’ll take a look together.
