+3.7x Monthly AI Traffic [AI SEO Case Study]
Google’s AI Overviews now decide which businesses show up in the most valuable search real estate, pulling in data from multiple sources and reshaping how customers discover brands. This case study shows how our agency positioned a client to dominate AI Overviews for competitive keywords and why every business needs an AI search strategy now, before their competitors lock in the advantage. Our client’s monthly AI referral traffic grew by 370% And is appearing for 155 keywords within AI overviews in the U.K. In this case study, you’ll learn how to: To start, here’s some context about the site and why their site needed an SEO boost. The Challenge The client is a home services company based in the U.S.A. At first, the client thought their strong local rankings were enough, but that confidence quickly turned to frustration. Competitors were consistently stealing the spotlight in Google’s AI Overviews, leaving them feeling invisible. They were losing ground, losing patience, and starting to lose faith in their digital strategy. That’s when they turned to my SEO team at The Search Initiative, knowing they needed a new approach before slipping further behind. Their Google Business Profile contained gaps and inconsistencies, limiting trust signals and lacked presence on third-party directories and review platforms, meaning AI models had little external validation to cite. To expand their visibility in AI search, they needed a content strategy that targeted informational keywords, which are the type of queries Google’s AI often draws on to provide context-rich answers. Before outlining what we did, it’s important to understand why appearing in Google’s AI Overviews is important for local businesses. Why AI Overviews Matter for Local Businesses Google’s AI Overviews are becoming a prominent way for local search results to be presented. According to a study by LocalFalcon, as of May 2025, 40% of local search queries now display AIOs, often above the map pack. This means they can directly influence which businesses customers discover first. If AIOs are surfacing your competitors at the very top of search results, they’re getting the clicks and potentially the customers you could be winning. Being present in AI Overviews requires more than just ranking in the traditional local pack. Google’s official guidance for AI features also explicitly tells site owners to keep their Google Business Profile (GBP) information up to date as part of best practices for appearing in AI Overviews and AI Search Mode. This is a strong signal that GBP data is actively consumed by Google’s AI systems and determines which businesses are mentioned in the AI-generated answers. Consistency across other key directories also matters, as AI search tools often pull from multiple trusted sources. How to Get Your Local Business Featured in AI Overviews Let’s look at three different ways you can help get your business featured in Google’s AI Overviews. Optimize Your Google Business Profile Your Google Business Profile (GBP) is the cornerstone of local AI search optimization. It’s a place Google uses to pull up to date information about your business, so that it can be used in AI Overviews. Below is a screenshot from Dishoom in Covent Garden’s Google Business Profile. You can see that this information about its most popular times for a Tuesday, is consistent and pulled directly from the Google Business Profile. If your GBP is incomplete, inconsistent, or inactive, you’re missing out on appearing in AI-generated answers from AI models. What is a Google Business Profile? A Google Business Profile (previously Google My Business) is a free tool from Google that lets you manage how your business appears in Search and Google Maps. It’s your digital shopfront, showing your: Here’s what a Google Business Profile looks like: Google uses GBP data as a primary structured data source. This means your profile directly influences whether your business: Creating Your Google Business Profile Claim & Verify Your Profile Go to Google Business Profile Manager Search for your business. If it exists, claim it; if not, click “Add your business to Google”. Follow the prompts to enter your business details. Choose your verification method: postcard, phone, or email. Complete the Fields 1. Business Name – Enter your business name exactly as it appears to customers in the real world, without any extra keywords or taglines 2. Business Type – Select all of the appropriate business types that apply to your business. 3. Business Category – Choose the most accurate category for your business. This helps Google match you to relevant searches. 4. Service Areas – List the locations where you provide services or deliver products. This is optional. 5. Region – Select the region that your business is based in. 6. Contact Information – Include a main phone number, and if possible, a backup line or mobile. Make sure these numbers are consistent across your website and other listings.You also have the option to add a link to your official website. 7. Services / Products – depending on your selections for Business Type, you’ll be asked to add information about your services/products. Select all that apply, along with any Custom services. 8. Opening Hours / Business Hours – Clearly list your standard operating hours, and keep them updated. Use the “Special hours” feature for bank holidays, seasonal changes, or one-off closures. 9. Business Description – Use up to 750 characters to explain what your business does, who you serve, and what makes you unique. Keep the most important information in the first 250 characters, as that’s what’s often displayed. This is also an opportunity to incorporate some relevant keywords to help further the models’ contextual interpretation of your business. Good Example: “At GreenLeaf Lawn Care, we provide eco-friendly lawn maintenance, seasonal fertilisation, and landscape design services for homes and businesses across Westbrook.” A rich description makes it more likely that AI can confidently match your business to relevant user queries. Bad Example: “We cut grass.” A vague, generic description like “We cut grass” gives no signals about your location, specialisms, or target audience, meaning AI may overlook you in favour of competitors with clearer, more complete profiles. 10. Business Location – If customers visit you in person, enter your full address and position the map pin exactly where your business is located. You can also choose to hide your address if you operate from home. 11. Social Profiles – Link to your social media profiles (Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc.). This makes it easier for users to find, follow and/or contact you and provide AI Overviews with more verified brand signals. When completing your Google Business Profile, keep your NAP (Name, Address, and Phone Number) consistent across every online mention of your business. That means the exact same spelling, formatting, and details should appear on your website, social media accounts, review sites, and local business directories. Even tiny differences, like writing “High Street” in one place and “High St.” in another, can create uncertainty for these systems. This isn’t just a local SEO issue. Remember, AI Overviews and other AI models pull from multiple trusted data sources to verify facts. If your business details don’t match everywhere, the AI may: Upload High-Quality Images and Videos Adding high-quality visuals to your Google Business Profile isn’t just about making it look good, it’s a critical trust and engagement signal for both customers and search systems. For example, Google’s AI overview uses the same photo… … in its AI-generated answer as the Cover Photo of Dishoom’s GBP. Profiles with rich, professional-looking media tend to attract more clicks, more calls, and more in-person visits. They also provide AI Overviews with visual context to verify your business category, offerings, and location. Include friendly, professional shots of your team to humanise your brand. This helps build trust among your prospective customers and also shows Google that there are real people behind your company. For example, a landscaping company could post photos of a finished garden alongside action shots of staff planting flowers. Customer Reviews Customer reviews are more than just social proof, they’re a strong trust signal for both human visitors and AI-driven search. The more high-quality, authentic reviews you have, the more confidently LLMs and Google can recommend your business over competitors. For example, here’s an AI Overview for best hotels in west London for families. Here’s a breakdown of the number of reviews each of the hotels mentioned has: The Residence Inn Kensington – 1,849 reviews The Athenaeum hotel – 1,330 reviews The Goring – 1,434 reviews Scrolling down to the organic search results, we found this: Despite ranking organically, Google’s isn’t confident enough to recommend this in its AI answer, as it only has 125 reviews. Positive, keyword-rich reviews also help AI understand what your business is known for, which services you offer, and in which locations you operate. After a positive interaction (e.g., completed project, successful appointment, happy customer service call), politely ask for feedback. It’ll give you a link (and QR code) that you can share with your customers. Important: Never offer discounts, gifts, or incentives in exchange Read More Read More
The post +3.7x Monthly AI Traffic [AI SEO Case Study] first appeared on Diggity Marketing.