How Search is Changing on Mobile and Why Local Services Ads Might Be Even More Important
If you’ve searched for a local contractor on your phone recently, you may have noticed something completely new: Google is starting to show the Local Pack directly into AI Overviews on mobile. Instead of the familiar layout where AI Overviews sit at the top, followed by Sponsored Ads and then the Local Pack, mobile users are now seeing the Local Pack inside the AI Overview itself.
Here’s the kicker – These mobile Local Pack results have no action buttons.
No Call.
No Website.
No Directions.
This shift creates several challenges:
- Reduced engagement. When mobile users can’t tap to call or visit your site with one click, friction increases, and many will bounce or scroll back up to Sponsored Ads and Local Services Ads (LSA), where the buttons do exist.
- Less visibility for your Google Business Profile (GBP). On desktop, GBPs still display fully with reviews, buttons, and business details. But on mobile AI Overviews, the simplified card format strips out features that typically generate leads.
- More competition at the top. If the Local Pack is buried inside the AI Overview, and action buttons don’t appear, businesses that rely only on organic placement could see lower lead volume, especially from mobile users, which now represent the majority of local searches.
This is yet another signal that Google is shifting traffic toward paid channels, especially LSAs.
With AI Overviews disrupting traditional organic visibility, especially for mobile, contractors need a diversified strategy. Here’s how to stay ahead:
1. Prioritize Local Services Ads (LSA)
LSAs remain the most direct way to get high-intent leads because:
- They sit above AI Overviews.
- They include action buttons like “Call” and “Message.”
- They show credibility boosters such as the Google Verified badge.
- They connect you to real, exclusive leads at the moment of intent.
As AI pushes more organic content down the page, LSAs will capture more clicks simply because users don’t want to dig for phone numbers.
2. Keep Google Business Profiles Fully Optimized
Even though mobile AI Overviews show simplified business cards, a strong, optimized GBP still matters:
- It influences ranking inside the AI Overview’s Local Pack.
- It affects visibility on desktop searches, where the full Local Pack and panel still show.
- It strengthens trust signals when users click through or look deeper.
Photos, categories, reviews, services, and posting frequency all still play a role.
3. Maintain Organic SEO to Ensure Visibility
Yes, AI is changing the landscape, but organic SEO still matters in:
- The sources Google cites in AI Overviews
- The context around your GBP
- The overall authority of your brand
SEO remains the foundation, but not the only strategy you should rely on for lead flow.
4. Watch for Updates Because Search Is Still Evolving
Google is clearly experimenting. The change is not yet visible consistently. It appears Google is testing it out in more heavily populated regions, and will slowly roll out to all markets.
The mobile version is different from desktop, and the formats are changing quickly. This screen recording shows exactly how the Local Pack is embedded inside AI Overviews with reduced functionality. We expect Google to continue testing layouts, buttons, and placement of ads.
Bottom Line
Google’s AI Overviews are reshaping mobile search, and early tests show that the Local Pack may not function the same way it did before. When users can’t directly call or visit your website from the Local Pack inside AI Overviews, your business risks fewer leads from organic mobile traffic.
That’s why now, more than ever, LSAs + GBP optimization + strong organic SEO is the winning trifecta for service contractors.