Google changed the game in March 2025. Their latest algorithm update brought AI front and center in search results. This shift affects how customers will find your business on and offline. The Google March 2025 Core Update was completed on March 27, 2025, marking the first major update of the year. But this wasn’t just another tweak. Google rolled out AI Mode and expanded AI Overviews to more users. These changes mean people get answers without clicking through to websites.
For home service businesses like roofing and HVAC companies, this creates new challenges. Your potential customers might find the answers they need without ever visiting your site. But it also opens doors for smart businesses that adapt quickly.
What is AI? And How Does it Affect My Business?
Artificial Intelligence helps computers respond like humans. In Google’s case, AI reads web pages and creates summaries for searchers. It pulls information from multiple sources to answer questions directly in search results.
Think of AI as a research assistant that works instantly. When someone searches for the “best HVAC system for small homes,” AI reviews dozens of websites and creates a summary. This summary appears before traditional search results.
The technology gets smarter over time. It learns from user behavior and improves its answers. For businesses, this means AI becomes better at understanding what customers want and how to better meet their needs.
Google AI Overviews
AI Overviews show up at the top of the search results for many queries, much like Rich Snippets. They provide quick answers using information from multiple websites. Often, these results are accompanied by a series of links.
On desktop, these links are displayed to the right of the overview:
On mobile, these links can be found at the top right and the bottom of the overview:
Google AI Mode
AI Mode offers a more conversational search experience. It provides advanced reasoning and multimodality, with the ability to go deeper through follow-up questions. Users can ask follow-up questions like they’re chatting with an expert.
This feature creates a chat-like interface within Google Search. Instead of typing new searches, users continue conversations with AI. The interface gives users a full-screen, chatbot-style view where links play a smaller role.
What’s New? And What’s Changed?
Google’s AI features rolled out gradually throughout early 2025, marking a major expansion for search capabilities. More search queries now trigger AI responses and provide more detailed and accurate answers than before.
The biggest change may appear to be how search results look. AI-generated content appears prominently at the top, while traditional website listings were moved even further down on the page. The top organic results now appear below AI Overviews, sponsored ads, rich snippets, people also ask, and local map packs. This shift affects which results get attention and clicks, but that isn’t the biggest change.
In reality, the biggest change is search behavior. People are asking more complex questions, expecting detailed answers. They use natural language, not just keyword phrases. Users also engage in longer search sessions, asking follow-up questions within the same search.
While these answers are presented to users with links to the original sources, many users get their answers without clicking through, creating two problems.
- The chance for misinformation. While more and more users are starting to utilize AI models, the opportunity for misinformation rises, which may lead to many confused users and customers. To combat misinformation generated from AI, your business should be creating useful, informative content optimized not only for search engines but large language models as well. But it doesn’t stop there. Educating customers in person and showing why the information is either wrong or misleading will always remain the best way to combat misinformation and help your customers make the best decisions for them.
- Less traffic to your website. This is the biggest, most alarming of the problems for your business. As more and more users gather their answers from AI overviews and other AI models like ChatGPT, we can expect that organic traffic for websites across the board will experience losses. But do those clicks matter? Perhaps not. If users are searching for quick answers, were they ever potential organic customers? Yes and no. While many of these users were not going to follow through with a purchase immediately, they may in the future. What your business loses the most from these clicks is brand recognition. So what can you do about that?
What Can Your Business Do To Take Advantage of AI Overviews and AI Mode?
The key is understanding that AI changes how customers interact with information, not whether they need your services. They do. That hasn’t changed. Only how they may find you has. While traffic patterns shift, smart businesses adapt.
Create content that combats misinformation. Your business should focus on useful, informative content optimized for both search engines and large language models. But it doesn’t stop there. When you meet with customers, educate them about common misconceptions they might have learned from AI. Show them why certain information is wrong or misleading. This positions you as a trusted local expert, not just another source from which AI can mine information.
Build authority beyond traffic numbers. Yes, you’ll likely see fewer website visitors. But those clicks might not have converted anyway. The real loss is brand recognition when potential customers never see your business name. Combat this by getting cited in AI responses. Create comprehensive, well-structured content that AI systems want to reference.
Most importantly, get active in your local communities. Nothing builds an impression more than face-to-face interactions.
Focus on local expertise. AI excels at general information but struggles with local nuances. Emphasize your knowledge of local regulations and area-specific challenges. This makes your content more valuable for AI to cite when answering location-based questions.
Optimize for conversation, not just keywords. People now ask AI to complete questions like “What’s the best HVAC system for a 1,200 square foot home in Phoenix?” Create content that answers these conversational queries directly and completely.
Claim every digital presence. AI pulls information from multiple sources, so it’s important to maintain consistent, accurate details across Google Business Profile, social media, directories, and review sites. The more places AI finds your information, the more likely it is to mention your business.
Work with professionals who understand AI. These changes happen fast, and keeping up while running your business is tough. A professional marketing agency that specializes in AI optimization, like Art Unlimited, can help you navigate these shifts. They understand how to structure content for AI citation, monitor your brand mentions, and adapt strategies as Google continues updating its systems.
What’s Next For AI?
Google continues expanding its AI capabilities. Expect more sophisticated answers that handle complex, multi-part questions. Visual search will improve, helping users find businesses through images and videos.
Voice search integration will deepen. AI will better understand spoken queries and provide audio responses. This benefits local businesses that are already positioned for accessibility as people search for nearby services using voice commands.
Personalization will increase. AI will consider user history, location, and preferences when generating responses, creating opportunities for businesses to connect with highly targeted audiences.
The technology will handle more industries and query types. Currently, some specialized topics receive limited AI treatment. As the system improves, more business categories will see AI integration in their search results.
Navigating these AI-driven changes doesn’t have to be overwhelming. At Art Unlimited, we help home service businesses stay visible, build authority, and earn trust in a rapidly evolving digital landscape. Whether you need help crafting AI-optimized content, strengthening your local presence, or tracking your brand’s visibility in AI Overviews, our team is here to guide you. Let’s work together to ensure your business not only keeps up but stands out.
TL;DR
Google’s March 2025 update brought AI to the forefront of search results. AI Overviews and AI Mode provide instant answers, reducing clicks to websites.
Home service businesses face new challenges as customers get answers without visiting websites. However, smart adaptation creates opportunities.
- Focus on creating detailed, question-answering content that AI systems can cite.
- Optimize for local search and maintain strong Google Business Profiles.
- Build expertise in your field through consistent, valuable content.
- Monitor how AI represents your business and adjust strategies accordingly.
