AI Overviews Killed Local SEO: Why 68% of Local Searches Now Skip the Map Pack
AI Overviews now appear in 68% of local searches. The Google Map Pack appears in 39% of the same queries. That 29-point gap is where your local search traffic went, and almost no one is measuring it. If your local search traffic has declined in 2026 and you cannot figure out why, this is the reason. You are ranking in a system that users are increasingly skipping past. The AI Overview answers their question before they ever scroll to the map. They get their answer, they move on, and they never click your link, call your number, or visit your store. Your Map Pack ranking is perfect. Your phone is not ringing. ...