Optimising Your Google Business Profile for AI Search: What Now Matters
Google Business Profile was important for classic local SEO. For AI search — Google AI Overviews, local ChatGPT recommendations — different rules apply. What's changed and which fields are now decisive.
Google Business Profile matters for the local 3-pack in Google Maps — but there's a second dimension most businesses haven't accounted for yet: it's one of the most important data sources for Google AI Overviews.
When someone asks Google "Which dermatologist in Munich-Schwabing is recommended?" — they increasingly get an AI-generated response. That response draws on what Google knows about local businesses — and a significant portion comes from the Business Profile.
The fields that matter most for AI search
Business description
Most descriptions read like advertising copy: "We are an experienced team of passionate professionals." That gives an AI nothing useful.
A description optimised for AI search answers clearly: what do you do, for whom, where, what is your specialisation?
Poor: "Your trusted law firm in Munich. We advise you professionally in all legal matters."
Good: "Employment and corporate law specialists in Munich Maxvorstadt. We represent employees and businesses in all stages of the employment relationship — from settlement negotiations to tribunal proceedings."
Category and subcategories
Choose the most specific available primary category. Use subcategories to reflect specialisations.
Services
Don't enter "General Advice". Enter concrete services: "Wrongful Dismissal Claims", "Property Disputes Munich", "Settlement Agreement Review". Each service increases the chance of being recommended for a specific query.
Questions and Answers (Q&A)
Google uses the Q&A field as a source format for AI answers — similarly to FAQPage schema. Seed it with the questions clients most frequently ask before committing — with concrete, complete answers.
Photos and Google Posts
Photo recency signals an active, maintained presence. Google Posts (once a month) signal an active profile. Both are treated as activity signals by AI.
What Business Profile doesn't replace
A well-maintained Google Business Profile is an important layer — but it doesn't replace structured data on your website. Having both creates the strongest starting position.
Timo Birck runs TB Webdesign, a web design and AEO agency based in Munich.
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