Google's AI Mode answers questions as a conversation instead of a list of ten blue links. Ask it for “a video production company in downtown Vancouver” or “the best brunch near Kitsilano” and it writes an answer, names a few businesses, and links to where it got its information. For a local business the question is simple: how do you become one of the names it mentions?

Why this matters now

People already use AI tools to choose local businesses. A GatherUp survey of more than 1,000 US consumers found that about 48% had used a conversational AI tool to look up local business information, and 67% said they don't fact-check the sources the AI cites. Whatever the AI says about you is, for many customers, the final word.

On October 15, 2026, Google also announced changes that put more links inside AI answers and place them higher. In a separate test, it credits video creators by name. More clicks are on the table for businesses the AI trusts.

What AI Mode looks at

The good news: AI Mode picks local businesses using the same signals local SEO always relied on. There is no secret trick, just a list of basics that most businesses haven't finished.

A 9-point checklist for Vancouver businesses

  1. Complete your Google Business Profile. Correct categories, services, hours, description and website link. It is the single most important source for local answers.
  2. Keep your name, address and phone identical everywhere: website, Business Profile, Instagram, Yelp and directories. Small differences confuse machines.
  3. Collect reviews steadily and reply to every one. AI tools summarise what customers say about you, and fresh, detailed reviews give them something good to say.
  4. Add real photos and video to your profile and website: your space, your team, your work. Original images signal a real, active business.
  5. Write service pages that answer real questions: what it costs, how long it takes, what's included, which areas you serve. Plain language beats slogans.
  6. Add an FAQ section to your key pages. AI answers are often built from short, direct question-and-answer text.
  7. Get mentioned beyond your own site: local directories, industry associations, local news and partner websites.
  8. Use structured data (LocalBusiness schema) so search engines can read your address, phone and services without guessing.
  9. Check what the AI says about you. Ask AI Mode about your category and your neighbourhood. If it gets a fact wrong, find the source it used and fix it there.
Our take

AI Mode rewards the businesses that look most clearly real: complete profiles, consistent details, active reviews, and original photos and video. Most of these steps take an afternoon. The content part, photography and video that show your business at its best, is where we can help.

Don't panic, but don't wait

AI Mode is still a small share of all searches, and classic Google results and Maps aren't going away. But every item on this checklist also improves your regular search and Maps rankings, so there is no downside to starting now.

Want a second pair of eyes on your website and Google profile? Get in touch, or see our marketing services in Vancouver.

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