How Small Wisconsin Businesses Can Win in Google’s New AI Overviews

The Future of Google Search Is Here — and It’s Changing How Customers Find You

If you’ve searched Google lately, you’ve probably noticed something new: instead of a list of blue links, Google often shows a quick, AI-generated summary — an AI Overview — that answers your question instantly.

For small businesses in Wisconsin, this shift is huge. Your potential customers might never scroll down to traditional results. That means if your business isn’t optimized for these AI answers, you could be invisible — even if you rank well today.

That’s where Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) comes in — and it’s exactly what we help our clients with here at Fredrick Media in Neenah, WI.

AI Overviews are part of Google’s new search experience. They use artificial intelligence to summarize the best answers to a question directly on the results page — often pulling content from websites that explain things clearly, locally, and in natural language.

• Direct, conversational answers to user questions
• Clear local context (like “Fox Valley” or “near Neenah, WI”)
• Authority signals such as reviews, schema markup, and expertise

In other words, Google wants your content to sound human — and prove local trust.

The way people find local businesses is changing fast.

When someone searches:

• “Who’s the best landscaper near Neenah?”
• “How much does a bathroom remodel cost in Appleton?”
• “Where can I rent a dumpster in Oshkosh?”

Google’s AI Overview is likely to show a summary and a few trusted local businesses — not just a list of websites. If your website’s content doesn’t clearly answer those kinds of questions, you’ll be skipped over. That’s why your local visibility and clarity matter more than ever.

At Fredrick Media, we help Wisconsin small businesses prepare for this new search era using a combination of clarity + AEO strategy. Here’s how you can start winning:

1. Add Question-Based Content
   Include simple, conversational FAQs on your homepage and service pages:
   “How much does a roof replacement cost in Appleton, WI?”
   “What’s the best time to schedule snow removal in Neenah?”
   Answer directly — just like you’d explain to a customer in person.
   
   
2. Include Local Language Naturally
   Mention your service areas throughout your site — but naturally:
   “We serve homeowners and businesses across Neenah, Appleton, and the greater Fox Valley.”
   This helps AI models and Google associate your business with real Wisconsin locations.
   
   
3. Use Schema Markup (LocalBusiness + FAQ)
   This structured data tells Google what your business does and where you’re located. It’s one of the most effective technical steps for showing up in AI summaries.
   
   
4. Focus on Helpful, Human Answers
   Google’s AI rewards content that’s clear, educational, and trustworthy. Ditch the jargon — talk like you’re chatting with a neighbor.

We recently optimized a Fox Valley home services site using this approach. Within weeks, it started appearing in Google’s new “AI Overview” section for questions like:

“Who installs home automation systems in Appleton?”

They gained local traffic, but more importantly — more calls and quote requests. That’s the real win.

If you’re a local business owner in Neenah, Appleton, Oshkosh, or anywhere in the Fox Valley — let’s take a look at your site together.

We’ll run a Free AEO + Local Visibility Checkup to show:

• Whether your site appears in AI Overviews
  
• What questions you could be showing up for
  
• Simple fixes to start winning local leads right now

📍 Fredrick Media | Neenah, Wisconsin
👉 Request Your Free AI + Local SEO Checkup