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A page can hold the top spot on Google and still bring in fewer enquiries than it did two years ago. Buyers in the UAE now read AI summaries, call businesses from map listings and ask chatbots for shortlists, and a rank tracker sees none of it.
So the more useful question for search engine optimisation in Dubai is no longer only “where do we rank?” It’s “what do people do when they search, and which of those actions turn into business?” Here are nine behaviours to track, and where to find the signal for each.
- They get the answer without clicking
AI Overviews have been live in the UAE since May 2025, summarising answers in Arabic as well as English. When a summary answers the question, many searches end on Google itself: so-called zero-click search. In a Pew Research Center study of US users in March 2025, people clicked a traditional result in 8% of visits when an AI summary appeared, against 15% when one didn’t.
What to track: impressions next to clicks in Google Search Console. Rising impressions with flat clicks on informational pages often means you’re seen but not visited, so judge those pages on visibility, not traffic alone.
- They ask longer, conversational questions
AI Mode launched in English across the Middle East and North Africa in August 2025 and added Arabic that October. Google says early users in markets where it launched first asked questions two to three times longer than typical searches. Someone who once typed “dermatologist Jumeirah” may now ask for one who treats acne scarring and has weekend appointments.
What to track: long, question-style queries in Search Console. They show which details buyers weigh, and your service pages should answer those details in plain language.
- They ask AI assistants instead of searching
Microsoft’s AI Diffusion Report found that 73.3% of the UAE’s working-age population used generative AI in the second quarter of 2026, the highest share of any economy it tracks. That covers all generative AI use, not just search, but some of it is likely buying research: which school, which developer, which software vendor.
What to track: run the same set of buying questions through ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity each month. Note whether your brand appears, how it’s described and which sources are cited. AI-tool visits that carry referral data can be segmented in GA4; others may appear as direct traffic. For Google’s own AI features, Search Console’s generative AI report (launched June 2026, still reaching more sites) shows impressions in AI Overviews and AI Mode, but not clicks.
- They search for your brand by name
A mention in an AI answer, an ad or a review can turn into a branded search later. These queries also tend to keep their clicks: in US data, SparkToro found that branded, local and high-intent transactional searches are less affected by zero-click behaviour than informational ones.
What to track: Search Console’s branded queries filter, now available to all eligible sites, splits branded and non-branded performance automatically. Steady growth in branded demand, allowing for seasonality, is a useful sign that your wider marketing is working.
- They act straight from the map listing
For clinics, schools, showrooms and restaurants, many buyers call or get directions from the Google Business Profile without opening the website. Web analytics won’t record those actions.
What to track: calls, direction requests, website clicks, bookings and messages in the profile’s performance data. The calls figure counts only taps on the call button, not manually dialled calls. A dedicated tracking number closes that gap. List it as the primary phone and keep your main number as an additional phone, so your details stay consistent across listings.
- They switch between Arabic and English
The same buyer may search in English at work and Arabic at home, or mix the two in one query. With AI Overviews and AI Mode both working in Arabic, the answers they see can differ by language.
What to track: separate Arabic and English queries in Search Console with a query filter, then compare impressions, clicks and conversions. Arabic queries that earn impressions but land on English pages usually point to a content gap rather than a ranking problem.
- They search with voice and images
AI Mode accepts spoken questions and photos as well as typed text. A shopper can photograph a sofa or a skincare product and ask where to buy it nearby.
What to track: Google doesn’t report voice searches or photo-based searches separately, so measure readiness instead. Check that product images have descriptive file names and alt text, that product structured data is accurate, and that common questions are answered in full sentences.
- They cross-check before deciding
Property, medical treatment, school places and B2B contracts are rarely decided after one search. Many buyers compare Google reviews, listing portals, YouTube and social media before they shortlist anyone. AI answers lean on third-party sources too: in US data from 2025, Pew found Wikipedia, Reddit and YouTube were the sites Google’s AI summaries cited most often.
What to track: review volume, rating trend and response rate on your Business Profile, how you appear on the portals and directories your buyers use, and whether those sources come up when AI tools describe your category.
- They click less, but with more intent
When a summary handles the basic question, the people who still click are often further along in their decision. Fewer visits can mean better visits.
What to track: conversion rate from organic sessions, qualified leads from organic search, and cost per lead compared with paid channels. Report search on enquiries and revenue rather than traffic.
Rankings are one input, not the scorecard
Google accounted for about 95% of search engine referral traffic in the UAE in August 2026, according to StatCounter, so strong organic pages remain the foundation. But a ranking report can’t show whether search is producing enquiries. A Dubai SEO report built around these nine behaviours can: it shows where buyers see you, where they act, and what that’s worth.
Frequently asked questions
What should Dubai marketers track beyond Google rankings?
Impressions versus clicks, visibility in AI Overviews and AI assistants, branded search demand, calls and directions from Google Business Profile, Arabic versus English performance, and qualified leads from organic search. These show whether visibility is producing business.
Is SEO still worth investing in if many searches end without a click?
Yes, if it’s measured on the right outcomes. Informational queries lose the most clicks, while branded, local and transactional searches, the ones closest to revenue, hold up better.
Can you see whether your brand appears in AI Overviews or ChatGPT?
Partly. Search Console’s generative AI report shows impressions in Google’s AI features, but not clicks. For ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity, test a fixed set of buying questions each month and record whether your brand is named.
How often should these signals be reviewed?
Monthly suits most, using the same AI questions each time. Businesses that depend on phone enquiries may want to check Business Profile calls weekly.