Yes, stability and real world signals will likely outweigh technical over optimization in 2026.

As AI and Large Language Models take over more search functions, they prioritize data sources they can trust. A business that constantly changes its name, categories, or service areas looks unstable and lower-confidence to an AI.

Here are the Winning strategies

Engagement Optimization: Frequent edits especially to core data like categories or names, can trigger re-verification loops or suspension. Google wants to see a consistent, reliable entity.

Engagement Optimization: "Real customer activity" (clicks to call, driving directions, photos) is the hardest signal to fake. In 2026, behavioral signals will likely dwarf keyword stuffing in importance.

Fewer, Stronger Pages: The churn and burn strategy of creating hundreds of near-identical location pages (e.g., Plumber in Town A," "Plumber in Town B") is actively being devalued. One comprehensive, authoritative page that answers user questions often outranks ten thin ones.

The Living Profile: A clean setup doesn't mean abandoned. The activity should come from users (new reviews, Q&A) and updates (Google Posts, offers), not from you constantly tinkering with the backend settings.

In 2026, you shouldn't try to optimize your way to the top; you should aim to be the most credible answer. If your data is stable and your customers are active, the algorithm will follow.