Google's AI Mode is shaking up the internet - and the reactions are telling

Google is testing AI Mode in the US, a new experience that could change the foundations of organic search. Publishers are outraged, SEOs are apprehensive, and this will be the biggest talking point in marketing this year. So, what does AI Mode look like in the wild, and what does it mean for the future of search marketing?

What is AI Mode?

AI Mode provides a more conversational search experience, powered by Google Gemini.

Once you have access to AI Mode (Google is currently testing in the US only), you can activate it by clicking the AI Mode tab below the search bar.

This takes you into AI Mode, where Google generates a response to your query, pulling information from various pages around the web.

On desktop, responses show on the left with sources on the right side of the browser. On mobile, a condensed view of sources shows above the response with a vertical pack showing below responses. Keep in mind, the visual experience of AI Mode could change as Google continues to test the experience.

As with Gemini, you can ask follow-up prompts to explore topics in more detail or get information that’s more relevant to your needs. Gemini remembers each prompt and personalises responses as you explore topics in more depth.

Similarly to AI Overviews, AI Mode links to the sources used to generate each section of its responses. You can view the sources used by clicking on the small link icon at the end of any given section.

Of course, users can click through to websites to access more information on a specific point. However, AI Mode is designed to keep users interacting with Google through follow-up prompts and topical exploration.

As with AI Overviews, traffic from AI Mode is grouped with “organic traffic,” so you can’t view traffic data for AI Overviews or AI Mode independently. This doesn’t help clear up any of the uncertainty surrounding zero-click searches and traffic volumes.

What does AI Mode mean for SEO and the future of search?

AI Mode introduces a more conversational search experience built around topic exploration. It’s another step away from the traditional search model of queries, organic search results and clicking through to websites. For SEOs, publishers and businesses, this raises two key problems:

1. Content “theft”: AI Mode uses content from websites to generate its responses, raising accusations of “theft” from publishers.

2. Zero-click searches: AI Mode gives users even less reason to click through to websites.

Essentially, Google wants unrestricted access to your content, but it doesn’t want users clicking through to your website. It wants them to stay locked into the Google experience.

This is bad news for any business that wants to drive organic traffic from the content it publishes. SEOs know what this could mean for search marketing, and they’re not too happy.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai claims that AI Overviews are driving more traffic than traditional SERPs – and that AI Mode will do the same. However, SEOs and journalists are increasingly unsatisfied with his statement, considering every credible study says the opposite.

This week, The Verge Editor-in-Chief Nilay Patel asked Pichai:

“Is there public data that shows that AI Overviews and AI Mode actually send more traffic than the previous search engine results page?”

So "no" then??

Ironically, AI Mode disagrees with Pichai, and it comes up with a more convincing answer to the question, too.

Unfortunately, marketers can’t answer this question for themselves as there’s no way to measure traffic from AI Mode or AI Overviews in Search Console or Google Analytics.

What does Google say about optimising for AI Mode?

If we take Google’s word that AI search is driving significant traffic to websites, how can marketers optimise for it? Well, you’ll find the following advice on the Google Search Console Blog:

●      Focus on unique, valuable content for people

●      Provide a great page experience

●      Ensure we can access your content

●      Manage visibility with preview controls

●      Make sure structured data matches the visible content

●      Go beyond text for multimodal success

●      Understand the full value of your visits

●      Evolve with your users

Nothing really new there. Create quality content, provide great experiences and make sure technical SEO is on point.

How should marketers react to AI Mode?

Here at GAIN, we’ve already outlined 11 key optimisations for AI Overviews, and they all apply to AI Mode, too:

1. Pinpoint your AIO keywords

2. Track emerging keyword opportunities

3. Improve your page rankings

4. Link building and brand mentions

5. Format your content for AI Overviews

6. The Question, Answer, Expand framework

7. Reference trusted sources

8. Optimise for E-E-A-T and YMYL

9. Regularly update content

10. Use structured data

11. Excel at technical SEO

There is an important difference with AI Mode, though. The explorational experience means marketers need to understand how audiences explore topics in AI Mode. There are three decisive variables here:

1. How AI Mode topically structures responses

2. How users interact with sections of a response

3. Any follow-up prompts from the user

AI Mode uses Google’s Query Fan-Out technique to thematically sequence information with subtopics. Let’s say you ask AI Mode “what are the best TVs for home cinemas?” It uses the fan-out technique to identify key considerations people should make when choosing a TV for this purpose.

The fan-out technique shows the importance of topic coverage when optimising for AI search. First, you need to know what your audience is looking for, but you also need to understand how AI search tools compile information in their responses. Each topic covered through the fan-out technique is a visibility opportunity.

More importantly, they influence how your audience might explore the topic and seek information that brings them closer to conversions.

Topical exploration is clearly the future of search, and it will force us to rethink approaches to optimising for visibility.

Adapting in the age of AI search

Optimising for AI Mode will be one of the hottest topics in marketing this year, but we have to also consider the bigger picture here. Online experiences are changing, as people use a wider variety of channels, and generational differences widen.

Gen Z and younger Millennials interact with the internet very differently from older demographics. We’re not talking about kids anymore, either; the oldest Gen Zers turn 28 this year. Whatever AI Mode becomes, it will be one part of an online experience that’s already growing beyond traditional search.

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