Google, never one to settle for “good enough,” changed the AI game again. With its new AI Mode, it seems determined to shift Search further away from traditional use cases, causing further ripples in SEO, content strategy, and brand visibility.
Is it the death of SEO? Absolutely not, but it does require more expert monitoring, managing, and adaptability on the part of all internet-dependent businesses.
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What is Google’s New AI Mode?
AI Mode is still in experiment. It’s designed to expand on Google’s AI Overviews using “more advanced reasoning, thinking and multimodal capabilities.” It’s able to answer questions asked via typing, talking, snapping a photo, or uploading an image.
How do I find AI Mode?
AI Mode is available in English to any users over 18 in the U.S. who opt-in via Labs. You must also enable Search History.
You can find AI Mode in three ways:
- Visit google.com/aimode
- Go to www.google.com, enter a question in the Search bar, and then tap AI Mode below the bar
- On the Google app, tap AI Mode below the Search bar on the home screen
What kinds of questions does AI Mode answer?
Google wants AI Mode to answer more nuanced, complex, multi-part questions, questions that require “deeper” exploration, reasoning, and/or comparisons.
You can ask AI Mode questions such as:
1. Explain how deja vu works and how it relates to memory.
2. If I enjoyed these, what are some similar books that are highly rated?
3. What’s the difference in sleep tracking features between a smart ring, smartwatch, and tracking mat?
4. What are the best vintage shops for mid-century modern furniture?
In early May 2025, Google started rolling out visual place and product cards in AI Mode, as well as info such as ratings, reviews, opening hours, real-time prices, shipping details, and live busyness.
AI Mode will save past searches, making it possible for you to jump back into a research project or task at any time.
Where Does AI Mode Get its Information?
AI Mode synthesizes everything from Search results into a conversational answer. This means it pulls its information from:
- Websites
- Wikipedia
- Review sites
- Social media platforms
- News articles
- Blogs
It is critically important to your brand reputation that these sources deliver accurate information. If you aren’t already monitoring and managing these sites, it’s past time to start. The last thing you want is negatively biased or inaccurate information influencing consumers and staining your reputation.
If you need guidance on how to develop a strategy that best fits each site’s unique guidelines and rules while avoiding common, disastrous pitfalls, check out our free guides:
- Your Latest Secret Weapon: Reddit. Here’s Why
- 90% of users turn to Reddit to learn about new products and brands.
- Navigating the Review Landscape: Platforms You Need to Know (and Master)
- 99.5% of shoppers read reviews before making a purchase.
- Wikipedia for PR and Marketing Agencies: A Strategic Guide
- Wikipedia heavily influences search engines and is a foundational data source for AI tools.
- Wikipedia for Business 2025: Successful Strategies for Marketers & Communicators
- TMG’s annual publication, refined every year to address Wikipedia’s latest changes and give businesses the most necessary insights to drive success.
How AI Mode Impacts Search Behavior
While AI Mode is still in experimental mode, based on how it works, here are our predictions for how it will impact Search.
1. Conversational Partner
AI Mode is a conversational partner, inviting more human-esque interaction. We expect to see significantly longer, more natural language queries with a greater emphasis on context and user intent.
2. Zero Click Answers
With more complete answers available on Google, zero-click searches will continue to increase as some users choose not to follow through to a linked website.
This makes it more important than ever that your content is optimized to answer questions clearly and succinctly. You want AI Mode to use it and link to it. Even if no one clicks on the link, it still provides brand awareness and authority.
3. Longer Engagement
The conversational element could lead to longer search engagement as users ask follow-up questions and seek to explore topics in more depth. To benefit from this, organizations could create content clusters or hubs, with interconnected content pieces that address topics in a fuller, more comprehensive manner.
Implications for SEO and Online Reputation Strategies
When it comes to compatibility with AI Mode, this is what we recommend for your SEO strategies and online reputation management.
SEO Strategy Evolution
A few changes in the SEO world – nothing drastic, but you should be aware of the following:
- Target more complex, natural language queries in addition to more traditional keywords and keyword phrases.
- Craft content (blogs, ads copy, etc.) that answers questions directly, clearly, and with authority.
- Create comprehensive content clusters that address expected/anticipated follow-on questions and provide clear, in-depth information.
- Create various content types such as blogs, videos, and infographics, to best address different learning styles and Q&A preferences.
Online Reputation Management
Online reputation management requires the same attention to detail as always. AI Mode doesn’t change that. What it does do is raise the stakes.
- Monitoring brand mentions remains critical as AI Mode answers will come from review sites, social media, forums, Wikipedia, Reddit, etc. If there’s something negative or inaccurate, it needs to be addressed promptly, professionally, and authentically.
- Pro Tip: Have a response plan in place before a negative review pops up. The faster you can respond, the better, but you don’t want a slapdash or socially tone-deaf response making the situation worse.
- AI Mode will synthesize information from multiple sources and multiple related search queries to answer one question. Focus on sharing accurate and positive information prominently across all online platforms.
- Keep all brand messaging across owned and external platforms consistent to give AI mode (and all AI tools) the best chance at understanding who you are and what you do.
How to Stay Ahead of the Competition
Competition is fierce in our crowded online world. Follow these tips if you want to stand out.
- Regularly audit your online presence and content for AI-readiness. This includes testing your brand visibility in AI Mode. The situation will continue to rapidly change. Success requires ongoing adaptation.
- Partner with experts to ensure you’re adapting effectively. Find a team that is staying abreast of changes and proactively strategizing responses. This saves you time and energy, and ensures your resources are used to their best advantage.
- Share AI-driven changes with your teams. Set the tone that there are exciting opportunities for businesses that embrace it. Make sure employees know why you will continue to need them and how AI works for them, not the other way around.
Be Ready
AI Mode isn’t the big, bad wolf. It’s absolutely changing the way we all interact with the internet and search engines, but it isn’t ending the importance of SEO. Anyone operating online must still understand customers’ wants and needs, and communicate how they are the best to meet those desires.
Have fun with AI. Use it to your advantage. Pivot where needed and adapt as called for, while continuing to broadcast why you’re the obvious choice. If you need help, we’re just a call away.
