AI isn’t just changing the way we work, it’s transforming how people search and make decisions. In an era where being visible is no longer about ranking for keywords but being understood in conversation, marketers face a profound shift in how audiences engage with content.
Enter AI Mode — a conversational, intelligent layer over traditional Google Search, which has now been added for U.K. users. This is more than a product rollout; it represents a new blueprint for how consumers interact with brands online.
Marketers, this is an opportunity.
Welcome to the new way of getting all the answers. Which, in truth, is more like talking to someone ‘in the know’ than ye olde firing off of keywords. Instead of getting a wall of blue links (so 2024), consumers can now ask complex, layered questions and get clear, conversational answers. It even anticipates follow-up questions and gives context-aware responses, all in one go.
And here’s where it gets interesting for marketers: AI Mode isn’t just fast, it’s deeply interactive. It pulls from multiple sources, combines insights, and supports text, voice, or even image input.
This seismic shift changes the game for how brands will show up in Search, and opens up a whole new frontier to discover, engage with, and act on.
Search behaviour is shifting
The way consumers discover information and make
decisions
has changed. Mostly because AI is revolutionising
how people search for answers, and AI Mode is now
going beyond information to intelligence
to help you truly ask anything. And, as every marketer knows, failing to adapt to how
audiences discover and evaluate information can quickly render even the best campaigns
invisible.
New ways for brands to show up
With
Google exploring ads embedded in AI-generated responses
and interactive tools, marketers can now explore new formats beyond traditional Search
ads.
And ads in AI responses are a win for consumers too. For example, people have been finding the ads within AI Overviews helpful because they can quickly connect with relevant businesses, products, and services to take the next step at the exact moment they need them.
SEO strategy evolution
Optimising for query intent and layered topic coverage
(and marking up structured data for AI‑consumption) may increasingly outperform narrow
keyword SEO approaches going forward.
Structured content that answers not just the
first question, but the second and third, is more likely to be surfaced in AI-powered
overviews. On a technical level, this also means marking up content with structured
data, so it’s easily digestible by the machine learning models that feed AI Mode.
Conversational follow‑ups
Content should anticipate multi-turn searches: brands may need to support follow-up queries to stay relevant. For example, after searching “best running shoes” a user might follow up with “are they good for flat feet?” or “what’s the return policy?” Brands that provide clear, connected answers in their content are more likely to win trust and clicks.
Multimodal inputs
Visual and audio content may surface more easily. Think voice search optimisation and image or video-based responses. For stronger discoverability, brands should make sure they have a rich library of high-quality product images, each paired with clear, specific metadata that accurately describes what’s shown. This makes it easier for AI systems to understand, surface, and showcase your content in visual search and generative results.
Prioritise depth and structure: AI Mode favours rich, well-organised content (such as guides, comparisons and long-form insights) over thin or fragmented pages, when it comes to being included in its responses. Audit existing assets for AI-friendly structure, context-rich coverage, and semantic clarity.
Collaborate for relevance and reach: As referral traffic from Search starts to shrink elsewhere, teaming up with trusted publishers (by forming content partnerships with media outlets, trade publications, or niche blogs, where your brand is included in expert-led articles, product roundups, interviews, or editorial features) could become even more valuable. If your brand is part of high-quality, in-depth content, there’s a better chance it’ll get featured in AI-generated summaries.
Rethink measurement: AI Mode introduces a new type of user behaviour,
characterised by higher intent. Brands should reassess how they measure engagement
(click‑through rates, time on site, etc.) and conversions in this new environment.
Traditional
metrics like click-through rate (CTR), bounce rate, and session duration may shift in
unexpected ways, so it’s essential for brands to monitor these changes closely. If
AI-generated summaries answer basic questions upfront, users might arrive further down
the funnel when they do click through. Which means fewer visits, but potentially
higher-quality ones. Benchmark engagement data now to understand how AI Mode is
affecting discovery patterns, and begin experimenting with content formats that are more
likely to attract qualified traffic.
From interruption to integration: Explore opportunities for ad units integrated into AI responses or feature spotlights within AI Mode, and rethink creative, messaging, and performance measurement.
This is a rare, early-stage moment to experiment: test new formats, explore visibility in AI-generated responses, and look for opportunities to embed your brand into user journeys, not just interrupt them.
AI Mode isn’t just a Search interface, it’s a paradigm shift.
Which sounds dramatic, granted, because it is.
For marketers and advertisers, it signals a move away from traditional keyword-based discovery, towards conversational, contextually rich search experiences.
Marketers who respond early — by adapting content strategies, evolving media planning, and rethinking measurement — will gain a first-mover advantage. Right now, they have the opportunity to shape their ongoing visibility in the rapidly-emerging AI‑driven ecosystem.
