AI mode is Google’s LLM-driven search experience. Getting prepared for how this works and how it's different is super important.
Many think that this will probably become the default Google experience in the next six months. We don't know what's going to happen, but there's a lot of incentives for Google to make this how people search.
(Prefer video? Watch Justin Dunham walking through AI mode and thinking out loud.)
What does Google AI mode look like?
What does the new interface look like? The short answer: it looks more like other LLM search interfaces (i.e. ChatGPT, Perplexity).
A few things stand out:
- Infinite scroll. This isn’t entirely new.
- Citation links in the sidebar. Similar to other LLMs, AI Mode puts links to cited websites in a sidebar.
- No blue links. This is a major shift for Google search UX.
Organic search strategy was built on the traditional Google interface, where those blue links were the centerpiece.
Some fundamental changes are underway. We’ll all need to change the way that we think about this if we're going to be competing for space in AI Mode now.
(And we’re all competing for AI Mode now.)
Related reading: How AI mode works
How does Google AI mode work?
When you type a query into the AI Mode search bar, Google will try to anticipate your follow-up questions. It generates these questions and incorporates them into its first search response. “Synthetic query” is the term we’re using – for now, at least. (Marc Andreessen’s agency is using the term “implicit query”.)
These synthetic queries will be a consideration for the content we all create. It’s worth asking during the outline stage of a blog post: What other questions are people asking about this topic?
When it comes to LLM visibility, these synthetic queries might prove just as important as traditional keyword-driven queries.
Will Google AI mode reduce clicks?
Tracking click-through data for our clients, we’re still seeing clicks. But the click volume from organic search is dropping. And that’s a trend that we’ve been seeing for a while. We anticipate broad rollout and adoption of AI Mode will reinforce broader trends that Perplexity and ChatGPT have already started.
It’s still early, but we’ve observed that the visitors who do click through tend to be higher-intent leads. This brings up interesting questions about how content influences the marketing and sales pipelines.
We still want to think about unbranded search clicks. Its influence will likely continue to decline, but the channel is still alive. Tracking inbound traffic from AI Mode and other LLMs will be essential now, too.
Our questions shift with the customer journey
In the pre-LLM era, if someone wanted to learn about your brand’s approach and perspective, they had to visit your website. This is no longer a given.
So, in this new environment, what will compel them to leave an LLM and visit your site?
The questions we ask, as content marketers, will necessarily change:
- How did we influence the AI Mode response to a query?
- How did that query response introduce people to our company?
- How did that introduction encourage them to learn more about us?
- Is this spike in Direct Traffic from people hearing about us in LLMs and later clicking through or something else?
Start these conversations with your marketing team
Here are some practical discussions we’ve been having with clients. Some we’ve been having for years, others are new and emerging:
- Are we showing up at all in AI Mode (and Perplexity, and ChatGPT?)
- Does our content answer the questions (real and synthetic) that matter in LLM searches?
- Where are the gaps in our library? Which questions do we need to answer?
- What content might confuse LLMs and needs to be pruned to strengthen the signal around what we want to be known for?
- Where do we need to show up to maximize our coverage for a given strategic topic (Reddit, Quora, LinkedIn)
- What content do we need to convey our authority on a topic?
- What KPIs will we use now?
Does it sound like some of these questions are outside the scope of a content marketer’s role? You’re not wrong. We anticipate marketing teams will need to work closer together across disciplines to make content work in the next wave of search.
Related reading: Frequently Asked Questions about LLM search
Google AI mode is an opportunity for marketing teams who are prepared to adapt
We don’t know how the rollout of Google AI mode will play out, but we strongly suspect that marketing teams who are already adapting their content strategy to account for LLM-driven search will see the best results.
If you've been thinking critically about the content that you write, there’s a lot of opportunity in staying close to the changes—and getting ahead of it. Google is mixing up the Yahtzee shaker again, and we've got some new dice to roll.
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Related reading:
Frequently Asked Questions about Google AI Mode
What is Google AI Mode?
Google AI Mode is a new search experience that uses advanced AI models to provide detailed, conversational answers to user queries, transforming Google Search into a chat-like interface.
How does Google AI Mode differ from traditional Google Search?
Instead of returning a list of blue links, AI Mode generates comprehensive answers with citation links in a sidebar, using a conversational format and breaking queries into subtopics for deeper responses.
What does the Google AI Mode interface look like?
It features infinite scroll, citation links in a sidebar, no blue links, and a chat-style interface similar to other AI search tools like ChatGPT.
How do I access Google AI Mode?
You can access it via google.com/aimode, by tapping the AI Mode button on google.com after entering a query, or through the Google app’s home screen.
How does AI Mode generate its answers?
It breaks down queries into subtopics, runs multiple searches in parallel, and synthesizes information from trusted web sources.
Does Google AI Mode reduce website traffic and clicks?
Overall organic click volume is decreasing as users get answers directly, but those who click tend to be higher-intent visitors.
How does AI Mode affect content strategy and SEO?
Content must address both explicit and AI-generated follow-up queries clearly to be included in AI answers. Tracking AI Mode traffic and adjusting KPIs is important.
What are “synthetic queries” in AI Mode?
These are follow-up questions the AI generates to anticipate user needs, influencing which content is surfaced.
Will AI Mode become the default Google experience?
We think that it’s too soon to tell. However, it seems quite likely that AI Mode, or a similar AI-driven interface, will become the default in the near future.
