Google’s AI Mode Could Be the New Default — And SEO Must Adapt

A computer monitor showing a Google search results page with an AI-generated summary box at the top, placed on a clean office desk with a coffee cup and notepad.

Will Google AI Mode become the default search view?

According to Logan Kilpatrick, lead product manager at Google, it could be happening “soon.” This was, of course, quickly kiboshed by Robby Stein, VP at Google, who wrote: “Wouldn’t read too much into this. We’re focusing on making it easy to access AI Mode for those who want it.”

Which, to me, sounds a lot like: yep, it’s probably going to happen. And whenever Google tweaks how it delivers results, the ripple effects are huge. We’ve already seen the impact: Google’s AI Overview has cut website traffic dramatically for many businesses — some media publishers are reporting drops of up to 89%.

That’s not just a publishing problem. If AI Mode does become the default, every business that relies on search visibility will need to rethink what SEO success looks like.

Will Google AI Mode become the default search view?

Answers First, Links Second

Traditional SEO has always been about rankings: make it to page one, win the clicks. AI Mode flips that. Instead of a simple list of links, users see an AI-generated summary stitched together from multiple sources. Your website might get cited, or it might not, even if you’re ranking well in the “classic” results that sit below.

This raises a tough question: if users get their answers straight from Google’s summary, what incentive do they have to click through to your site? Well, my short answer is: NOTHING — at least, not if they’re only looking for superficial information. And if they’re just casual users, do you really want them?

Here’s the flipside: if someone wants deeper insight, they’re more likely to click through. That’s the advantage of AI Mode; it filters out casual searchers. If Google gives away quick answers, the people who still visit your site are the ones looking for more detail, pricing, case studies, or actionable tools.

This means less wasted traffic and more high-intent visitors; narrowing the funnel so your site attracts fewer but better-quality visits, with a higher chance of conversion.

Structured Content vs SEO Best Practice

Google’s AI Mode isn’t only looking for good content; it’s looking for content it can understand and reuse. That’s where structured content comes in.

  • Structured content means organising information with clear headings, bullet points, tables, schema, and concise Q&A formats. This makes it easier for both humans and AI to find and lift the exact answer.
  • SEO best practice content focuses on usefulness: being unique, easy to read, and kept up to date.

The two go hand in hand. Great content that’s poorly structured risks being overlooked, while well-structured but unhelpful content won’t win trust. The winning formula is content that’s compelling and packaged in a way that search engines can easily parse.

Can New Sites Compete?

With AI Mode surfacing fewer links, it’s natural to worry whether new or smaller websites stand a chance against established players. The answer is yes — but only if they’re smart about it.

  • Focus on niche topics or long-tail queries where competition is lighter.
  • Publish content that’s fresh and specific, even if the broader topic is crowded.
  • Use structured formats so your content has a higher chance of being quoted in summaries or featured snippets.

In short: authority still matters, but AI Mode rewards clarity and specificity. A new website that’s structured well and tightly focused can still win visibility.

Extremely Frustrating

For many businesses, this is extremely frustrating. Success has always been measured by visits, not by whether your content got paraphrased in a Google summary. And AI Overviews have cut those visits dramatically.

It feels like months or years of SEO investment are now worthless. You’ve worked hard to climb the rankings, only to watch Google step in and deliver your answers for you.

But don’t fret — it’s not the case. The same SEO foundations are exactly what AI Mode relies on. Google still depends on structured, trustworthy, and up-to-date content to generate its AI responses. The challenge is that the “win” now looks different. Instead of chasing raw visit numbers, businesses may need to focus more on quality visits, brand recognition, and authority signals; metrics that feel less tangible but can still drive growth over time.

How to Measure Brand Recognition and Authority Signals

In the past, businesses measured success mainly through traffic in GA4. But if AI summaries reduce visits, we need to look at broader signals. GA4 still has a role; it just isn’t the whole picture anymore.

Where GA4 still helps:

  • Track branded vs non-branded queries (with GA4 + Search Console) to see if people are searching for you by name.
  • Measure engagement metrics (engaged sessions, time on page, scroll depth) to gauge visit quality, not just volume.
  • Monitor conversions (enquiries, downloads, purchases) to prove the value of high-intent visits.
  • Use cross-channel attribution to see where branded visits are coming from.

Beyond GA4, other signals matter too:

  • Citation in AI Overviews: Check if your site is referenced in Google’s AI summaries for your keywords. Unfortunately, this is easier said than done. At the moment, there’s no automated way of doing this. For now, it’s mostly manual checking plus inference from GA4/Search Console. But this space is moving fast; I’d expect SEO tools to roll out citation-tracking features within the next year.
  • Brand mentions: Track unlinked mentions with tools like Google Alerts, Ahrefs, or SEMrush.
  • Share of search: Use Google Trends or industry tools to compare how often people search for your brand against competitors.
  • Backlinks and referring domains: Growing links from credible sites signal authority.
  • Cross-channel signals: Referral traffic, press mentions, and social engagement all show recognition beyond Google.

Quick takeaway: Visits may be lower; but if your brand is being cited in AI Overviews, searched for by name, engaged with on your site, and talked about across platforms, that’s proof you’re building authority.

So, back to the original question: will Google AI Mode become the default search view? Personally, I think it’s more likely than not. And where does that leave us? If AI Mode does become the default, SEO strategy needs to adapt.

Our new goals are clear:

  • Be answer-ready. Write in clear, structured formats that AI can use.
  • Protect brand visibility. Focus on being cited and recognised, not just ranked.
  • Measure differently. Traffic might dip, but visitor quality and authority signals could rise.

SEO isn’t dying; it’s metamorphosing.

Related Posts:

Weekly Marketing Round-Up (1- 5 September 2025)

Author

Hope Varnes is a Chartere Marketer with over 15 years experience in digital marketing. She is specialises in Google Ads, PPC, content marketing, and marketing strategy. She has a Master’s in Digital Marketing and eCommerce and is Google Certified. She is an expert in leveraging digital platforms to drive brand awareness, lead generation, and revenue growth.