What Google’s AI Mode means for your organic strategy

Google’s AI Mode has started rolling out in the UK, marking one of the biggest shifts we have seen in how search works.

Built on Google’s Gemini 2.5 model, AI Mode delivers deeper, more contextual answers directly in the SERP. It uses a technique called query fan-out, which breaks a user’s question into subtopics and runs multiple searches simultaneously. The goal is to surface hyper-relevant, nuanced information that might not appear in a traditional search.

This change goes far beyond a new interface. It represents a fundamental shift in how people search, how Google responds, and what type of content gets seen.

So how will this shift in search impact your organic strategy? Is it business as usual or time to pivot? Our Head of SEO, Nicola, dives into what Google’s AI Mode means for your organic strategy. 

How AI Mode changes search

AI Mode summarises information from multiple sources and presents it in a single, AI-generated answer at the top of the results page. This means users can get what they need without always clicking through to a website.

For brands, this changes how visibility and engagement work. The focus is now on being understood, cited, and trusted by Google’s systems rather than simply ranking for a keyword.

Key impacts include:

• A reduced emphasis on single-keyword optimisation
  
• Greater importance placed on structured data and entity understanding
  
• New opportunities for visibility within AI summaries, product carousels, and contextual answer boxes
  

How we’ve been preparing at TAL

At TAL, we have been discussing this rollout amongst ourselves and with clients for months and taking proactive steps to ensure their websites are ready for AI-driven search environments.

We have been:

• Auditing and improving structured data to help Google interpret content with greater accuracy
  
• Creating content that answers layered, intent-led questions rather than short-tail keyword searches
  
• Testing formats that are more likely to surface within AI-powered results, such as comparisons, FAQs, and concise answer sections
  

These actions are helping our clients build stronger relevance and authority signals that are essential for inclusion within AI results.

Measuring AI Mode performance

At this stage, AI Mode visibility cannot be measured directly in Google Search Console. There is no specific filter or report showing when a page has been referenced or linked in an AI summary.

However, there are indicators you can use to monitor its impact:

• Click-through rate changes: A decline in CTR without a ranking drop may indicate that AI Mode summaries are satisfying queries before users click
  
• Query-level patterns: Informational or question-based searches are more likely to trigger AI responses first
  
• SERP observations: Manually check high-value keywords to see whether AI summaries now appear
  
• User quality metrics: Even if traffic volume decreases, engagement or conversion rates may rise as AI-driven clicks are often more qualified
  

While measurement remains imperfect, these signals can help track whether AI Mode is influencing your organic performance.

What this means for your organic strategy

Traditional SEO metrics still matter but should now be viewed alongside how your content performs within AI-powered environments. Visibility is no longer defined only by ranking position but also by how your content contributes to AI summaries and contextual responses.

To adapt effectively, brands should:

• Maintain complete and valid schema markup across key content types
  
• Focus on creating content that clearly addresses complex, layered intent
  
• Strengthen entity connections between the brand, its people, and its products
  
• Build topical authority and off-site credibility to support trust and recognition
  
• Continuously monitor changes in SERP layouts and experiment with new formats
  

The brands that align technical SEO, content strategy, and digital PR will be best placed to thrive in this new landscape.

AI Mode is the beginning of a new future of search

AI Mode represents a major step forward in Google’s evolution towards a more conversational, intent-driven search experience.

While we cannot yet measure its impact directly, we can prepare by ensuring content is structured, authoritative, and designed for discovery across AI-powered results.

At TAL, we are already helping clients adapt through entity-first content strategies, enhanced structured data, and visibility testing across evolving SERP formats.

If you want to understand how AI Mode could affect your site or how to future-proof your organic strategy, our team can help you get ahead of the change. Get in touch with us today to discuss how we can help. 

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