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Google AI Mode: How AI Search Impacts SMEs – A Guide for Founders and Marketers

  • Foto del escritor: kartikavzla
    kartikavzla
  • 20 jun
  • 7 Min. de lectura

Actualizado: 3 sept

By Katherine Rivas


Google didn’t just update the system — it rewrote the rules. So, what does that mean in practice?


With the rollout of AI Mode, announced during Google I/O 2025 in May, a new chapter in the search experience has begun, and traditional model of the web — content > search > click > conversion — is collapsing. Most critically, AI Mode is now enabled by default, and you can’t opt out unless you opt out of search altogether.


Having led marketing initiatives in fast-paced, SME-focused environments, I wrote this guide after reading the powerful analysis in BBC Future. The implications are clear: the entire web ecosystem is being redefined. What we do next as marketers and founders will define our long-term survival.


In March, Google introduced AI Mode through an official announcement — and in May, it unveiled its next phase during the Google I/O 2025 conference. Source: Google
In March, Google introduced AI Mode through an official announcement — and in May, it unveiled its next phase during the Google I/O 2025 conference. Source: Google

What Is AI Mode and Why Should You Care?


AI Mode changes how Google responds to searches. Instead of a list of links, users now receive AI-generated summaries, proactive suggestions, and even integrated actions (like bookings or product purchases).


Although currently available only in the U.S., its data impact is global. Google Search Console already includes impressions, clicks and rankings generated via AI Mode. That means your traffic may already be affected.


What this means for you (UK context)

You currently can’t access AI Mode from the UK, but once Google ends the U.S.-only rollout and activates AI Mode for UK users, its data will automatically be included in your GSC reports. However, it will be merged with regular search traffic, making it difficult to isolate AI Mode performance.

"Google is becoming not just a gateway but the destination for information," warns BBC Future. *"This could destroy the open web as we know it."

What’s Already Happening to Your Web Traffic?


Publishers and creators are reporting a consistent pattern:

Metric

Before

Impressions

📈 Increase

Clicks

📉 Decrease

Time on site

⏳ Drops sharply

More visibility, fewer outcomes. Google now gives the answer directly. Users no longer need to visit your site.

"This is the definition of theft. AI answers are a substitute for the original product. They're monetising our work without compensation," says Danny Coffey, editor, via the BBC.

And unless you opt out of Google Search entirely, you have no control over how your content is used.


Is This the End of the Open Web?


The core value of the open internet — discoverability through organic search — is under siege.

  • Google is profiting from content without attribution or traffic.

  • The company updated its terms silently so participation in AI Mode is automatic. According to internal documents reported by The Verge, publishers were automatically opted in to AI Overviews and AI Mode unless they removed themselves from search entirely — a decision made without clear public communication.

  • The only way to exclude your content is to disappear from Google entirely.

"Google is becoming both discovery platform and destination. That changes everything," the BBC warns.


The Rise of AI Search Beyond Google

From Googling to prompting: the future of search belongs to users who know how to ask—and brands that know how to answer. Source: Pexels
From Googling to prompting: the future of search belongs to users who know how to ask—and brands that know how to answer. Source: Pexels

AI Mode isn’t the only disruption. Founders and marketers must also contend with a new reality: AI-powered search is becoming the norm, not the exception.


Platforms like ChatGPT (with browsing capabilities), Perplexity AI, Claude, and You.com are now offering direct answers — bypassing traditional search engines entirely.


What does this mean for your content strategy?

  • Users aren’t “googling” — they’re prompting. Your content must be structured in a way that makes it quotable, credible and context-rich for large language models.

  • There’s no guaranteed click. Even if your brand is mentioned in a ChatGPT response, the traffic may never reach you — unless your content offers additional value worth visiting.

  • Citation-ready content is king. AI platforms prioritise factual, well-structured, and cited content. Your blog, landing page or whitepaper must act like a trusted source, not just a marketing piece.

If Google is being challenged as the dominant entry point for discovery, your content must be AI-first across all platforms, not just SEO-friendly.

This means adapting not just to how humans search — but how AI retrieves, interprets, and reconstructs information. And here’s the crucial part: AI doesn’t just surface content — it summarises, rewrites, and sometimes distorts it. That’s why brands need to optimise not only for discoverability, but for interpretability. If your content lacks clarity, structure, or credibility signals, it may be excluded — or worse, misrepresented.


📲 A Shift to Closed Platforms?

This loss of traffic and control could lead to a major migration to closed platforms:

  • TikTok

  • Instagram

  • YouTube

  • Private newsletters

  • Paid communities

These channels still allow direct relationships with audiences and aren’t yet governed by AI summarisation.

Experts quoted in the BBC predict *"a new generation of creators that will avoid Google indexing altogether and focus solely on closed ecosystems."



What Founders and Marketers Should Be Asking Right Now


  1. Audience: What questions does your content answer clearly and concisely? AI prioritises precision. Design content around real user queries.

  2. Format: Can your content be turned into something AI can’t easily summarise? Case studies, tools, videos, templates and lived experience are much harder to replicate.

  3. Monetisation: Do you have a business model beyond organic traffic? Diversify into memberships, courses, paid newsletters, or licence your content.

  4. Credibility: How are you establishing trust in an AI-driven search landscape?Focus on E-E-A-T: Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness.


How to Strengthen E-E-A-T for Google AI Mode (and AI Search in General)


Google's AI doesn’t just read your site — it interprets and ranks based on signals. To be quoted, your content must signal:


  1. Experience

Show lived expertise. Use real examples, lessons learned, and specific situations. Narratives help AI understand human credibility.

2. Expertise

Cite author bios, certifications, job roles. Add clear definitions, frameworks and unique insights.

3. Authoritativeness

Back content with links to sources like Harvard, Forbes or government data. Collaborate with other experts.

4. Trustworthiness

Use HTTPS, have a clear About page, visible authors, source citations and regularly updated content.


⚡️Bonus: Make It Work Across AI Platforms

These E-E-A-T strategies aren’t just for Google AI Mode — they also improve how your content is interpreted by AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude. To optimise across the broader landscape of AI-driven discovery:

  1. Ensure your brand and authorship are consistently mentioned across platforms.

  2. Provide citations in plain-text format (not just hyperlinks) to help models attribute correctly.

  3. Use natural language and structured outlines so your content is easy to parse, quote and summarise.

And finally — think beyond ranking. Think about how AI will represent your brand when your content is mentioned but the click never happens.


Don't forget:

  • Use semantic structure: H1, H2, bullet points, lists.

  • Add schema markup: Article, FAQ, Author.

  • Include a clear summary/conclusion. Google often pulls those.


Now that you understand what’s at stake, here’s what founders and marketers need to know before taking action — and how to respond with clarity.



Key Implications for Founders and Marketers


A. Organic Traffic Drain

When Google responds via AI Mode, many users won’t click through to your site. Visibility increases — but engagement collapses.

Real-world example: HouseFresh saw rising impressions but dropping clicks following the launch of Google AI Overviews. [Source: Forbes, StanVentures, Barrons]

B. SEO Has Changed

It’s no longer enough to rank #1. To show up in AI summaries, your content must be:

  • Summarisable

  • Well-structured

  • Semantically clear

Headers, schema markup and bullet-point clarity now carry more weight than ever.


C. Monetisation Models Must Evolve

APIs and licensing deals with Google may support major media brands (e.g. NYT, Reddit), but not most startups.

Founders and marketers must diversify:

  • Paid newsletters

  • Shoppable media

  • Online courses

  • Service-based funnels

  • Community memberships

Your content must lead somewhere more valuable than the click.

D. Reputation & Misinformation Risks

AI assistants still hallucinate and fabricate answers. Incorrect summaries based on your content could hurt your brand.


The antidote? Facts, citations, author visibility, and structured credibility signals.


Top Tips for Marketers

  • Write for AI and humans. Answer user intent in the first 2 paragraphs.

  • Add unreplicable value. Checklists, templates, calculators, tools.

  • Reinforce trust signals. Author bios, citations, sources.

  • Use schema.org. Help AI parse structure and credibility.

  • Spread beyond Google. Push to email, video, social and community-led platforms.


Top Tips for Founders Leading the Transition

  • Educate your team. AI Mode changes content discoverability and brand trust.

  • Redefine success metrics. Focus on leads, subscriptions, community — not just clicks.

  • Champion lived insights. Encourage content from within: founder stories, case studies, first-person perspective.

  • Invest in authority. Be seen in your niche. PR, guest posts, partnerships.

  • Build your ecosystem. Don’t rely on Google. Own your audience in communities, platforms and mailing lists.



Summary Before You Act


AI search is no longer just a feature—it's a fundamental shift in how users access information, and how platforms decide what gets seen. Whether you're optimising for Google AI Mode or AI-powered tools like ChatGPT or Perplexity, your brand's visibility will depend on how clearly, credibly and consistently you show up.


  • Organic traffic isn’t guaranteed. Visibility doesn’t mean visits.

  • AI will rewrite and summarise. Be intentional about what and how you publish.

  • E-E-A-T is your defence. And your signal of quality.

  • Founders must lead. Your team needs to understand this shift isn't just about SEO — it’s about brand survival.



As a brand strategist working alongside ambitious founders, my takeaway is this: we are entering a new internet. One where your content must be strategic, structured, and rich in human value.


We also need to acknowledge a pivotal behavioural shift: we’re no longer writing directly for human readers — we’re writing for AI to speak on our behalf. This calls for a new level of intentionality. Every sentence must be crafted not just to answer a query, but to provide layered, meaningful insights that spark curiosity — encouraging the user to click, explore, and engage beyond the AI summary.


In short, we must create content that AI wants to show, and humans want to pursue.

If you found this analysis useful, feel free to share it with your team, your CMO or your favourite founder navigating this shift.


For questions or to explore how to future-proof your content strategy, connect with me on LinkedIn: Katherine Rivas | SME Brand Strategist


 
 
 
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