SEO No Mo’: the latest in AI and how to pivot
Google announced major expansions to:
AI Overviews
AI Mode
Conversational search
Multimodal search (voice, camera, video, docs)
Agentic search/actions
Personalized AI search using user context
The biggest announcement was the rollout of AI Mode directly into Search using Gemini. But, let’s not freak out yet. Everything is figuroutable (Marie Forleo) and we can pivot through this just like we do everything the algorithm changes.
1. Click-Through Rates Will Continue Dropping
This is the most immediate effect.
AI Overviews answer more queries directly in Google, reducing the need to click websites.
Studies already show meaningful traffic declines from AI-generated answers.
What changes after I/O:
AI answers become more comprehensive
Follow-up questions happen inside Google
Search sessions become conversational
Users stay inside Google longer
This especially hurts:
informational blogs (heh…heh..)
affiliate sites
glossary/how-to content
basic comparison articles
generic SEO content
The “10 blue links” era is fading fast.
Strategic implication:
Traffic is no longer the primary KPI.
Brand visibility inside AI answers becomes critical.
2. “Answerability” Becomes More Important Than Ranking
Traditional SEO focused on:
ranking #1
getting clicks
Now you also need to become:
quotable
extractable
trustworthy enough for AI synthesis
Google’s AI systems are selecting and synthesizing sources differently than classic rankings.
Meaning:
You may NOT need to rank #1 to influence the answer.
But you DO need:
clear expertise
concise explanations
strong topical authority
structured information
factual consistency
3. E-E-A-T Just Became Much More Important
Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness is the framework Google’s systems and human evaluators use to determine if content is reliable and helpful, particularly for YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) topic Google repeatedly signaled that AI Mode still relies on existing quality systems.
So:
Experience
Expertise
Authority
Trust
matter even more now.
AI systems need confidence in sources before summarizing them.
This favors:
real brands
experts
first-hand experience
proprietary insights
original research
authentic UGC/community discussion
This weakens:
scaled AI content
generic SEO pages
commodity information
4. Keyword SEO Is Becoming Intent SEO
AI Mode interprets:
goals
context
follow-up intent
conversational meaning
Example:
Old SEO:
“best running shoes flat feet”
New search behavior:
“I run 20 miles a week and overpronate. What shoes will reduce knee pain?”
That changes content strategy dramatically.
You now optimize for:
task completion
semantic depth
contextual coverage
conversational query chains
5. Brand Signals Matter More Than Ever
In an AI-first SERP, users often see:
a synthesized answer
a few cited brands/sources
That creates a winner-take-most environment.
Strong brands are more likely to:
get cited
get remembered
get clicked after the AI answer
become trusted entities
SEO is converging with:
PR
creator marketing
YouTube
podcasts
Reddit visibility
social proof
UGC
This is a huge shift. Google’s AI increasingly values consensus and reputation across the web, not just your website.
6. Reddit, Forums, UGC, and Community Content Gain Power
Google’s AI systems heavily use:
discussions
opinions
first-hand experiences
consensus signals
Research suggests experience-based content behaves differently in AI search ecosystems.
This explains why:
Reddit visibility exploded
forums rank better
authentic discussions outperform polished SEO copy
Brands now need:
community presence
creator advocacy
review ecosystems
discussion footprints
Not just “optimized articles.”
7. Multimodal SEO Is Becoming Real
Google is pushing:
voice
camera search
video understanding
visual search
live interaction
through Gemini + Lens + AI Mode.
Implications:
YouTube SEO matters more
visual explainers matter more
transcripts matter more
image optimization matters more
product visuals matter more
Text-only SEO strategies will weaken over time.
8. Transactional & Commercial SEO May Become More Valuable
Informational traffic is most vulnerable to AI answers.
But:
products
services
local
tools
software
transactions
branded searches
still require action.
Google is also introducing agentic commerce and shopping flows.
So businesses that help users:
decide
compare
buy
transact
retain leverage.
Pure informational publishers are at greater risk.
What Smart Brands Should Do Now
Priority #1: Build Entity Authority
Google increasingly understands brands/entities, not just pages.
Focus on:
branded search demand
mentions across the web
expert authors
PR
podcasts
YouTube
LinkedIn thought leadership
citations/references
Priority #2: Create “AI-Citable” Content
Your content should be:
concise
authoritative
structured
evidence-backed
uniquely insightful
Best formats now:
original research
frameworks
opinionated expertise
case studies
data
experience-rich content
Worst formats:
generic “ultimate guides”
commodity listicles
AI-generated filler
Priority #3: Diversify Beyond Google
This is now essential.
Strong brands are investing in:
email lists
creator partnerships
YouTube
TikTok
communities
Reddit
owned audiences
because organic Google traffic is becoming less reliable.
Priority #4: Optimize for Citation, Not Just Clicks
New questions:
Does AI quote us?
Are we referenced?
Are we the remembered authority?
Are we part of the answer ecosystem?
Visibility itself has value now.
My Prediction
Over the next 2–3 years, the winners will be:
strong brands
niche experts
creators
communities
proprietary-data companies
opinionated thought leaders
multimedia publishers
NOT
anonymous SEO sites
scaled content farms
affiliate-only businesses
generic informational blogs
low-differentiation publishers
SEO is evolving into: “Digital authority optimization.” not just search ranking.
