AI SEO Marketing: How Google’s AI Mode Is Rewriting the Search Rulebook

Google’s AI Mode, introduced recently through Search Labs, is more than just a test. It’s a clear signal of where search is heading. As AI becomes deeply embedded in how the search giant delivers information, traditional SEO tactics are evolving. For businesses and marketers, this shift opens new opportunities to rethink visibility strategies through AI SEO marketing. By understanding how Google’s AI Mode selects and structures content, brands can better position themselves in a rapidly changing search landscape.

A New Level of Intelligence in Search

AI Mode outputs vary significantly in length and depth. For example, the query “cheap flights” can produce results between 370 and 450 words, with citation counts ranging from 13 to 39. These responses feel more contextual, offering suggestions, comparisons, and summaries that resemble curated recommendations rather than traditional search snippets.

This signals a clear evolution in search. Today, Google no longer just retrieves results. It also actively interprets them.

Local Relevance, Even When It’s Unexpected

Google’s AI Mode heavily incorporates location signals, even for searches that do not typically imply local intent. Queries such as “online courses” or “subscribe newsletter” often return results that reference the user’s location or region-specific context. This indicates that local relevance is becoming a default lens through which AI evaluates and displays information, regardless of the nature of the query.

Navigational Queries Are Left Untouched

Searches involving known destinations—such as “Gmail”, “Twitter”, or “CNN”—do not trigger AI Mode. These revert to the standard search result page layout, complete with eight to ten traditional blue links. It’s a clear signal that Google views AI Mode as more useful for discovery-oriented queries than for direct navigation.

Commercial and Informational Queries Yield Lengthy AI Responses

Queries with research or purchasing intent tend to activate the most comprehensive outputs. For instance, “Laptop brands” resulted in a 576-word AI response with 56 citations, while “Causes of the French Revolution” generated over 500 words with a dozen citations.

These types of outputs closely resemble blog-style overviews. If your content appears here, it is not just listed. It also becomes part of the narrative Google presents.

Former Page 2 Content Gains New Visibility

One of the more striking shifts is how content previously buried beyond Page 1 is now featured prominently as citations within AI summaries. In some cases, URLs that did not previously rank in the top 10 are surfaced because their content supports or expands on the AI-generated summary.

This change creates a new avenue for content to gain visibility. It is particularly useful for well-written, well-structured resources that previously struggled to rank on the first page.

The Role of Thumbnails in Visibility

Citations within AI Mode frequently include small image thumbnails cropped to 82×82 pixels. These are typically pulled from the most relevant on-page images or headers. URLs without suitable images remain thumbnail-less until Google identifies appropriate visual content.

Given that around 85% of citations display thumbnails, failing to include an optimised image could place your content at a disadvantage. Therefore, adding optimised images should be an integral part of your AI SEO marketing strategy moving forward.

Traditional Blue Links Still Matter—And May Appear in New Ways

Interestingly, AI Mode is not replacing blue links. It is simply reorganising them. Some outputs include a surprising number of standard links. For instance, the query “lightweight hiking boots reviews” featured 21 clickable links within the AI summary but just three citations in the right-hand panel. This demonstrates that traditional SEO practices, such as structured, link-rich content, remain highly relevant.

Additional Observations and Emerging Patterns

A number of essential AI search trends also emerged during testing. They include:

• Highlighted citations – clicking on AI citations often brings users to the exact passage referenced, similar to featured snippets. This offers clear insight into what content Google values.
• Mobile vs desktop – mobile AI Mode consistently shows fewer citations than desktop, often up to 50% less. Optimising for mobile visibility may require a different approach.
• Low-citation queries – informational queries such as “why is the sky blue” or “bitcoin explained” tend to receive minimal citation activity.
• Citation inconsistencies – at times, the number of listed citations does not match the number of visible links, suggesting some unresolved bugs or experimental limitations.
• Thumbnail relevance – pages without well-placed or relevant images are less likely to feature thumbnails, which may reduce their click-through potential.
• Brand queries turn local – even well-known brands such as “NASA” and “Disney” return results related to local events or activities, underscoring how strongly AI Mode leans into hyperlocal signals.
• Older content still dominates – in some niches, legacy content remains dominant. For example, older LinkedIn posts and long-established blog content from figures such as Neil Patel continue to appear frequently in citations.

A Few User Experience Quirks

One notable UX issue is that interacting with any in-text link within the AI response removes the full right-hand citation list. Some anomalies were also observed, such as irrelevant citations (e.g. “Used RVs in Rutland, MA” appearing in a “laptop brands” query), indicating that the system is still being refined.

Implications for SEO and Content Strategy

Google’s AI Mode is not just a UI enhancement. It’s a new way of presenting content that redefines how Google values authority, structure, and relevance. Sites that were once buried now have an opportunity to resurface via AI citations, provided they offer content that supports the broader context of a query.

To leverage AI mode, add the following to your AI SEO marketing tactics:

• Create comprehensive, well-structured content that covers topics in depth.
• Include relevant, high-quality images that can serve as potential thumbnails.
• Monitor AI Mode outputs in your niche to identify citation opportunities.
• Refresh and optimise older content with contextual clarity and updated data.

Optimise Before It Becomes the Standard

Google’s AI Mode offers a preview of how search may look in the near future. While still experimental, it is already influencing which content users see first and how they engage with it. By adapting now, you can position your site to benefit from the shift rather than playing catch-up once it becomes the default.

At Springhill Marketing, we stay ahead of the curve so you don’t have to. Our SEO experts closely track emerging trends such as Google’s AI Mode to ensure your content remains visible, competitive, and optimised for the future of search. Whether you’re aiming to boost rankings, increase traffic, or appear in AI-powered citations, we’re here to help. Get in touch today to start building a smarter SEO strategy!