What Is AI Mode?
AI in search has changed massively in just a few short years. It’s now widely accepted as the norm and the future of search, and continues to shape the way we use the internet. Google have taken this in their stride, and are releasing several new AI-powered features as part of AI Mode. These features are really cool, and they include:
• Deep Search – part of AI Mode, a way to consolidate deep research into one fully-cited report.
• Search Live – a visual search using Google Lens, which offers live feedback about what your camera sees in real time.
• Project Mariner – a way to purchase things like tickets. You tell AI Mode which tickets you want, your preferred price and provider and it will present you with what you’re looking for quickly.
• Shopping Graph – browse a range of products that fit your preferences and even try on outfits virtually by uploading a picture of yourself.
• Personal Context – connect apps such as Gmail to bring more personal context to your search results.
• Custom Charts & Graphs – visualise and analyse data with custom-built interactive graphs.
How Might AI Mode Affect Local Search?
The truth is, we don’t really know yet. So far, it seems that AI Mode results don’t consider a searcher’s location as much as a standard search, although this could be tweaked over time. When Google have more information about how users are using AI Mode to search, we think it’s likely to encourage them to make changes.
Ultimately, AI Mode is going to reduce the amount of choice given to a user. This means we shouldn’t be focusing on rankings anymore, as they’re effectively redundant. Searchers will discuss what they want to find with AI Mode and should be presented with their most ‘ideal’ answer without needing to sift through ten blue links. This answer could be a summary written by AI, or it could be a link to your website.
Will AI Replace The Local Map Pack & Google Business Profiles?
Because AI Mode is a new way to search in itself, the direct answer to whether Google Business Profiles will be replaced is no. However, we do expect a significant number of searchers to opt for AI Mode instead of standard search. Therefore, we need to consider what impact this will have on brand visibility overall.
Traditional map packs might have a lot less emphasis for the time being. If AI can answer a user’s query in the results pane, there might be less incentive to browse Google Business Profiles. This could reduce visibility for local listings – at least for now. However, users will still want to find information about local businesses that meet their needs, so we expect AI search to make this a priority in the near future.
Searches like ‘plumber near me’ aren’t expected to go anywhere. As Google gathers more data about how users interact with AI Mode, we fully expect them to adapt and improve. Search methods may be changing, but the search intent remains the same.
Could AI Mode Lead To More Voice Searches?
We think so. With platforms like ChatGPT focusing more on voice conversation and voice search, we predict that AI Mode will follow suit. Because conversational AI is able to… well, hold a conversation, we expect voice searches to rise. These searches may not look like your traditional ‘where’s the nearest coffee shop’ style of search. Users may discuss their needs with AI as part of a wider, more extended conversation that eventually leads to a mention of your brand.
To appease this, your website’s content should continue to be as helpful as possible, and also consider how your brand or services might come up in conversation. If you know of common queries that your customers have, make sure you include them within comprehensive FAQ sections on your website.
How Search4Local Are Adapting To AI Mode
We may not yet know the full picture of what AI Mode can do yet, but we can make some educated guesses. As users will be able to hold a conversation with AI and dig deep into their queries, we believe that websites will need to appease a range of niche searches in addition to their main topic. So, how are we going to do that? Right now, we’re focusing on:
• Continuing to write useful, relevant content that informs users about the main topic of each page.
• Writing more extensive FAQs that go into more detail about relevant subtopics.
• Taking advantage of niche queries and providing the best possible content for long-tail and more unusual queries.
We think these techniques will be helpful for our SEO customers because users will be provided with the most comprehensive, specific answers to their queries. To increase the chances of them appearing in AI Mode, we need to ensure their website is answering both broad and highly specific questions.
Unlike traditional SEO firms, we’re not just reacting to these changes – we’re building long-term strategies for our clients. Our SEO team are dedicated to staying up-to-date with the latest developments and are given time to collaborate and work their ideas into new and exciting strategies. AI Mode may sound scary to some, but our team are truly thriving in these times of change.
Written by Alice Farley
