Google CEO Sundar Pichai announced at last week’s I/O 2025 conference that the company’s AI Mode is now a search component for all logged-in U.S. users. Previously, it was opt-in only.
AI Mode resembles AI Overviews, providing answers to queries and links to the sources. The difference is that searchers in AI Mode can chat follow-up questions in the same tab, much like ChatGPT or Claude.
AI Mode allows follow-up questions via the “Ask anything” feature, shown here. Click image to enlarge.
AI Mode relies on Gemini 2.0 technology and Google’s vast web-page index, which no other generative AI platform can claim.
On the “Search Central Blog,” Google’s John Mueller published content optimization guidelines for AI answers. The post offers few new tactics for publishers but does hint at the future of organic search traffic.
Here’s my summary.
AI Content Optimization
‘Focus on unique, valuable content for people’
This is self-explanatory. Mueller suggests “helpful, reliable, people-first content,” presumably meaning AI Mode integrates with the helpful content algorithm.
I’ve published tactics on how to make content “helpful.” Research related queries and popular questions around your keywords. AI answers use “similarity” indexing, striving to provide additional information, not just direct answers to a query. Including related keywords and answers in a post will likely increase its visibility.
‘Provide a great page experience’
Mueller echoes Google’s longstanding focus on visitors’ experiences: fast page loads, quick answers, and easy to use. A section for frequently asked questions, for example, is familiar to visitors and likely beneficial to Google.
‘Ensure we [Google] can access your content’
Ensure your page is crawlable and indexable by Google. Confirm via Search Console’s URL inspection tool.
‘Make sure structured data matches the visible content’
Structured data markup — such as Schema.org’s — assists search engines and AI bots extract essential info and meaning from a web page. The fact that Mueller mentions structured data in AI content optimization guidelines underscores its importance to AI Mode and Gemini.
Mueller notes that the structured data should align with the page’s visible text. Hence a Q&A page, for example, should use Schema.org’s “FAQPage” markup or equivalent structured data.
‘Go beyond text for multimodal success’
Today’s AI-powered searchers can seek images and even upload a photo and request its details. Mueller suggests, “… support your textual content with high-quality images and videos on your pages, and ensure that your Merchant Center and Business Profile information is up-to-date.”
Create relevant screenshots, photos, and videos to increase your chances of being cited in an AI answer, and include your logo for brand visibility.
‘Understand the full value of your visits’
“Understand the full value” sounds ominous. Many search optimizers interpret Mueller’s explanation as a coming decrease in organic web traffic.
A better heading might be “Don’t focus on clicks,” although Mueller claims that users who click from AI summaries are likely more engaged than clickers on traditional organic listings.
Regardless, focusing on quality content, not quantity, seems clear.
Inevitable Declines
None of Mueller’s guidelines are new, but they imply Google’s method for generating AI answers and citing sources. Traffic losses are inevitable owing to AI Mode’s detailed answers, removing searchers’ need to click.
Publishers will adjust or go away. I’ve addressed one way of adjusting: answering “do” queries as a content strategy.
