Google has finally confirmed that its AI mode is now rolling out in the UK, having already been live in the US for a few months.
Instead of a list of search results showing links to other websites in blue type, users who choose “AI Mode” will be given an answer written in a conversational style, containing far fewer links to other pages.
While AI Mode continues to be optional, users can still use traditional search.
What does this mean for search strategies?
It means:
- GSC doesn’t yet separate clicks from AI Mode from overall site clicks, making attribution harder than before
- Traditional position 1 or top 10 rankings will lose their impact
- Increased personalisation – users on AI mode will likely receive different results for the same query
- Informational content will see a decline in traffic as queries are answered on the SERPs
- Using PR and earned media will be key in showing up in LLMs and AI overviews
