11 ways to optimize for Google AI Mode without getting lost in the weeds

Optimizing for Google’s AI Mode—and AI search more broadly—isn’t just a tweak to your existing SEO playbook. It’s a shift in mindset. But don’t worry: You don’t need a computer science degree to navigate it. What’s required is a clear understanding of how search behavior and Google’s capabilities are evolving—and how to meet those changes head-on with practical, user-first strategies.

Despite the buzz, AI Mode today accounts for a small slice of traffic for most brands. Yet the direction is clear: AI-powered search will keep expanding, reshaping how users discover, evaluate and engage with content. That means marketers who start adapting now will be better positioned for tomorrow’s landscape—and still drive results today.

The tips below will help you bridge that gap, blending updated SEO fundamentals with forward-looking tactics. The goal isn’t just future-proofing—it’s outperforming now.

1. Cultivate deep topical authority

To establish authority in your category, build a deep library of well-researched content that addresses your core topics and related subtopics in full. The goal isn’t just volume — it’s clarity, completeness and consistency. You want to become the most trusted, useful source available.

Structure your content to reflect that depth. Internal linking should feel natural, guiding both users and search engines through your site like a clear, well-marked path. This helps contextualize your expertise and signals relevance for a wide range of related queries — including from systems like Gemini.

Most importantly, write to explain — not just to rank. Prioritize clarity over keyword stuffing. Make sure your content thoroughly unpacks the ideas it covers, drawing clear connections between them. That’s what demonstrates expertise to both your audience and the AI systems parsing your content.

Dig deeper: How to make your content stand out in the ocean of AI slop

2. Build your brand through search everywhere optimization

Search in 2025 is increasingly shaped by AI systems that operate beyond traditional SEO. That makes brand strength — not just keyword rankings — the new priority.

Focus on what you can control: Build a recognizable, trusted brand across channels. Invest in digital PR, publish high-quality content consistently, and establish topical authority on your own properties.

At the same time, think beyond your website. Develop a “search everywhere” strategy to ensure your content shows up wherever AI models — including Gemini — source their information. That includes structured data, third-party citations, and optimized content across platforms.

The goal is to position your brand as the most relevant, reliable answer — not just for direct searches, but for the inferred questions AI systems resolve along the way.

3. Be user-driven

AI Mode is user-first, so success in this new chapter will require user-centric approaches. The answers will be heavily personalized, integrating user behavior and preferences from other Google sources (e.g., Gmail). They will be contextualized based on user embeddings, which are like digital fingerprints based on things like:

• Search and click history.
• Content engagement history.
• Location.
• Demographics.

Google’s longstanding recommendation to do what’s best for your users has never been more critical.

Dig deeper: How to build B2B authority in the AI search era

4. Create unique content 

Standing out has never been more crucial. Simply replicating existing content from competitors won’t work. You need to create something truly unique and valuable, leaning into the existing E-E-A-T framework. This means:

• Leveraging proprietary or custom data.
• Integrating exclusive quotes.
• Showcasing contextualized subject matter expertise to deliver content that genuinely hasn’t been done a dozen times before.

5. Think beyond rankings and clicks

Success metrics in modern-day search are changing. 

Google hasn’t shared data backing up their claim that clicks in an AI Overview SERP are coming from “more engaged audiences” that are “more likely to spend more time onsite.”  Still, the recommendation to “understand the full value of your visits” is valid, nonetheless. Make sure you focus on lower funnel KPIs and how those are trending. 

Rather than just traffic volume, this means evaluating metrics like:

• Transactions.
• Leads generated.
• Customer lifetime value. 

Understanding the qualitative impact of AI visits will be key to understanding and proving ROI.

6. Audit your content for relevancy and freshness

Relevance is everything in this next era of search.  Continuously audit and refresh your website content for stronger relevance and new insights. Strategically retire outdated or off-topic content to optimize topical authority and overall site value. 

This ensures your content provides the most current and comprehensive answers, aligning with how AI prioritizes information.  By maintaining a highly relevant and fresh content library, you signal expertise and trustworthiness to both users and AI.

7. Think outside the ‘search volume’ box

AI mode captures intent that the user didn’t explicitly express. 

• Gemini moves beyond the initial prompt and determines user intent either:
  • Directly from the user’s explicit query.
  • By inferring and synthesizing it from their history and context. 

While we aren’t in a position to completely eliminate search volume yet, conversational AI search will eventually render keyword search volumes less relevant and less accurate.  Instead of focusing solely on keywords and search volumes, take the time to ensure: 

• Your content is semantically rich.
• Explores related concepts and diverse user intents.
• Provides a deep and authoritative understanding.

Dig deeper: Why high-consideration industries need AI optimization

8. Start thinking about agent optimization

It will take time, but connecting with audiences via AI agents will be crucial as users will ultimately rely on agents rather than websites for their needs. Agents will not only synthesize and personalize answers for people, but they’ll complete actions, too. 

• Grabbing tickets to a Padres game.
• Signing up for a new yoga studio.
• Purchasing a new set of earbuds. 

Agents will become personal assistants, and marketers need to start thinking about how they optimize content and experiences for agents.

9. Move beyond text-based content

AI Mode’s ability to synthesize information extends far beyond just text, actively incorporating imagery, audio, and video into its responses.  To maximize visibility and relevance, strategically diversify your content portfolio. 

This means:

• Optimizing images with descriptive alt text and contextually relevant captions.
• Creating engaging video content with clear transcripts.
• Even exploring audio formats like podcasts, if you haven’t already. 

Ensuring these assets are discoverable and aligned with related topics will be crucial, as AI aims to provide comprehensive, multi-faceted answers. If your content strategy remains solely text-focused, you risk being overlooked in this richer, more dynamic information landscape.

Dig deeper: What are the important metrics to watch as organic search traffic evolves?

10. Invest in CRO and UX

With AI search reducing organic site traffic, every visitor becomes that much more valuable. CRO focuses on refining your website to make it easier for users to take desired actions, such as:

• Completing a purchase.
• Submitting a form. 

An optimized user experience ensures your site is intuitive, engaging, and easy to navigate. Make sure you have clear calls to action, fast load times, and an overall frustration-free journey, so those who do visit can easily convert.

Dig deeper: Why visibility is now the most important marketing metric

11. Put poor collaboration to bed

Winning in 2025 and beyond means there’s zero tolerance for working in silos.  Knowledge sharing and collaboration are the only path forward. SEO, content, social media, CRO, user experience, engineering, digital PR, brand, product, and data and analytics will all have to work together to:

• Win AI visibility.
• Keep up with the shifts.
• React to what’s working or not.

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