SEO & AI Search glossary

AI Mode in Google

A search mode in Google where, instead of a list of blue links, you get an answer generated by a language model — along with links to the sources it was based on.

Why it matters

What it changes in practice

This is the biggest change to search in years. Users increasingly get their answer without visiting a website. You can hold top rankings and still lose traffic because your content isn't being cited. Visibility is no longer just a matter of position — what counts is whether the model treats your content as a credible source.

What to do about it

Concrete steps

Answer the question directly in the first paragraph, before you expand on the topic
Build topical authority: many related pieces around one subject area, not one-off articles
Add structured data and a clear heading hierarchy so the model can extract facts easily
Monitor whether your brand appears in AI answers — a classic rank report won't show it

Related terms

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AI Mode in Google

What it changes in practice

Concrete steps

See also

LLM (large language model)

Structured data (schema.org)

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