Google’s latest AI features are quietly changing the search game. They’re snatching the most valuable moment in search – right when customers are ready to make a decision. What many people aren’t saying is that you can still rank on page one and still lose. This happens if your brand isn’t mentioned in those AI-generated answers. Then, you’re simply invisible. You aren’t part of the conversation anymore.

Google is no longer just a list of links. It’s now a curated answer engine. These answers are pulled from content the algorithm trusts. This means it’s not just about SEO anymore. It’s about training the AI to see your brand as a reliable source. This new practice is called GEO, or Generative Engine Optimization. If you can figure out how to reverse-engineer it, you won’t just gain visibility. You’ll also build brand authority while your competitors panic about falling traffic.

For over twenty years, I’ve helped businesses large and small turn Google into a machine for traffic and revenue. In this article, I’ll show you how Google’s AI Overviews and AI Mode work. We’ll use real data, real tools, and the exact strategy we’re using with thousands of clients right now. Our goal is to grow their business with Google’s new AI layer.

The Shift: From Traditional SEO to AI Search

Many people think Google’s AI features are shrinking traffic, and that this is killing SEO. But that’s the wrong way to look at it. So, what’s actually happening? Google is becoming more like ChatGPT. People are typing in full questions more than ever before. In fact, question-based searches have jumped from 38% to a massive 87% in just eight months.

Why did this spike occur? Because these AI features make Google way more useful. Consumers have become much smarter since ChatGPT arrived. They aren’t typing in basic keywords anymore. They’re asking real questions and expect full answers right on the search page.

The Bigger Picture: Search Volume Is Booming

Daily Google searches have jumped from 8.5 billion to 13.7 billion. That’s over 5 trillion searches annually, and it’s still growing. It’s not that more people are online — it’s that they’re searching more often because Google’s answers keep getting better.

So, while everyone else is panicking about losing clicks, the real opportunity exists. There are more searches than ever before, meaning more chances for your brand to be seen if you know how to show up in the new format.

AI Overviews: The Appetizer

Informational searches make up nearly 50% of all Google searches. AI Overviews show up 45.9% of the time for these. Commercial searches, like “best CRM for agencies,” make up just 14.8% of the search volume. But AI Overviews appear on 17.8% of those. Navigational searches, such as “Facebook login” or “HubSpot pricing,” make up 34.6% of all searches. Yet, AI Overviews show up on only 1.5% of those.

Transactional searches make up only 8% of the total volume. But AI Overviews show up 6.1% of the time on those keywords.

Conclusion: AI Overviews appear exactly where intent is highest. This is when users are researching, comparing, or preparing to buy. If your content isn’t being pulled into those summaries, you’re missing the exact moment your customer is choosing your brand.

AI Mode: The Full Course Meal

AI Mode replaces the entire search results page with a smart conversation.

Behind the scenes, Google runs 10–30 hidden sub-searches using something called the “query fan-out” technique. It mimics a professional researcher gathering insights and returning with a concise answer.

Example query:
“When is the best time this week to schedule an outdoor engagement photo shoot in the Boston Public Garden?”
What the AI actually looks for:

• Boston weather forecast
• Golden hour lighting
• Crowd levels at the park
• Tips for engagement shoots
• Local sunset timings

You don’t get to see those sub-searches. So unless your content is trusted and contextually aligned, you won’t be cited.

SEO as Brand Discovery, Not Just Conversion

• 90% of users first hear about a brand via organic search
• Only 5% convert immediately
• 14% engage later through social, email, or word-of-mouth

So SEO now works like a billboard or sponsor logo — your name sticks in their memory even without a click.

Google’s AI is like a news anchor. It only cites trusted sources. If AI drops your brand name, that mention builds trust — across search, social, ads, and beyond.

Your GEO Blueprint: Getting Cited by Google’s AI

🔍 Identify Trusted Competitor Content

Use UberSuggest to study domains that are already ranking and being cited.

🧩 Leverage Keyword Gaps

UberSuggest → Keyword Research → Similar Websites → Keyword Gap
Find terms that your competitors rank for, but you don’t. These are pre-validated content ideas.

🖼️ Create Content for AI Citation

Google now pulls from:

• Blogs
• Videos
• Infographics
• Visual explainers

So don’t just write — enrich. Add multimedia layers to make content more valuable and scannable.

The Narrow Window of Opportunity

SEO didn’t die. The rules changed — and most haven’t noticed. While others panic over traffic drops, the smart brands are earning AI citations and gaining top-of-funnel dominance.

This new strategy doesn’t need:

• Ranking #1
• Ad spend
• Clicks

What it needs is semantic trust and AI visibility.

✅ Actionable Next Steps for GEO

Prioritize AI citation over keyword ranking

• Develop multi-format content with strong authority
• Track evolving AI behavior in your niche using tools
• Build topical trust, not just page-level content

🚀 Winning in the Age of AI Search

Ranking alone isn’t enough anymore.

To win in Google’s AI layer, you must:

• Be cited by AI
• Become a semantic authority
• Show up in question-based results

That’s how you gain long-term brand equity in the AI-driven internet.

See how ScaleUp helps brands dominate AI search.