If you’re still fixated on Google AI Overviews, you’re missing the real battle. AI Overviews were just a test. Your true challenge lies in Google’s upcoming AI Mode, which has the potential to significantly reduce or even eliminate your website traffic. The initial hiccups with AI Overviews were just a glimpse of what’s to come.

So, take a breath, relax, ensure your SSL is installed, and let’s dive into understanding Google’s AI Mode.

Currently, Google AI Mode is only available as a test for selected users in the US using the English language. These users are typically those who joined a waitlist or subscribe to Google One’s premium plan. While it’s in the testing phase, widespread rollout could happen quickly.

Once you have access, using AI Mode is straightforward. You can either go directly to google.com/ai or, within the regular Google search, you’ll find an “AI Mode” tab alongside the traditional search results.

This is where the potential danger begins. If Google were to make AI Mode the default search experience, all searches would go through this interface. Remember the “Web” tab Google offered after the initial outcry over AI Overviews? While SEO professionals might use it, the average user doesn’t. If AI Mode becomes the standard, users will likely stick with it.

Let’s head over to the computer screen and take a look at what AI Mode actually looks like. Don’t be fooled by the AI Overview experience – this is different.

Exploring Google AI Mode: A Visual Walkthrough

The first and most striking change you’ll notice is the absence of the traditional Google search bar. For the first time, Google isn’t displaying a search bar in one of its products. Instead, you see a prompt that says “Ask AI Mode,” inviting users to pose questions in natural, conversational language rather than just entering keywords. Google is confident that it can understand and answer these natural language queries.

Let’s try our first question: “How do I find cheap hotels in Manali?”

After hitting enter, we see a slightly more vibrant and animated page loading. The answer appears quite quickly:

Here’s how you can find cheap hotels in Manali:

• Define your budget and priorities.
• Utilize online booking platforms.
• Consider hostels and guest houses.
• Travel during the off-season.
• Explore different neighborhoods.
• Check for discounted rates and deals.
• Contact hotels directly.

These are all valid points. We also see a notice indicating that “AI Mode is experimental.” Importantly, almost every point is accompanied by links that lead directly to the source websites. This is similar to the search functionality in ChatGPT, where you see a sidebar with sources. In this case, it indicates that three websites (though likely more are being used) were consulted. Clicking on a link, like one related to the “social atmosphere,” takes us to a Goibibo page about Manali.

Here’s the immediate problem for website owners, bloggers, and SEO professionals: if users get their answers directly here, why would they visit your website? We’ll delve deeper into this later.

Let’s try another query: “Prepare a one-day trip plan for Haridwar.” We can’t just keep talking about Manali!

The AI quickly generates a possible itinerary, breaking down the day from 7 AM to after 6 PM, including key activities like the Ganga Aarti at Har Ki Pauri, which is a must-see in Haridwar. The plan seems quite accurate.

We see URLs related to one-day trip packages, Haridwar tours, and even a page about the distance between Haridwar and Jim Corbett (less directly relevant) and a three-day trip related to the Kanwar Yatra. It appears Google’s AI is pulling information from various pages that contain itinerary-related information to synthesize a comprehensive plan. It even includes a URL for a travel guide to Periyar from Bangalore, which seems less useful in this context, and one related to the Kumbh Mela.

Overall, Google’s AI is using a wide range of data to construct these answers, and it provides references for the URLs it uses. While there might be occasional inaccuracies, users will likely find these direct answers very convenient.

One current limitation of AI Mode is its language support. It’s currently only available in English in the US. While you might occasionally get an answer in English even if you pose your query in Hindi (as we saw with “मुझे दिल्ली से जयपुर ट्रिप के बारे में बताओ” – “Tell me about a trip from Delhi to Jaipur”), you might also be directly told that Hindi is not supported.

These were relatively straightforward informational queries related to travel. Let’s see how AI Mode handles a different type of request.

Handling “How-To” Queries and Recipes

asked: “Give me instructions to make samosa at home. I am a noob and I don’t know cooking, so give me easy-to-follow steps with drawings or pictures.”

Interestingly, instead of providing direct instructions, AI Mode gives us links to websites, including blogs and YouTube videos. This highlights a current strategy where, perhaps due to past issues with AI Overviews providing inaccurate information, AI Mode is being more cautious. When the system isn’t confident in generating a precise answer, it defaults to providing relevant URLs as sources. This shifts the responsibility of providing the information to those websites.

Let’s tweak our query slightly and see if Google attempts an answer: “Give me easy-to-follow steps to make samosa at home.”

This time, we do get the steps. It seems the request for drawings and pictures in the previous query might have triggered the AI to provide external links instead. While we now have the steps, these steps are derived from the linked websites. What do these websites get in return? Not much directly.

Food, travel, politics, and news are all categories where people often seek information, but these queries aren’t always highly specific. A samosa recipe, for example, isn’t typically customized based on personal habits or family history. But can Google’s AI Mode provide personalized help? Let’s see with our next query.

Personalized Queries and the Future of Niche Content

ask: “Skin care routine for a young Indian male who rides a bike, lives in New Delhi, and has oily skin.”

Here’s the answer we get:

Here’s a skincare routine tailored for a young Indian male with oily skin living in New Delhi and riding a bike:

Understanding the Challenges: Oily skin, New Delhi’s environment, and bike riding (sun exposure, sweat, dirt).

(Followed by a detailed morning and evening routine including cleansing, toning, moisturizing, sunscreen, and additional tips)

This is a reasonably tailored routine, considering the specific circumstances mentioned in the query. Users no longer need to consult Reddit experts or sift through multiple articles; a relevant routine is readily available.

Of course, this information is sourced from various websites, as indicated by the links provided (including Nykaa, Plum Goodness, and Quora). If a user is interested in purchasing specific products or services, they can click on these URLs. Clicking “Show all” reveals a longer list of sources.

Let’s try a query that has been a point of contention for website owners who often see similar results for such searches: “Popular models of Samsung refrigerators in India.”

We get a list of three popular models with some specifications, along with a note indicating “Something went wrong with this response.” The referenced websites for this information are Mint and MySmartPrice.

It’s clear that Google is drawing information from specific sources and displaying those sources. The number of referenced websites can vary significantly. The implication here is that the traditional click-through rate to websites will likely decrease with the widespread adoption of Google AI Mode.

Impact on Different Website Categories:

• News and Blog Websites (Entertainment/How-To): These categories are likely to experience a significant drop in traffic as users get direct answers within the AI Mode interface.
• Business Websites: While traffic might decrease, the quality of traffic could improve, leading to a similar or even higher number of qualified leads. Users who click through to business websites are more likely to be genuinely interested in making a purchase or booking a service. Deeply researched content websites might benefit as Google helps connect relevant readers with their in-depth information.

Ultimately, whether a user visits your website for more details or to make a transaction will depend on their individual needs and the quality of your website’s SEO.

The Impact on “How-To” Blogs: A Case Study

Let’s consider a “how-to” query: “How to connect my domain to Google Workspace.” This type of query typically drives significant traffic to various technical blogs.

The answer provided by AI Mode is quite comprehensive and accurate. Having performed this process myself, I can confirm that the steps are complete and a user likely wouldn’t need to visit any external website. The information is sourced from ten different websites.

The question then becomes: what is the future for these ten websites? This particular process is relatively static, and Google can likely update its internal knowledge base from its own official help documents whenever changes occur. This suggests that traffic to such “how-to” blogs for common technical tasks could dwindle over time.

What’s the solution? Currently, there’s no clear answer. As Google expands AI Mode and potentially provides data on the traffic or impressions generated by it, we might gain more insights.

Conclusion: Adapting to the AI-Driven Future

The current state of Google AI Mode, as we’ve seen, is beneficial for users seeking quick and direct answers. However, it presents a significant challenge for website owners, bloggers, and SEO professionals. We need to adapt and evolve our strategies.

Don’t wait for Google AI Mode to launch in India to start preparing. You should begin thinking and strategizing now. Stay tuned to this channel for more updates and insights on navigating this evolving landscape.

Until next time, keep learning, keep practicing