In May, Google officially launched AI mode, marking a profound shift in how search operates. This new paradigm integrates Gemini-powered AI with traditional web search, fundamentally changing what it takes for brands and businesses to earn recommendations and visibility. As Google migrates more AI features into main search, understanding and adapting to AI mode is becoming an urgent priority for marketers everywhere.
Understanding the Difference Between AI Mode and Classic Search
In traditional search, web pages are ranked by an algorithm using factors like relevance, domain authority, backlinks, and author experience.
AI mode introduces another layer: Google's Gemini large language model. This model not only runs multiple web searches in the background but also leverages its own internal knowledge to answer user queries. Thus, while SEO remains important, AI mode relies on a combination of search visibility and deep AI understanding of brands and content.
Brand Mentions and the Power of Digital PR
Brand mentions have emerged as the most powerful lever in AI-driven search. Data from AHS reveals that branded web mentions and related brand factors strongly correlate with visibility in Google’s AI overviews. Large language models like Gemini and ChatGPT function as prediction engines—connecting concepts based on observed patterns across massive datasets.
For example, "have a break" instantly connects to "Kit Kat" because these concepts are closely linked in the AI brain through repeated online associations.
The more frequently your brand is mentioned in relation to key concepts, the stronger those connections become in the AI model, boosting the likelihood of recommendations.
How AI Mode Recognizes and Recommends Brands
When asked about the best value skincare brands, AI tools like ChatGPT or Google AI mode often recommend The Ordinary because the concepts “best value,” “skincare brands,” and “The Ordinary” are tightly connected in their training data. The same applies to Exposure Ninja when users ask for digital marketing agencies offering free reviews—it is recognized due to years of consistent association online.
Building these connections is possible for all businesses, not just major brands. By clarifying which concepts or market positions to link with a brand (e.g., “car insurance for young female drivers,” “lowest cost,” “highest spec,” “celebrity endorsements”), brands can shape their AI search visibility. Customer interviews and sentiment analysis tools like Semrush’s AI suite can help identify and reinforce desired brand associations.
Ensuring Consistent Positioning Across the Web
Once the brand’s desired positioning is clear, it must be reinforced across the internet. The more often AI tools encounter content consistently linking your brand to target concepts, the more likely they are to recommend your business in answer to relevant queries.
This amplification is best achieved through digital PR. For example, Zugu’s iPad Air case is recommended by AI mode because articles (such as those on ZDNet) and the brand’s own web content frequently and closely associate Zugu with “best iPad Air case.” This relentless, long-term effort is essential—sporadic or superficial PR will not yield the same AI visibility.
Brand
Associated Concept
AI Mode Result
The Ordinary
Best value skincare
Consistently recommended
Zugu
iPad Air case
Featured in AI mode and articles
Exposure Ninja
Free marketing review
Recognized by ChatGPT and AI mode
Winning with Niche Content and Deep Expertise
Smaller brands can succeed by focusing on niche verticals and in-depth content. Thin, top-of-funnel content is no longer effective. Instead, AI tools favor content demonstrating high expertise, authority, and firsthand experience—especially content targeting the middle and bottom of the funnel.
Articles that go beyond generic information, incorporate personal expertise, and provide unique value (such as certifications, personal stories, or demonstration videos) are more likely to be cited and recommended.
Content Strategy for AI Mode
AI mode uses a “query fan out” technique, breaking down user questions into many background searches and synthesizing information from multiple sources. To maximize the chance of being recommended, websites should develop comprehensive, detailed articles targeting as many related subtopics as possible.
While AI mode does not show its background queries, Gemini’s AI tool does, offering insight into the types of searches likely to influence AI mode. Creating rich content that answers these sub-queries increases the likelihood of being cited across various AI-powered responses.
Adapting to the Future of Search
The shift to AI-powered search is disrupting every industry. Established businesses risk losing ground if they fail to adapt, while agile newcomers can seize market share. Embracing this disruption and proactively aligning marketing strategies with AI mode requirements is no longer optional but essential for ongoing visibility.
Success in Google’s AI mode depends on strong brand associations, ongoing digital PR, expert-driven content, and strategic adaptation to the evolving AI search landscape.
