How Does Google’s AI Overview Feature Impact SEO Work?

Google’s Smart Search Mode, launched in 2025, fundamentally changes how SEO professionals must approach search optimization. This AI-powered feature eliminates traditional blue links entirely, forcing websites to compete for AI citations rather than organic rankings. At Eclipse Marketing, we’ve observed these shifts firsthand and developed strategies to help businesses adapt to this evolving landscape.

Smart Search Mode differs from AI Overviews by removing all organic search results while using Google’s Gemini technology to provide direct answers. The feature runs multiple simultaneous searches using a fan-out technique, processing up to 16 different queries at once to deliver comprehensive responses.

SEO impact includes significant traffic reductions, with some websites losing 20-60% of Google visitors. However, companies like NerdWallet demonstrate success by focusing on traffic quality over quantity, achieving 35% revenue growth despite 20% traffic decline.

Key optimization strategies for Smart Search Mode include creating original, well-structured content that AI systems can easily parse and cite. Technical SEO fundamentals remain crucial, including proper schema markup, fast loading speeds, and mobile optimization as outlined by Google’s Web Fundamentals.

The shift requires expanding beyond traditional SEO to “search everywhere optimization” or OmniSEO, targeting multiple AI platforms like ChatGPT, Meta AI, and Claude. Local SEO becomes particularly important as Smart Search Mode likely links directly to Google Business Profiles for location-based queries.

Success metrics must evolve from traffic volume to conversion quality and revenue generation. This article provides actionable strategies for SEO professionals to adapt their approaches and maintain visibility in Google’s AI-driven search landscape.

What is Google’s Smart Search Mode?

Google’s Smart Search Mode creates a complete AI search experience, just like ChatGPT. The AI Mode still shows brands and lists sources, similar to AI Overviews. However, it removes the 10 blue links from traditional search results.

What Makes Smart Search Mode Different from AI Overviews?

Smart Search Mode and AI Overviews share some features but differ in key ways:

Feature Comparison: Smart Search Mode vs AI Overviews

• Citations: Both features include source citations
• Organic search results: Only AI Overviews show these traditional links
• Ads: Both display advertisements
• Analytics: Neither provides tracking data currently

SEOs worry most about missing organic search results in Smart Search Mode. AI Overviews already hurt website traffic significantly. On average, they reduce click-through rates by 34.5 percent. Smart Search Mode could make this worse.

The lack of tracking tools creates another problem. SEOs cannot measure how these AI features affect their websites through Google Search Console. This makes it harder to adjust strategies and prove SEO value.

How Does Google’s Smart Search Mode Work?

SEOs need to understand how search and answer engines operate. This knowledge helps them adapt their strategies effectively, much like the comprehensive approach detailed in Ahrefs’ SEO fundamentals guide.

Google’s Smart Search Mode works like AI Overviews on the surface. It uses a customized version of Google’s Gemini model to create responses. The difference lies in how this model processes information.

Smart Search Mode doesn’t rely only on your original question. Instead, it uses a fan-out method that runs multiple searches simultaneously. You can watch this happen when you search. In one example, Smart Search Mode ran 16 different searches at once.

Smart Search Mode also offers these special search features:

• Deep Search: Creates detailed reports with source citations. Example: “Research costs, timeframe, and considerations for renovating a two-story house with one bedroom.”
• Live Search: Handles real-time searches using video and audio. Example: “Help me identify the screw I need to fix this table.”
• Task-Based Search: Completes specific actions for users. Example: “Find and buy tickets for Lorde’s upcoming concert tour.”
• Shopping Search: Focuses on online shopping queries. Example: “Show me dress options for a semi-formal evening wedding.”
• Personal Context: Uses past searches or connected apps like Gmail. Example: “Suggest restaurants based on my upcoming Oregon trip.”

Google hasn’t revealed exactly how Smart Search Mode ranks websites. However, signals from AI Overviews likely influence which sites appear in responses:

Core ranking systems like Helpful Content guidelines affect visibility. Databases such as Google Shopping Graph provide product information. Structured data like Product or LocalBusiness markup helps websites get featured.

This brings us to the important question: How does Smart Search Mode affect your SEO work?

How Smart Search Mode Affects SEO

Google’s Smart Search Mode impacts SEO work in several important ways:

Website Visibility Changes

Smart Search Mode works like ChatGPT, Gemini, and other AI answer tools. It doesn’t show the traditional 10 blue search links. Your website either gets mentioned as a source or it doesn’t appear at all.

This creates a major challenge for SEOs and their clients. Businesses lose visibility throughout the customer’s buying journey. When fewer people see your website in search results, it hurts important business metrics like sales numbers.

The all-or-nothing nature of AI citations makes SEO more competitive. Websites must work harder to become trusted sources that AI systems reference. Traditional ranking strategies may need significant updates to succeed in this new environment, requiring specialized SEO services to navigate these changes effectively.

Website Traffic Impact

SEOs already notice a clear connection between AI Overviews and dropping website traffic. Some websites have lost 20 to 60 percent of their visitors from Google searches.

Smart Search Mode will likely make this traffic problem worse. Since it removes traditional search links completely, fewer people will click through to websites. This means businesses could see even bigger drops in their Google traffic numbers.

The traffic reduction affects more than just visitor counts. Lower website traffic means fewer potential customers, reduced ad revenue, and decreased online sales opportunities.

Analytics Tracking Problems

The lack of proper analytics creates ongoing frustration between SEOs and Google. Google Search Console does track AI Overviews and Smart Search Mode interactions. However, SEOs cannot separate this data to see specific sources.

You cannot tell if impressions or clicks came from regular search results, AI Overviews, or Smart Search Mode. This makes it impossible to measure how each feature affects your website performance.

Without clear analytics, SEOs struggle to prove their work’s value to clients. They also cannot adjust strategies based on accurate performance data. This challenge highlights the importance of comprehensive Google consulting to navigate these measurement complexities.

SEO Strategy Changes

SEO remains essential for appearing in Google’s Smart Search Mode and other AI search tools. However, SEO professionals must build stronger foundations to succeed in AI-powered search results.

This requires rethinking your approach to three key areas:

• Content originality becomes more important than ever. AI systems favor unique, valuable information over recycled content. Your website must provide fresh insights that other sources don’t offer, as emphasized in Moz’s content strategy guide.
• Content readability affects how AI systems understand and cite your content. Write clearly using simple language that both humans and AI can easily process.
• Content organization helps AI systems find and reference your information correctly. Structure your content with clear headings, bullet points, and logical flow patterns.

How Should SEOs Handle Smart Search Mode? (3 Action Steps)

SEOs can take these three important steps to adapt to Smart Search Mode:

1. Reset Traffic Expectations

Start by changing your leadership’s expectations about website traffic numbers. You will likely see traffic drops from AI Overviews and Smart Search Mode. This happens because Google dominates the search market globally.

However, depending on your SEO approach, you might see better qualified visitors. Public companies like NerdWallet and HubSpot prove this trend works in practice.

These companies report lower traffic but higher revenue numbers. NerdWallet earned 35 percent more revenue in 2024 despite losing 20 percent of monthly website visitors.

This pattern appears across different industries. It shows how search engine optimization must shift its focus from traffic volume to traffic quality, particularly for local markets like Denver SEO where competition remains fierce.

2. Expand from SEO to Search Everywhere Optimization

The shift moves from search engine optimization to search everywhere optimization, or OmniSEO. Smart Search Mode represents just one example in a growing list of search changes.

People now use ChatGPT, Meta AI, and Claude alongside Google to find information. SEOs must adapt to help businesses get discovered across all platforms. This visibility should convert into quote requests, store visits, or sales.

You can learn more about getting started with OmniSEO in our Search Everywhere Optimization Guide. Here are key highlights of this approach:

• Create Outstanding Content Add specific data points to support your claims and recommendations. Include precise details like “walk at a brisk pace for 10-15 minutes” instead of vague advice.

Develop multimedia content including quizzes, interactive tools, videos, and helpful graphics. These assets work better across different AI platforms and complement effective web design strategies.

• Build Strong Brand Reputation Create expert thought leadership content that establishes your authority. Claim and optimize your local business and directory listings completely.

Practice proactive review generation and management to build trust signals. Positive reviews help across all search platforms, as detailed in Neil Patel’s reputation management guide.

• Strengthen Technical SEO Add schema markup to help AI systems understand your site content better. Allow AI crawlers to access your website by updating robots.txt files.

Improve page experience through better user interface design and faster loading speeds using tools like Google PageSpeed Insights. These factors affect rankings across multiple search engines.

3. Focus on SEO Basics

The most important step SEOs can take is to strengthen search engine optimization fundamentals. Keep creating optimized content, improving local listings like Google Business Profile, and building quality backlinks.

Websites with solid SEO foundations appear more often in AI Overviews. These same factors likely influence Smart Search Mode rankings too. Strong SEO helps AI systems deliver accurate and useful responses.

Google confirms the importance of search engine optimization in its official documentation. The company advises website owners to succeed in AI search experiences by following these steps:

Make sure Google’s crawlers can easily access your entire website. Provide excellent page experiences through faster loading speeds, better usability, and improved design.

Create unique, reliable content that puts people first instead of search engines. Verify that structured data accurately matches what visitors see on your pages.

Support your written content with high-quality visuals like professional images and helpful videos. Keep your Google Business Profile and Merchant Center listings current and complete.

This proves why SEOs must continue strengthening their fundamentals instead of stepping back in fear. The basics of good SEO still matter in the age of AI search, whether you’re targeting Las Vegas or New Brunswick markets.

How Can I Appear in Smart Search Mode Results?

To appear in Smart Search Mode responses, we understand these key factors:

Smart Search Mode connects to Google’s core quality and ranking systems. It pulls real-time information from the web, Knowledge Graph, and Shopping Graph databases. The AI uses its training to decide when and how to link to specific information sources.

Google’s Search Central team emphasizes foundational SEO elements for success. These include proper crawling and indexing, helpful content creation, and excellent page experience optimization as outlined in Search Engine Journal’s optimization guide.

However, SEOs should also focus on additional strategies that Google doesn’t specifically mention:

1. Build Your Online Reputation

Create a strong off-site presence through linked and unlinked brand mentions. Work to establish your brand as a trusted source and recommended product or service provider. The more specific these mentions become, the better they help your visibility.

Focus on getting detailed references that highlight your expertise in specific areas. Quality mentions from reputable sources carry more weight than generic brand references, as explained in Backlinko’s link building strategies.

2. Improve Local Search Targeting

Optimize your location-specific content and local business listings completely. Target location-based Smart Search Mode queries that face less competition than broad national terms.

Smart Search Mode will likely link directly to your Google Business Profile for local queries. Keep this profile updated with accurate information, photos, and customer reviews.

3. Strengthen Cross-Channel Marketing

Improve your email marketing and social media presence to boost relevancy signals. Smart Search Mode references personal Gmail accounts and connected apps to customize responses for users.

Consistent messaging across all marketing channels helps AI systems understand your brand authority. This increases your chances of being referenced in personalized search results. Consider integrating Google Ads campaigns to amplify your visibility across multiple touchpoints.

Beyond optimizing for Smart Search Mode appearances, plan for what happens when visitors reach your website. Develop marketing strategies that convert these qualified users into first-time customers and long-term brand supporters. For personalized guidance on these strategies, contact our team to discuss your specific needs.

Conclusion

Google’s Smart Search Mode represents a major shift in how people find information online. This AI-powered feature removes traditional blue links and forces SEOs to compete for citations instead of rankings. While traffic drops seem inevitable, smart SEOs can turn this challenge into opportunity by focusing on quality over quantity.

The key lies in strengthening SEO fundamentals while expanding to search everywhere optimization. Create original, readable content that AI systems can easily understand and cite. Build your brand reputation across multiple platforms, not just Google. Optimize for local searches where competition remains lower.

Most importantly, reset expectations with leadership about traffic metrics. Focus on converting qualified visitors into loyal customers rather than chasing vanity traffic numbers. Companies like NerdWallet prove this approach works, earning higher revenue despite lower traffic.

The future of SEO isn’t about avoiding AI search features. Success comes from embracing these changes and adapting your strategy accordingly.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Google’s Smart Search Mode?

Google’s Smart Search Mode creates a complete AI search experience powered by Gemini. It provides direct answers with citations but removes traditional blue links. The system runs multiple searches simultaneously for comprehensive results.

How does Smart Search Mode differ from AI Overviews?

Both provide citations and show ads, but Smart Search Mode removes organic results completely. AI Overviews still display traditional search links. Neither offers detailed analytics tracking currently.

Will Smart Search Mode hurt my website traffic?

Yes, Smart Search Mode will likely reduce traffic further than AI Overviews. Some sites lost 20-60 percent of Google traffic from AI features. However, remaining traffic becomes more qualified and valuable.

How can I appear in Smart Search Mode results?

Create original, well-structured content that AI systems easily understand and cite. Build online reputation through quality mentions and local listings. Strengthen technical SEO with schema markup and fast speeds.

Should I stop doing traditional SEO?

No, traditional SEO remains essential for Smart Search Mode success. Core ranking systems still influence AI results. Continue optimizing content, building backlinks, and maintaining Google Business Profile.