This past Tuesday, Google’s CEO Sundar Pichai opened Google I/O with a bold message: AI is transforming Google Search. Liz Reid, Google’s head of Search, even called AI Mode “the future of Google Search.” With all these rapid changes, small business owners may be wondering:
➡️ Will SEO become irrelevant?
➡️ Will my website stop getting traffic?
➡️ How do I adapt to stay visible online?
Let’s break this down in simple, accurate terms—so you can focus on what matters most: staying ahead and keeping your business visible.
The Future of Google Search
Google Search is getting its biggest update ever, even bigger than the launch of featured snippets or AI Overviews. AI Mode—a new tab that shows up before the usual search results—has already rolled out in the U.S. and will soon expand globally.
Google calls AI Mode a search that goes beyond information—it’s about intelligence. In other words, it tries to answer people’s questions right on the search page, instead of sending them to websites. Google is doing this to compete with new AI tools like ChatGPT and to make search results easier to read and act on.
What’s the Problem for Small Businesses?
The big challenge is that AI Mode (and AI Overviews) aren’t sending much traffic to websites. Studies are already showing major drops in clicks and visits. Even worse, Google isn’t giving us tools to track how much traffic is lost to AI answers—so we’re flying a bit blind.
As small business owners, you’ve likely noticed that Google’s main priority is keeping searchers happy, not necessarily sending traffic to your site. Happy searchers mean more people click Google’s ads, and Google keeps making money.
What Does This Mean for SEO?
Here’s what’s changing—and what you need to do:
Brand Mentions Matter More
Even if AI Mode doesn’t send people to your website, it does mention brand names. If your business is mentioned in AI answers, searchers are more likely to trust you and look you up directly. Focus on building your brand so Google sees you as relevant and worth mentioning.
AI “Agents” Are Coming
In the future, Google may let searchers buy directly from search results using AI. Imagine someone searching for a product you sell and Google offering to buy it straight from you, no website visit needed. This isn’t happening yet, but it’s coming. It’s called “agentic integrations.” Keep an eye out for how this evolves.
Adapt, Don’t Panic
SEO isn’t dying, but it’s changing. If you keep doing things the old way—focusing only on traditional website traffic—you’ll fall behind. Now is the time to experiment and learn how your audience interacts with these new AI-powered search experiences.
Practical Tips for Small Business Owners
Monitor Your Brand Mentions
Track whether your brand name shows up in search results, AI answers, and across the web.
Prioritize Reputation
Google’s AI uses your online reputation to decide whether to mention you. Keep your Google Business Profile up-to-date, ask for reviews, and be active on social media.
Keep Learning
Follow Google updates and be willing to test new ideas—whether that’s updating your content to answer common questions, adding FAQs, or using structured data (like schema) to help Google understand your content.
Bottom Line:
Change is happening fast. But SEO isn’t dead—it’s evolving. The small businesses that adapt, stay visible, and embrace new ways to engage customers will thrive.
Want help adjusting your digital marketing strategy for these AI-driven changes? Let’s talk!