Google Just Proved We Were Right About AI Search (What It Means for You)

Google quietly dropped a bombshell yesterday. They're finally tracking AI search traffic in Search Console.

After months of flying blind, we can now see how AI Mode impacts our websites. But here's what many in the SEO industry might not fully grasp - Google just admitted something massive about the future of search.

What Google Just Announced (And Why It Matters)

Google updated their Search Console documentation on 16 June 2025, confirming that AI Mode data now counts toward your Performance reports. This isn't just a technical update - it's Google acknowledging that AI search is here to stay.

AI Mode is their interactive AI-powered search experience that breaks your question into subtopics and searches for each one simultaneously. Think of it as Google on steroids - instead of showing you ten blue links, it creates comprehensive answers with supporting sources.

Here's what's changing:

• Clicks: Any link clicked in AI Mode now counts as a click in Search Console
• Impressions: If your page appears in Google's AI response, you get an impression
• Position: Each element in AI Mode gets its own position (unlike AI Overviews where everything shares one position)

But wait, there's more...(isn't there always?)

The Catch Nobody's Talking About

Google's being sneaky about this. According to their official documentation, AI Mode data gets lumped in with regular web search data. No separate filter. No way to break it out.

As Google states: "In particular, they're reported on in the Performance report, within the 'Web' search type."

Mad concept, right? They're mixing AI traffic with traditional search traffic, making it nearly impossible to see exactly how AI impacts your specific pages.

Even better - for the first few weeks after AI Mode launched, it wasn't passing referral data at all. Clicks were showing up as "direct traffic" in Google Analytics. Google called this "a bug" they're working to fix.

This Validates Our Approach to Getting Clients Ready for AI Search

Look, we've been banging on about this for months. While many agencies focus on traditional tactics, we've been preparing our clients for AI-driven search.

Remember our dual-focus strategy? Dominate traditional search today while preparing for AI tomorrow? This announcement proves we weren't just making it up.

Google claims clicks from AI features are "higher quality" with users "more likely to spend more time on the site." Convenient they make this claim when we can't actually verify it with separate data, isn't it?

But here's the thing - whether we can track it separately or not, AI Mode is changing how people search. And if your website isn't ready for it, you're already losing customers.

What AI Mode Actually Looks Like

AI Mode appears as a separate tab in search results (currently US-only, but coming to the UK soon). When someone asks a complex question, Google:

1. Breaks it into smaller subtopics
2. Searches for each topic simultaneously
3. Creates an interactive response with links to supporting websites
4. Allows follow-up questions for deeper exploration

Want to see it in action? Here's Google's official announcement from I/O 2025:

Each follow-up question counts as a new search query. So if someone starts with "best plumber in Lincoln" and follows up with "emergency plumbing costs," that's two separate queries with their own clicks and impressions.

According to Google's blog post from I/O 2025, AI Mode uses their "query fan-out technique" - essentially doing multiple searches at once on your behalf. It's designed for "power users who want an end-to-end AI Search experience."

The Numbers That Should Worry You

Industry studies are already showing the impact. Mail Online reported that AI Overviews (the simpler version) resulted in click-through rates that were "56.1% lower on desktop and 48.2% lower on mobile."

And that's just AI Overviews. AI Mode is even more comprehensive, potentially answering questions so thoroughly that users never need to click through to websites.

But remember - 99% of searches still happen on traditional Google. That's where your customers are right now. The smart play? Excel at both.

What This Means for Your Business

Right, let's cut through the waffle. Here's what UK small businesses need to know:

1. Your Search Console data is about to get messier
AI Mode traffic is mixed with regular traffic. If you see sudden changes in click-through rates or positions, it might be AI Mode kicking in.

2. Position tracking becomes more complex
Unlike AI Overviews where everything shares one position, AI Mode assigns individual positions to each element. Your page might rank #3 in AI Mode but #7 in traditional results.

3. Content depth matters more than ever
AI Mode favours proper, in-depth content that actually answers questions. Those thin pages optimised for single keywords? They're toast.

4. Follow-up questions are the new frontier
Each follow-up in AI Mode is a new query. Smart businesses will optimise for question chains, not just individual searches.

How to Prepare Your Website (Starting Today)

Don't panic. Here's your action plan:

Check your Search Console regularly - Watch for unusual patterns in your Performance reports. Sudden CTR drops might indicate AI Mode is answering queries directly.

Create proper content that answers questions - AI Mode pulls from multiple sources. Make your pages the go-to resource on your topics.

Structure for AI understanding - Use clear headings, answer specific questions, and organise information logically. Think Wikipedia, not sales brochure.

Monitor "higher quality" claims - Track time on site and engagement metrics. If Google's right about quality, these should improve even if clicks drop.

Prepare for UK rollout - AI Mode is US-only for now, but it's coming. Get ready before your competitors do.

The Bottom Line

Google adding AI Mode to Search Console isn't just a technical update. It's them admitting that AI search is permanent and growing. They wouldn't bother tracking something that didn't matter.

Agencies still relying solely on outdated techniques will struggle to adapt. The future belongs to businesses that understand both traditional SEO and AI optimisation.

That 0.25% of searches happening on ChatGPT today? It'll be 1% tomorrow, then 5%, then who knows. When it happens, you'll either be ready or you'll be invisible.

We've been preparing for this moment since we launched KickstartSEO. Our Optimiser AI service means our clients dominate Google today while being perfectly positioned for whatever comes next.

Because here's the truth - in the age of AI search, being findable isn't enough. You need to be unmissable.

The Truth Google Buried in Their Documentation

Here's something most agencies won't tell you. Buried in Google's official documentation is this gem:

"Just because a page meets all requirements, best practices, and complies with the policies, doesn't mean that Google will crawl, index, or serve its content. Indexing and serving isn't guaranteed."

Let that sink in. You can do everything "right" and still be invisible. That's why we don't promise specific rankings or guarantee you'll dominate overnight. Anyone who does is lying.

What we do promise? Meaningful progress based on three decades of experience. We know what moves the needle because we've been moving it since 1995.

What Should You Do Right Now?

First, don't try to separate AI Mode data in Search Console. You can't, and Google's made that clear. Instead, focus on overall performance trends.

Second, get your website AI-ready. That means proper content that answers questions properly, clear structure, and genuine expertise. The same things that work for traditional SEO, just more important.

Third, remember that 99% of your customers still use traditional Google. Don't abandon what works today while preparing for tomorrow.

Fourth, stop believing anyone who guarantees rankings. Google themselves just told you it doesn't work that way.

Want to know if your website's ready for AI search? Our Website Fitness Evaluation shows exactly where you stand - for both traditional and AI-driven search.

In 30 minutes, we'll show you what's working, what's broken, and whether you need our full transformation or just some strategic tweaks.

Because whether Google lets us track it separately or not, AI Mode is here. The question is: are you ready for it?

Book your free evaluation and let's make sure you're prepared for whatever Google dreams up next.