The meeting focused on the impact of Google's newly launched AI Mode on SEO strategy, highlighting its similarities with tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity and the anticipated shift in user search behavior.
Key discussions included the importance of shifting from traditional SEO ranking tactics to a "trust-first" strategy, the need for digital platform expansion, and building authority in multimodal content formats.
An actionable three-pillar framework was introduced: Digital Platform Expansion, Context-Driven Content Strategy, and AI Authority Signals, each with specific tactics for adaptation in the AI-empowered search landscape.
Attendees were encouraged to prioritize brand trust, multichannel presence, and advanced content optimization to stay visible in evolving AI-driven search environments.
Action Items
Immediate – SEO/Content Team: Audit current digital channel mix to assess over-reliance on search and identify gaps in direct and social traffic.
Immediate – Social Media Lead: Initiate or reactivate the brand’s YouTube channel, and evaluate presence on LinkedIn and other relevant platforms.
Immediate – Web Analytics Lead: Implement or review heatmaps and user behavior tracking; generate an exploration report in Google Analytics for conversion path analysis.
This Quarter – Content Lead: Shift content planning from keyword research to audience and persona research; ensure each content piece is designed to build trust and authority.
This Quarter – Development Team: Review and update website schema markups (organization, local business, product, review) and verify with Google Rich Result tool.
Ongoing – Outreach Lead: Identify top media and publisher sites for citation opportunities; develop tailored outreach strategies prioritizing value-driven pitches and expert input.
Ongoing – SEO Team: Use free tools and AI (e.g., ChatGPT) to extract and analyze named entities from top-ranking AI Mode content for optimization.
Impact of Google AI Mode on Search and SEO
Google AI Mode introduces an AI-driven, conversational search experience similar to Perplexity and ChatGPT, with increasing user adoption rates.
Anticipated integration into mainstream search will alter user behavior, impacting conventional SEO-driven web traffic.
Strategies must shift from optimizing for Google’s algorithm to optimizing for user trust, as user studies show trust now precedes relevance in searcher priorities.
Trust-First SEO Framework Overview
Pillar 1: Digital Platform Expansion
Brands should diversify their digital presence beyond Google search to channels like YouTube, Pinterest, and LinkedIn, which are increasingly cited in AI search results.
A multichannel presence—especially on YouTube and LinkedIn—increases perceived brand authority and boosts both user and AI trust signals.
Brands overly dependent on search traffic risk missing top-of-funnel awareness and should audit their channel mix regularly.
Pillar 2: Context-Driven Content Strategy
Content must prioritize building trust, authority, and originality, focusing on audience needs rather than solely closing keyword gaps.
Audience and persona research (via reviews, social comments, forums) should supplement or replace traditional keyword research.
AI-driven search results favor longer, context-rich queries and mid-funnel content, especially in easily scannable, decision-oriented formats.
Tools like NotebookLM can help reverse engineer subqueries and optimize for high-relevance content formats.
Pillar 3: AI Authority Signals
Knowledge graph optimization is essential—websites must include schema markup for key brand, business, product, and review data.
Named entity extraction and optimization help AI models correctly interpret brand relationships and content context.
Top citation visibility in AI panels can be pursued through focused outreach to publishers, with pitches offering tangible value such as proprietary research or unique data.
Decisions
Adopt “Trust-First SEO” approach — The shift in user and AI search behavior necessitates prioritizing trust, authority, and multichannel expansion over traditional keyword-focused SEO strategies.
Open Questions / Follow-Ups
What resources and personnel will be allocated for the immediate expansion or reactivation of social channels, especially YouTube and LinkedIn?
Is there a preferred cadence for ongoing audits of digital channel mix and citation performance in AI search panels?
Who will lead the cross-functional collaboration between SEO, content, and outreach teams to implement the new trust-first framework?