Why You Shouldn’t Optimise for Google’s AI Mode
The digital marketing world is buzzing with talk about Google’s AI Mode. Everyone wants to know how to get their content featured in AI-powered search results. But here’s the thing: optimising directly for AI Mode might be the worst strategy you could choose.
This might sound controversial. After all, AI search is clearly the future. But before you jump on the AI optimisation bandwagon, let’s take a step back and think about how we got here in the first place.
How Optimisation Got Us Into This Mess
Remember the old days of SEO? We wrote thousands of identical articles. We stuffed keywords into every paragraph. We created content purely to show up in search results. The result? The internet became flooded with rubbish content that served no real purpose.
This poor user experience is exactly why Google introduced AI Overviews. It’s why we now have AI Mode. The search giant needed to fix the mess that aggressive optimisation tactics created.
Now, many marketers want to repeat the same mistakes with AI Mode. They’re creating content specifically for AI systems to digest and summarise. They’re chasing new platforms just to get AI visibility. But this approach misses the bigger picture entirely.
The Real Problem with AI Mode Optimisation
It’s a Zero-Sum Game
Think about this logically. AI systems like Google’s AI Mode are designed to keep users within their own ecosystem. They want people to get answers without clicking through to your website.
When AI Mode features your content, it summarises the key points right there in the search results. Users get what they need without visiting your site. You might get a small amount of traffic, but it will never be enough to justify making AI optimisation your primary strategy.
You’re essentially working hard to feed a system that has no intention of sending you meaningful traffic. That’s not a sustainable business model.
The Traffic Simply Isn’t There
Let’s be honest about the numbers. Even when AI systems feature your content, the click-through rates are incredibly low. Users are getting their answers directly from the AI summary. They don’t need to visit your website.
This means you’re investing time and resources into a strategy that delivers minimal returns. Meanwhile, you could be focusing on tactics that actually drive traffic and build your brand.
Three Tactics You Should Avoid
1. Unnatural Summarisation
Many content creators are now writing specifically for AI consumption. They structure their articles to be easily summarised by large language models. They use unnatural language patterns that AI systems prefer.
This approach creates the same problems we had before. Content becomes robotic and formulaic. It serves the algorithm rather than real human readers. We end up with more low-quality content cluttering the internet.
Remember, people can tell when content is written for machines rather than humans. This approach damages your brand reputation and reader trust.
2. Platform Chasing for AI Visibility
LinkedIn Pulse and Reddit have become popular targets for AI optimisation. Marketers are creating content on these platforms purely to get featured in AI search results.
This strategy is fundamentally flawed. These platforms want to keep users engaged within their own ecosystems. They’re not designed to drive traffic to your website.
LinkedIn Pulse content rarely generates significant external traffic. Reddit posts might get upvotes, but they don’t typically drive lasting business results. You’re essentially scraping the bottom of the barrel.
3. Building Content Moats
Some marketers are creating hundreds of pieces of content to cover every possible search intent. They call this building “content moats” around their topics.
This mass-production approach is exactly what created the content quality crisis in the first place. It leads to thin, repetitive content that serves no real purpose.
Google’s algorithms are getting better at identifying and penalising this type of content strategy. The short-term gains aren’t worth the long-term risks.
What You Should Do Instead
Think Like a Journalist, Not an SEO
The most successful content creators are thinking like journalists rather than SEO specialists. They focus on building genuine audience relationships rather than just search engine visibility.
Consider how news organisations like the BBC or The Guardian operate. People visit these sites directly because they trust the content quality. Readers bookmark these sites and check them regularly. They don’t always find this content through search engines.
This direct relationship bypasses search engines entirely. It creates a sustainable traffic source that doesn’t depend on algorithm changes or AI developments.
How to Build Direct Relationships
Start by creating content around original ideas and perspectives. Don’t just respond to trending topics. Develop your own insights and share them with your audience.
Write content that reflects your genuine expertise and opinion. People should be able to recognise your unique voice and perspective across all your content.
Focus on solving real problems for your audience. Create content that people actively seek out because it provides genuine value.
Invest in Digital PR
Digital PR is no longer just about traditional publicity. It’s become a core component of modern SEO strategy. This approach helps you get featured on authoritative third-party websites.
Here’s why this matters for AI visibility: AI systems often pull information from trusted sources like Tom’s Guide, CNET, or industry publications. They’re less likely to feature content directly from brand websites.
If you want your expertise featured in AI responses, you need to get it published on these authoritative platforms. Digital PR is the most effective way to achieve this goal.
Building Your PR Strategy
Start by identifying the key publications in your industry. These might be trade magazines, influential blogs, or news websites that your target audience trusts.
Develop relationships with journalists and editors at these publications. Offer them genuine insights and exclusive information that their readers would find valuable.
Create newsworthy content that these publications want to cover. This might include original research, industry surveys, or expert commentary on current events.
Develop In-House Subject Matter Experts
Modern search algorithms pay attention to author credibility and expertise. They want to see real people with genuine knowledge writing about topics in their field.
This means you need to develop recognised thought leaders within your organisation. These people should be publishing content not just on your website, but across the industry.
When your experts become recognised voices in your field, it boosts your entire organisation’s credibility. AI systems are more likely to feature content from recognised experts than from anonymous corporate blogs.
Building Expert Recognition
Encourage your team members to speak at industry conferences and events. This builds their personal reputation and associates them with your brand.
Get your experts featured in podcasts, interviews, and guest articles. The more they appear across different platforms, the stronger their credibility becomes.
Support your experts in developing their own personal brands on social media and professional networks. Their individual success reflects positively on your organisation.
Create Original, Shareable Content
The most valuable content online is original research and analysis. This type of content naturally attracts backlinks and social shares. It positions you as a thought leader rather than a follower.
Original content also has the best chance of being featured by AI systems. When everyone else is referencing your research, AI algorithms recognise you as the authoritative source.
Types of Original Content to Create
Conduct industry surveys and publish the results. Original data is always in high demand and naturally attracts media attention.
Analyse new developments in your field before anyone else does. When Google releases new features or patents, be the first to explain what they mean.
Run experiments and share the results. Test new strategies or technologies and document what you learn.
Create comprehensive guides that become the definitive resource on specific topics. These pieces of content continue to attract traffic and links for years.
The New Era of Content Strategy
We’re entering a phase where innovation beats optimisation. The old tactics of reverse-engineering successful content and creating similar pieces won’t work anymore.
AI systems are sophisticated enough to recognise and reward genuine expertise and originality. They can identify content that provides real value versus content that simply follows a formula.
This shift actually benefits businesses that focus on quality over quantity. You no longer need to produce hundreds of pieces of content to compete. Instead, you need to create fewer pieces that offer genuine insights and value.
Why Quality Trumps Quantity
High-quality, original content naturally attracts the signals that AI systems value. It gets shared more frequently. It attracts backlinks from other authoritative sources. It keeps readers engaged for longer periods.
This type of content also builds genuine brand authority. When people associate your brand with valuable insights and original thinking, they’re more likely to seek you out directly.
Building for the Long Term
The businesses that succeed in the AI era will be those that focus on sustainable, long-term strategies. They’ll build direct relationships with their audiences rather than depending entirely on search traffic.
They’ll create content that serves real human needs rather than trying to game AI algorithms. They’ll invest in building genuine expertise and thought leadership.
Most importantly, they’ll remember that behind every AI system are real people looking for real solutions to real problems.
Final Thoughts
Google’s AI Mode represents a significant shift in how people find and consume information online. But the solution isn’t to optimise directly for AI systems.
Instead, focus on the fundamentals that have always worked: creating valuable content, building genuine expertise, and developing direct relationships with your audience.
The tactics that got us into the current content quality crisis won’t solve the problems that AI Mode creates. We need a different approach entirely.
By thinking like journalists rather than SEOs, investing in digital PR, developing recognised experts, and creating original content, you’ll build a sustainable content strategy that works regardless of how AI systems evolve.
The businesses that thrive in the AI era won’t be those that game the system. They’ll be those that provide genuine value and build lasting relationships with their audiences. That’s a much more sustainable approach than chasing the latest optimisation tactics.
Remember: AI Mode should be a byproduct of your broader content strategy, not the entire focus of it. Build something valuable, and the visibility will follow naturally.
