When this Louisville, KY, girl was invited to Google’s offices in San Diego, I was excited to get a behind-the-scenes look at what’s happening inside one of the most influential companies in digital marketing.
I’ve jokingly referred to Google as the “10,000-pound gorilla.” When Google changes something, the digital marketing industry pays attention—and often follows.
So, what new developments did they have to share?
I had one burning question:
As digital marketing continues to evolve, how is artificial intelligence (AI) changing the tried-and-true marketing tactics we’ve relied on for years?
The answer was simple: We’re still learning.
AI is changing how consumers search, how search engines deliver information and how brands need to think about online visibility. What may begin as a small change can quickly become a significant shift in how a marketing tactic operates and performs.
The Rise of AI Search
In February 2025, Bain & Company reported that approximately 80% of consumers rely on zero-click search results at least 40% of the time, potentially reducing organic web traffic by 15% to 25%.
What does that mean for marketers?
Consumers increasingly can get the information they need without clicking through to another website. Whether they are researching a product, asking a question or looking for information, AI-powered search can provide an answer directly within the search experience.
That creates a new challenge:
How do you build visibility when a consumer may never visit your website?
Is SEO Still Important?
Absolutely.
AI has not eliminated the importance of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) or Search Engine Marketing (SEM). Instead, it is changing the environment in which they operate.
Google continues to emphasize that traditional SEO fundamentals remain important for appearing in AI-powered search experiences. Websites still need to be crawlable, indexable, technically sound and filled with helpful, reliable, people-first content. Google also states that there are no special technical requirements or AI-specific markup needed to appear in AI Overviews or AI Mode.
The focus is shifting from simply asking “What keywords do we want to rank for?” to “What questions are our customers asking, and what information do we want our brand to be known for?”
The Human Element Still Matters
AI is making search more intelligent, conversational and personalized. It is also changing how marketers measure visibility and performance.
Google introduced new Search Console reporting in 2026 to provide greater insight into website performance within generative AI search features, including AI Overviews and AI Mode.
But while AI can process enormous amounts of information and identify patterns, it doesn’t replace the value of understanding a client’s business, customers, goals and market.
As marketers, our job is to understand the technology without losing sight of the people we’re marketing to.
Search will continue to evolve. AI will continue to evolve. The platforms and algorithms will change.
But one thing hasn’t changed:
Good marketing still starts with understanding your audience and having a strategy to reach them.
The tools may change.
Strategy still matters.
