Search has undergone a transformation at a pace faster in the past six months than what was experienced in the previous decade. Google’s AI Mode has now rolled out on a global scale, significantly expanding its agentic features while also introducing an immersive visual exploration experience; AI Overviews have become accessible on more than one‑sixth of all Google searches, reshaping how users find information; and ground breaking new studies are shedding light on how people engage with AI-generated answers in real-world scenarios.
At the same time, marketers are facing the challenges of adapting to a rapidly evolving landscape where zero‑click searches dominate user behavior, video platforms and social media are becoming integral components of AI-driven answers, and the significance of brand mentions continues to grow, supplementing the importance of traditional backlinks.
This comprehensive and updated guide (October 2025) consolidates the latest insights, research findings, and key industry data, equipping you with the knowledge and strategies necessary to optimize your SEO and link‑building efforts for the future of AI‑powered search.
1. AI Mode Expansion: More Languages, Visual Exploration and Agentic Features
1.1 AI Mode goes global
In October 2025 Google announced that AI Mode is now available in over 200 countries and territories and supports more than 35 languages. The expansion includes languages such as Arabic, Chinese (simplified and traditional), French, German, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian and many more. By making AI Mode available across Europe, Asia and the Middle East, Google signalled that generative AI will soon be the default search experience worldwide. The expansion also aligns with Google’s plan to make AI Mode the default search experience in Chrome’s address bar.
1.2 Agentic capabilities
In late September 2025, Google introduced agentic features to AI Mode that allow the system to perform tasks on behalf of users. Initially available to users opting into Search Labs in the U.S., the agentic function can find and book restaurant reservations by searching across multiple booking platforms and presenting real‑time availability. Google plans to extend this to local service appointments and event ticketing. This marks a shift from AI as a passive answer engine to AI acting as a concierge, blurring the line between search and transaction.
1.3 Visual search and Shopping Graph integration
In October Google also unveiled a visual exploration experience in AI Mode. Users can ask questions conversationally and receive a grid of images that they can refine using natural language (e.g., “more options with dark tones and bold prints”). Each image links back to a product or source, and users can upload an image or snap a photo to start a search. Google’s Shopping Graph, which refreshes over 2 billion product listings every hour, powers these results and allows users to shop by describing what they want instead of using filters. The visual search fan‑out technique analyzes both textual and image inputs, recognizing subtle details and running multiple queries simultaneously to deliver relevant visual results blog.google.
1.4 “Ask about any item” and comparison pop‑ups
A September 2025 test added a dialog in AI Mode titled “Ask about any item,” allowing users to compare products or local results via check boxes. When activated, the pop‑up invites users to ask questions about specific items to get feature comparisons seroundtable.com. This feature reinforces AI Mode’s role as an interactive shopping assistant.
2. AI Overviews: New Data on Reach and Behaviour
2.1 Overlap with organic results
A BrightEdge study released in October 2025 found that AI Overviews now cite the same websites that rank organically 54 % of the time. That figure is nearly double the ~32 % overlap measured earlier in 2025. For healthcare, education and insurance, the overlap is even higher (above 70 %) because Google leans on a consistent set of trusted sources. In contrast, e‑commerce queries show only a 23 % overlap, indicating that AI Overviews prioritize research‑oriented content over product pages.
2.2 AI Overviews reach and click‑through impact
Ahrefs’ September 2025 study of AI search behaviour found that AI Overviews had over 1.5 billion users per month in Q1 2025, representing roughly 26.6 % of all internet users. The study also observed that AI Overviews reduce clicks to external websites by 34.5 %. Furthermore, 26 % of brands have no mentions in AI Overviews, while the top 50 brands capture 28.9 % of all citations. Although ranking in the top 10 of Google’s organic results correlates with being cited, 76 % of AI Overview citations still come from pages ranking in the top 10 ahrefs.com.
2.3 Source diversity and freshness
Only 12 % of sources cited in AI search platforms (Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT and Perplexity) overlap with Google’s top results, meaning 80 % of cited sources don’t appear in traditional rankings. AI search platforms also prefer content that is about 25.7 % fresher than content cited in organic results. User‑generated content sites like Reddit and Quora are more likely to be cited in AI Overviews (7.4 % and 3.6 % respectively), while health and medical sites appear more often in AI Overviews than in ChatGPT or Perplexity ahrefs.com. This underscores that authentic discussion forums and high‑quality niche sites can earn significant AI visibility.
2.4 AI traffic patterns
AI referral traffic remains small—accounting for only 0.1 % of web referrals—but it is growing quickly. Ahrefs notes that AI traffic has increased 9.7× in the past year and that visitors from AI search convert 23 times better than traditional organic search visitors for their business. ChatGPT is the largest AI referrer, delivering more than 80 % of AI traffic and driving an 85 % growth in AI‑generated traffic since January. However, AI users click links 75 % less often than traditional search users, so impressions and brand visibility are increasingly important metrics.
3. Zero‑Click Searches and the Rise of AI‑Driven Behaviour
Zero‑click searches—queries answered directly on the search page without a click—continue to dominate. SparkToro and Similarweb estimate that 60–63 % of Google searches end without a click jellyfish.com. Bain & Company’s consumer study found that 80 % of users rely on AI summaries or zero‑click results for at least 40 % of their searchesbain.com, and about 60 % of all searches end without visiting another. As AI assistants like ChatGPT become mainstream—OpenAI reported about 700 million weekly active users, with more than half of interactions now search‑like questions, AI search is replacing traditional search for many tasks. Adoption is expected to hit the “tipping point” (20 % of global internet users) by mid‑2026.
Video becomes a core source
Another shift is the integration of video content into AI Overviews. Google is now pulling clips from TikTok, Instagram Reels and other user‑generated sources, not just YouTube. This means tutorials, product demonstrations and “show me how” queries often return video summaries. Marketers should therefore treat video as a core SEO element by creating short explainer videos, publishing them on YouTube and short‑form platforms, adding transcripts and schema markup, and embedding videos within relevant pages.
ChatGPT introduces Instant Checkout and prepares ads
In October 2025, ChatGPT launched in‑chat shopping with Instant Checkout. Users in the U.S. can ask for product ideas (e.g., “gifts for a ceramics lover”) and purchase items directly within ChatGPT; Stripe processes the payment and merchants fulfil orders. This moves e‑commerce discovery into AI chat and emphasizes relevance over paid placement. OpenAI is also hiring for ad‑platform roles, indicating that ads within conversational flows are on the horizon.
4. Backlinks and Brand Mentions: Evolving Off‑Page Signals
4.1 Survey data on backlinks
The 2025 State of Backlinks report by uSERP, which surveyed over 800 SEO professionals, reveals that 67.5 % of respondents believe backlinks have a big impact on search engine rankings, while 30 % think links have a moderate impact userp.io. More than 85 % say link building significantly influences brand authority, and nearly 59 % expect backlinks to have even more impact in the coming years. The survey notes that quality has eclipsed quantity: 40.7 % of participants cite content marketing as the strongest passive link‑building strategy, and most professionals prioritise editorial links and digital PR.
uSERP’s respondents also recognise that nofollow links and unlinked mentions can influence authority. Over half said that nofollow links affect rankings and authority, especially when they originate from trusted sites userp.io. Google officially treats nofollow, sponsored and UGC link attributes as hints rather than directives, meaning they may confer some value depending on context.
4.2 Brand mentions and entity recognition
An October 2025 press release from Press Advantage underscores a strategic shift: brand mentions (unlinked references) are becoming as important as backlinks for establishing authority. The company notes that search engines now evaluate entity salience and “semantic relationships” across the digital ecosystem; unlinked brand mentions on reputable news sites serve as trust signals and contribute to entity recognition. Press releases distributed across major media outlets generate brand mentions that help search engines understand a company’s authority and relevance. This shift aligns with E‑E‑A‑T principles: demonstrating expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness through third‑party validation rather than solely through hyperlinks.
4.3 Survey data on backlink budgets and strategies
The uSERP report reveals that 46.5 % of respondents spend $5,000–$10,000 per month on link building, highlighting the growing investment required for high‑quality links. Most professionals allocate equal resources to content creation and link building, and 40 % say backlinks are their main priority. Respondents emphasise digital PR, guest posting on authoritative sites, podcast appearances, resource link building, and leveraging tools for prospecting as key tactics.
4.4 Backlinks vs. brand factors in AI citations
Ahrefs’ analysis shows that brand factors such as web mentions, branded anchors and search volume correlate more strongly with AI Overview visibility than backlinks. Brands in the top 25 % for web mentions receive 10× more AI citations than those with fewer mentions ahrefs.com. By contrast, the correlation between backlinks and AI visibility is weaker. This doesn’t mean links are unimportant—only that AI systems value recognizable entities. Building brand awareness through PR, social media and community engagement, combined with high‑quality backlinks, yields the strongest results.
5. How AI Is Changing SEO Practice
5.1 Predictive analysis and personalization
AI tools like Surfer SEO, Clearscope and SEMrush’s Link Building Tool have become indispensable for predictive keyword research, competitor analysis and identifying high‑impact link opportunities. AI also personalizes search results based on user history and preferences, which means content must be targeted to specific personas. Voice search continues to grow, requiring optimization for conversational, long‑tail queriesw3era.com.
5.2 AI content and ranking dynamics
Ahrefs reports that 74 % of new web content contains some AI‑generated material and that 86.5 % of the top 20 Google results are at least partially AI‑generated. Purely AI‑written content rarely reaches the #1 position, but AI‑assisted content is not penalized. Marketers use AI primarily to brainstorm topics (76 %), outline articles (73 %) and update existing content (67 %). The average cost of an AI‑generated blog post is about $131, compared with $611 for human‑written posts, making AI a cost‑effective supplement.
5.3 AI bots and crawling
AI bots have doubled in number since August 2023, and there are now 21 major AI crawlers. AI bots account for approximately 19 % of web crawling requests, second only to traditional search engine bots ahrefs.com. Some websites block AI crawlers, with GPTBot (OpenAI) being the most blocked (5.89 %). Managing server load and controlling AI crawler access will become a key technical SEO task.
5.4 Cleaning crawl waste for AI visibility
A case study cited in Verkeer’s October update shows that removing duplicate and low‑value URLs from a childcare website—reducing its sitemap from over 4,000 to under 200 entries—improved its visibility across AI platforms. The site gained up to 10 % more visibility on Gemini, Perplexity and Meta AI, even though ChatGPT refreshes more slowly. This demonstrates that traditional technical SEO practices (clean sitemaps, fewer redirects, optimized internal linking) carry over to AI search.
6. Strategies for Optimizing Content and Link Building in 2025–26
Based on the latest updates and data, the following strategies can help brands succeed in the AI‑dominated search landscape:
6.1 Create modular, answer‑ready content
AI assistants favor concise, modular content that can be extracted easily. Use FAQs, decision tables, quick comparisons and bullet lists. Structure articles with clear headings and answer common questions in the first few paragraphs. Long‑form guides remain valuable if they are broken into digestible sections with summaries and visualsbacklinkphoenix.com. For e‑commerce, pair product pages with research‑oriented guides and tutorials because AI Overviews emphasize informational intent.
6.2 Publish video and multimodal content
Produce short explanatory videos for key queries and publish them on YouTube and relevant short‑form platforms. Add Video Object schema and transcripts to ensure search engines can understand the content. Embed videos within blog posts and product pages so that AI Mode can pull them into visual results. Consider interactive elements like calculators, infographics and AR/VR experiences that align with Google’s multi‑modal synthesis capabilities blog.google.
6.3 Build high‑quality backlinks and pursue digital PR
Focus on earning editorial links from authoritative, thematically relevant sites. Prioritize dofollow links but don’t ignore nofollow links or unlinked mentions—Google now treats these as hints and they can drive referral traffi cuserp.io. Use digital PR campaigns (data studies, white papers, interactive tools) to generate news coverage and brand mentions. Track brand mentions using tools like Ahrefs’ Brand Radar to identify citation opportunities.
6.4 Optimize for AI Overviews and AI Mode
To increase the chances of being cited in AI Overviews:
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Address informational intent thoroughly—88 % of AI Overview triggers are informationalsemrush.com. Answer questions clearly and include definitions, pros and cons, and related topics.
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Use structured data such as FAQPage, HowTo and Product schema so AI can parse your content easilybacklinkphoenix.com.
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Provide fresh, well‑cited content. AI platforms prefer newer content and credible sources ahrefs.com. Update articles regularly and cite primary sources.
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Optimize images. Use descriptive alt text and structured data for images so they can appear in visual search.
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Claim your Knowledge Pod. Google continues to test ways for verified experts to contribute directly to AI answers. Register your expertise through Google’s E‑E‑A‑T portal when it becomes availablebacklinkphoenix.com.
6.5 Prioritize brand building and entity optimization
Since AI Overview visibility correlates strongly with brand mentions, invest in brand awareness across digital channels. Use consistent naming conventions, update your company’s structured data (Organization schema), and cultivate positive press. Encourage satisfied customers to mention your brand on forums and social platforms, as AI platforms value user‑generated content.
6.6 Monitor new metrics and adapt reporting
Traditional metrics like click‑through rate (CTR) and keyword rankings are insufficient in a zero‑click world. Track:
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AI citation frequency – how often AI Overviews, ChatGPT or Perplexity mention your brand.
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Visual impression share – presence in visual search modules.
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Conversion metrics from AI referrers – AI traffic converts at higher rates, so measure sign‑ups and purchases.
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Branded search impressions – frequency of your brand appearing in knowledge panels or AI modules.
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Agentic conversions – bookings or purchases completed directly via AI Mode’s agentic features.
6.7 Maintain ethical and privacy considerations
AI search raises concerns about bias and data privacy. Use AI responsibly, avoid generating misleading content, and respect user data. Google allows sites to opt out of AI Mode’s deep crawling via the no-ai-deepsearch meta tag; however, opting out may reduce visibilitybacklinkphoenix.com. Consider privacy policies and user consent when collecting data for personalization.
7. Future Outlook: Toward 2026 and Beyond
Several trends suggest that AI‑driven search will continue to evolve rapidly:
Personalized, agentic search – AI assistants will not only answer questions but complete tasks such as booking travel, purchasing products and scheduling appointments. Google’s agentic capabilities are an early sign.
Immersive, multimodal experiences – The visual search fan‑out and Shopping Graph integration show that search results will increasingly resemble interactive experiences. Brands must prepare for AR/VR, 3‑D models and interactive tools.
Entity‑centric ranking – As brand mentions and entity salience become more important, companies should build recognition and trust through consistent branding, expert contributions and high‑quality signals.
AI ad models – OpenAI’s hiring for ad products and ChatGPT’s Instant Checkout hint at ads within AI chat. Marketers will need to adapt to conversational advertising formats.
Decentralized and private ecosystems – There is ongoing discussion about creating unindexable communities or blockchain‑verified content networks to retain control over contentbacklinkphoenix.com. While still speculative, such models could reshape how content is discovered and monetized.
8. Conclusion
The October 2025 landscape confirms that AI is now the central layer of search, not a side experiment. Google’s AI Mode continues to expand globally, adding agentic capabilities and visual exploration features. AI Overviews reach more users than ever, and the overlap with organic results is increasing. Yet, the search journey is increasingly zero‑click; clicks decline, but brand visibility within AI modules becomes paramount.
Backlinks remain a foundational ranking signal, but brand mentions and entity recognition are now equally important. Surveys show that SEO professionals still invest heavily in link building, but they also recognise the value of nofollow links and digital PR. High‑quality content, structured data and a strong brand presence across media channels remain the pillars of visibility. Meanwhile, AI assistants like ChatGPT are becoming mainstream search engines in their own right, and new agentic capabilities blur the line between search and commerce.
As we head into 2026, marketers must adapt by creating modular, multimodal content, investing in digital PR and brand building, optimizing for AI Overviews and visual search, and monitoring new metrics. The rules of SEO have not disappeared, but they are evolving. Those who embrace AI‑first search strategies—balancing traditional backlinks with brand mentions, technical hygiene with multimedia content and ethical considerations with innovation—will thrive in the next era of discovery.
Q&A: Navigating SEO in the AI Era (October 2025 Update)
Q1. What is Google’s AI Mode and how does it change search?
AI Mode is Google’s generative search experience that combines conversational AI, visual exploration, and agentic features. It now supports 35+ languages and over 200 countries. Users can ask complex questions, get AI-generated summaries, compare products, and even complete actions such as restaurant bookings — making AI Mode the foundation of future search behavior.
Q2. How do AI Overviews impact website traffic and SEO?
AI Overviews reach over 1.5 billion users monthly but reduce clicks to external sites by roughly 34 %. However, being cited in these summaries drives massive brand visibility. Sites ranking in the top 10 organic results have a 76 % chance of also being cited, and fresh, authoritative content increases that likelihood.
Q3. Are backlinks still important in 2025?
Yes — but the focus has shifted from quantity to quality. According to uSERP, 67.5 % of SEO experts still consider backlinks a major ranking factor. Editorial links, digital PR, and content marketing remain the top strategies, but unlinked brand mentions and nofollow links from trusted sources now also influence authority.
Q4. What’s the role of brand mentions and entity recognition?
Search engines now evaluate “entity salience” — how often and where your brand is mentioned across credible sites. Consistent brand mentions in news outlets, reviews, and discussions help AI systems recognize you as a trusted source, directly influencing AI Overview citations and Knowledge Panel visibility.
Q5. Why are zero-click searches a challenge for marketers?
Over 60 % of Google searches end without a click because users find answers directly in AI Overviews, snippets, and summaries. This reduces referral traffic but increases the value of brand exposure within search results. SEO success now depends on visibility inside AI modules, not just on click-throughs.
Q6. How does video content fit into AI SEO?
Video is becoming core to AI search. Google now pulls clips from YouTube, TikTok, and Reels into AI Overviews. Marketers should publish short, descriptive videos with transcripts and VideoObject schema to ensure visibility in both traditional and AI-powered results.
Q7. What metrics should replace traditional keyword tracking?
In the zero-click era, focus on:
• AI citation frequency (how often AI systems reference your brand)
• Visual impression share (presence in image or video results)
• Conversion rates from AI referrers
• Branded search impressions
• Agentic conversions (bookings or purchases completed directly via AI Mode)
Q8. How can businesses prepare for 2026 and beyond?
Adopt an AI-first SEO strategy:
• Create modular, answer-ready content with FAQs and quick comparisons.
• Invest in digital PR and structured brand data (Organization schema).
• Publish multimodal assets — videos, visuals, and interactive tools.
• Track AI citations and brand mentions as new performance indicators.
• Maintain ethical transparency and user-data privacy in all AI deployments.
Q9. Will AI replace traditional search completely?
Not entirely. Traditional search will persist for transactional and niche queries, but AI search is becoming the default discovery layer. By mid-2026, over 20 % of internet users are expected to use AI search as their primary interface — making AI visibility an essential SEO priority.
Q10. What’s the biggest SEO mindset shift marketers need today?
Stop optimizing only for clicks — start optimizing for presence.
AI-driven search values recognizable brands, structured data, and context-rich content. Visibility inside AI modules, not just blue links, defines success in 2025–26.
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