- Nov 16, 2009
- 4,462
- 1,337
I have been noticing something interesting lately. Google AI Mode is clearly changing how search works, but most people in SEO still aren’t treating it like a major shift.
I think the reason is simple the impact hasn’t fully hit yet. Right now, traffic drops are subtle, not dramatic. Rankings are still there. Clients still see positions. On the surface, everything looks stable. But underneath, user behaviour is already changing. People are getting answers faster, and in many cases, they’re not clicking through like before.
There is also a comfort factor. SEO has worked a certain way for years, and most people tend to stick with what’s familiar until results force them to adapt. Another challenge is measurement. There’s no clear way yet to track “AI visibility” like we do with rankings. If something can’t be easily measured, it often gets ignored.
But this is usually how big shifts happen quietly at first, then suddenly everyone realises at once.
So I’m curious to hear from others working in SEO right now.
At what point do you think people will be forced to take AI Mode seriously?
Will it be when rankings start dropping, traffic declines, or when clients begin asking why they’re not showing up in AI-generated answers?
And more importantly are you already adapting, or still waiting for clearer signals?
I think the reason is simple the impact hasn’t fully hit yet. Right now, traffic drops are subtle, not dramatic. Rankings are still there. Clients still see positions. On the surface, everything looks stable. But underneath, user behaviour is already changing. People are getting answers faster, and in many cases, they’re not clicking through like before.
There is also a comfort factor. SEO has worked a certain way for years, and most people tend to stick with what’s familiar until results force them to adapt. Another challenge is measurement. There’s no clear way yet to track “AI visibility” like we do with rankings. If something can’t be easily measured, it often gets ignored.
But this is usually how big shifts happen quietly at first, then suddenly everyone realises at once.
So I’m curious to hear from others working in SEO right now.
At what point do you think people will be forced to take AI Mode seriously?
Will it be when rankings start dropping, traffic declines, or when clients begin asking why they’re not showing up in AI-generated answers?
And more importantly are you already adapting, or still waiting for clearer signals?
