The way that we’re googling things has changed. Search is no longer just a matter of typing a few words into Google and clicking through a list of links that rise to the top. Consumers are asking more detailed, granular questions, searching with specific images, using their voices, brainstorming ideas, and using AI-powered tools to help them make decisions.
These evolving search styles and habits naturally raise questions about what makes an effective AI SEO strategy. You might even be wondering if your website is ready for AI search discovery.
The best AI SEO strategy should take into account how people are searching now, and how search engines and AI tools discover, interpret, and surface information. That includes traditional search engine optimization (SEO) as well as Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO).
Because even as search evolves, the marketing goal remains the same: help the right people find your business when they need what you offer.
4 AI Search Trends Businesses Should Know
As the search landscape continues to change, marketers should consider these four shifts for AI SEO strategy.
1. It’s Not Just Text Searches Anymore
Search is no longer just a short text query. Google has reported that more than one in six searches in the U.S. now use voice or images. Image searches alone have grown by more than 40% month-over-month.
People might upload a photo to identify a product, use their voice to ask a question, or look for inspiration from something they’ve seen. For businesses, visual content is an important part of AI search optimization.
That means your site should include good-quality images, and those images should have alt text and consumer-focused copy. When appropriate, video is great, too. Images need to load efficiently, display properly across devices, and remain accessible to users and search engines.
2. People are Asking Longer Questions
According to Google, the average AI Mode search is nearly triple the length of a traditional search query. People are increasingly comfortable describing what they need in conversational language rather than relying on a handful of keywords. The increase in voice search is also contributing to this uptick.
Andy Wells, VP of growth marketing at DoorDash, recently told Google that the company’s traditional search queries had grown 27% longer year over year. For example, rather than simply searching to “find a job,” potential delivery workers might search for “the best gig delivery jobs in San Jose.”
The lesson for your business and your AI SEO strategy? Understand the questions behind the keywords and make sure you’re answering them on your site with clear explanations, relevant examples, FAQs, and more.
3. People Are Using AI Search for Product Research
AI-powered search is increasingly a tool for getting things done. Google Trends data shows that AI Mode queries related to planning have grown 80% faster than AI Mode queries overall in the past six months.
These types of searches are an opportunity to help your prospective customers before they’re ready to buy. Through your content, you can help them understand a particular approach, compare options, estimate costs, or determine which products or services they actually need. Case studies and educational articles can also fill information gaps and make your expertise more tangible.
When your website does more than announce what you sell by helping consumers understand why it matters, why they need it, and what to do next, it helps put you ahead of the curve in your AI SEO strategy, too.
4. People Are Looking for Ideas and Recommendations
Google also reports that brainstorming queries in AI Mode have grown 30% faster than AI Mode queries overall since launch. Searches beginning with phrases such as “where to,” “where should I,” and “ideas for” are growing, too.
Consumers want inspiration. They are comparing multiple options. They want real, trustworthy recommendations. So, content that addresses all of this will deliver the best results, whether it’s practical tips, answers to common questions, or expert insights.
Debenhams, for example, is responding to longer search queries with richer, deeper content and more relevant, personalized imagery. The principle applies well beyond retail, too: No matter the content, it should provide enough context for people to make informed decisions.
What an AI SEO Strategy Means for Website Development
Here’s some encouraging news: Optimizing for AI search doesn’t mean starting from scratch, not even for GEO or AEO.
GEO focuses on visibility in AI-generated responses, and AEO focuses on helping content surface in direct answers. You can increase both by providing relevant, clearly structured facts and explanations that genuinely help your audience, much like SEO.
DoorDash agrees: AEO doesn’t need to be an entirely separate discipline from SEO, Wells said. He emphasized the continuing importance of site architecture, structured data, and ensuring crawlers can read a website and surface the right content.
That advice has practical implications for businesses of every size.
A well-developed website should make important information accessible, organize pages logically, load efficiently, and work smoothly across devices.
Equip Your Business for What’s Now and What’s Next
As search habits continue to shift, the way people find answers (and businesses) today won’t necessarily be the same a year from now. Now, that doesn’t mean you need to overhaul your strategy every single time.
A solid AI SEO strategy starts with a website that’s easy to navigate and content that answers the questions people actually have.
At The Threadgill Agency, we can help the right people find you, understand what sets you apart, and know where to go next, no matter how they search.