Digital Marketing Updates: June 2025

SEO

Google launches AI Mode in the US

Google has rolled out its ringer in the AI arms race: AI Mode in Google Search. Whereas Google’s Gemini existed in its own place online, AI Mode brings conversational generative AI technology to a space we all already use everyday. Think Gemini and ChatGPT, but accessible via Google, it will appear as an option when you expand an AI Overview at the top of Google Search results. 

AI Mode was initially said to be rolling out to all users on May 20th, but some user accounts are still not seeing the feature. Rest assured it will roll out to all Google users soon enough.

While it may take time for users to adopt this new method of searching, it’s clear that between AI Overviews and AI Mode the way businesses think about online visibility will certainly need to change. These updates are meant to provide users with quick, concise answers to their searches and allow them to ask longer, more complicated questions and follow ups. It’s also an excellent way for Google to keep users inside the Google ecosystem. Multiple studies have shown that AIOs send less traffic to the open web despite what Google tells us, and from what we’re initially seeing we’d expect AI Mode to send even less. 

Google’s advice on how to optimize for AI Mode mostly aligns with best practices we already prioritize, but there’s a lot of opportunity to grow along with the new tech and user behavior in this evolving landscape.

Google Business Profile Launches New Feature Called “What’s Happening”

Google Business Profile is launching a new feature that prominently showcases upcoming events and sales in SERPs called “What’s Happening”. Food and Beverage businesses can currently take advantage of this new feature by adding related information via Google Posts, or by connecting your socials to your profile.

Paid Media

AI Max – What to Know

Google announced AI Max, its  next step in automated, performance-driven search advertising. How is this different? First off, It’s not a new campaign type. Think of it as a smart add-on for your existing search campaigns that uses AI to help you get better results with less manual work.

So what does it actually do? 

• Smarter keyword matching: AI Max can identify relevant search queries your current keywords might miss.
  
• Auto-generated ad copy: Based on your website, ads, and keywords, Google’s AI writes headlines and descriptions that fit the user’s search intent.
  
• Better landing page targeting: Instead of always sending people to the same page, it can route users to the part of your site that’s most relevant—whether that’s a product page, solution overview, or demo request.

Advertisers retain control via brand safety measures, location targeting based on user intent, URL exclusions, and the ability to remove AI-generated assets. 

Early data shows a 14–27% boost in conversions for advertisers who turn this on, depending on how they were targeting before.

Want help deciding if AI Max is right for your campaigns or need help setting it up? Just let us know!

AI Overviews and Your Ads

We’ve been hearing a lot of questions from clients about what AI Overviews in Google Search mean for advertisers trying to get placed at the top of the SERP. Last month, Google finally clarified that positioning.

“Your ad could trigger to show either above/below AIO or within AIO, but not both at this time,” Google Ads Liaison Ginny Marvin confirmed on X. 

Google recently published a help doc that breaks this down—clarifying that while both exact and broad match keywords can trigger ads near AI Overviews, only broad match keywords are eligible to appear within the AI Overview itself. And in their announcement of AI Mode being available to all, Google noted that ads will start showing in AI Mode as well.

Here’s the breakdown:

• If both exact and broad match keywords qualify to show ads above or below an AI Overview, exact match gets priority in the auction.
  
• However, to appear inside the AI Overview and AI Mode, your campaign must use broad match keywords.

This is really helpful as advertisers try to demystify the inner workings of Google’s AI optimizations.