Google AI Search SEO is now one of the most important areas businesses need to understand. Google has been changing the way people search, with AI Overviews, AI Mode and a more intelligent searchbox designed to answer longer, more detailed questions. For businesses, this means SEO is not just about ranking for one short keyword anymore. It is about being clearly understood, trusted and useful enough to appear in the places customers are now looking.
At Johnston Marketing, we are helping businesses prepare for this shift by building websites and content that work for traditional rankings, local search and AI-led search results.
What has changed with Google Search?
Google has confirmed that its generative AI search features, including AI Overviews and AI Mode, are built on its core ranking and quality systems. In simple terms, SEO still matters, but the way content is found, interpreted and presented is evolving. Google says AI search is designed to help users ask more complex questions and explore answers in greater depth.
Google has also removed the old sitelinks search box from search results. This was the small search field that sometimes appeared underneath a brand result. Google confirmed this change started globally from 21 November 2024 and does not affect rankings or normal sitelinks.
The bigger change is the move towards AI-powered search. Google has described its latest search updates as a major upgrade to the searchbox, allowing users to ask more detailed questions and receive AI-supported responses.
Why Google AI Search SEO matters
Google AI Search SEO matters because customers are no longer searching in one simple way. They may search:
“Who is the best marketing agency in Kent for SEO and website design?”
“How can I get my website found in Google AI results?”
“What changes should I make to my website after the Google searchbox update?”
These searches are longer, more conversational and more specific. Google’s AI systems need to understand which businesses are genuinely relevant, experienced and trustworthy enough to include.
For business owners, this means your website must do more than mention a keyword. It needs to answer questions properly, show expertise, provide clear service information and prove that your company is active, credible and worth recommending.
SEO is not dead — it is becoming more detailed
One of the biggest misconceptions is that AI search replaces SEO. It does not. Google’s own guidance says SEO best practices continue to be relevant because AI features rely on content from Google’s index and its existing ranking systems.
That means the basics still matter:
Clear page titles
Fast website speed
Mobile-friendly pages
Strong service pages
Helpful blog content
Internal links
Technical SEO
Schema markup
Local SEO
Reviews and trust signals
The difference is that these elements now need to support deeper understanding. Google needs to know what you do, where you do it, who you help, why you are credible and what makes your answer useful.
Build content around real customer questions
To perform well in AI-led search, your content needs to answer real questions clearly. Short, thin pages are unlikely to be enough.
A strong page should include:
What the service is
Who it is for
Common customer problems
Benefits of the service
Local relevance
FAQs
Clear next steps
Proof of experience
For example, instead of only targeting “SEO Kent”, a better content strategy would include pages and blogs answering:
How much does SEO cost in Kent?
How long does SEO take to work?
What is AEO and how does it affect my business?
Can Google AI find my business?
What makes a website rank locally?
This style of content is useful for customers and easier for search engines to interpret.
Authority and trust are now essential
AI-led search increases the importance of trust. Google does not just want content that sounds good. It needs reliable information from credible sources.
Your website should show:
Real reviews
Case studies
Portfolio examples
Team information
Clear contact details
Business history
Local presence
Accreditations where relevant
Useful advice based on real experience
For Johnston Marketing, this is especially important. We have built hundreds of websites, worked with businesses across Kent and the South East, and understand how SEO, AEO, web design and paid ads work together to generate enquiries.
Structure your website for AI and traditional search
Good structure helps both users and search engines. Every important service should have its own clear page. Every location you genuinely serve should have relevant local content. Blogs should support those service pages, not sit separately with no internal links.
A strong structure might include:
Main SEO service page
AEO and AI search optimisation page
Website design page
Google Ads page
Location pages for Kent, Thanet, Margate, Ramsgate and Broadstairs
Supporting blogs answering common search questions
This helps Google understand the relationship between your services, locations and expertise.
Use schema markup properly
Schema markup helps search engines understand your content. It does not guarantee rankings, but it gives Google clearer information about your business and pages.
Useful schema types include:
LocalBusiness
Organization
Service
Article
FAQPage
BreadcrumbList
Review, where suitable and compliant
The old sitelinks search box markup is no longer a priority because Google has retired that feature, but structured data still matters for helping your website communicate clearly with search engines.
Local SEO still plays a major role
For service businesses, local SEO remains vital. Google AI search does not remove the need for local signals. It makes them more important.
Your business should have:
An optimised Google Business Profile
Consistent business details online
Regular reviews
Relevant service areas
Location-specific pages
Photos and examples of work
Local backlinks
Clear contact information
If a customer asks Google for the best company near them, your local authority can influence whether your business is visible.
How Johnston Marketing can help
The new Google searchbox and AI-led results create a clear opportunity for businesses that act early. Websites with weak content, poor structure and limited trust signals are likely to struggle. Businesses that invest in helpful content, strong technical SEO and proper authority building will be in a better position.
Johnston Marketing provides SEO, AEO, website design and digital marketing services for businesses that want to be found online. We can review your current website, identify where it is missing opportunities and create a strategy that improves visibility across traditional Google results and newer AI search experiences.
If your business wants to stay visible as Google Search changes, now is the right time to prepare. Johnston Marketing can help you build a website and SEO strategy designed for how customers search today — and how they will search next.
