SEOIntel Weekly News Round-up (Last Week of June 2025)

This week’s roundup highlights Google’s strategic push toward AI-enhanced search experiences and user-centric control. Beginning with insights from Liz Reid, Google’s Head of Search, who shares a bold vision for a conversational, multimodal AI-driven future. From there, Google introduces new customization tools—including personalized feeds and preferred sources—to give users more control over what they see. […]
Marie Aquino
June 27, 2025

This week’s roundup highlights Google’s strategic push toward AI-enhanced search experiences and user-centric control. Beginning with insights from Liz Reid, Google’s Head of Search, who shares a bold vision for a conversational, multimodal AI-driven future. From there, Google introduces new customization tools—including personalized feeds and preferred sources—to give users more control over what they see. And finally, the rollout of AI Mode in India’s Search Labs marks a significant expansion of this technology into one of the world’s largest internet markets.

Inside Google’s AI-Powered Future: Key Insights from Head of Search Liz Reid

Google’s Head of Search, Liz Reid, recently confirmed in an interview that the company has fully stepped into the AI era. From earlier models like BERT and MUM to today’s AI Overviews and AI Mode, the focus is no longer just about retrieving information—it’s about understanding user intent and helping them reason through complex questions with smarter, more contextual answers.

Conversational, Multimodal, and Natural

New features like Search Live and Audio Overviews point to a more natural and intuitive way to search. Users can now speak full questions, hear spoken responses, and follow up seamlessly. Google is evolving Search into something that feels more like a conversation than a transaction—if you can think it, you can ask it.

Search Personalization, On Your Terms

While AI Mode is available for those who want a more interactive experience, Google is keeping the traditional search bar experience intact. Users can engage with either version, depending on their preferences, with Google surfacing AI results only when helpful. The goal is flexibility, not forcing change.

Ads and Competitive Edge

With longer, more detailed queries in AI Mode, Google is finding it easier to serve more relevant ads. As ad placements gradually roll out in this new environment, the company is focusing on maintaining a balance between user value and monetization. Google believes its integration of AI, search, and advertising will continue to offer an edge over competitors.

The Future Vision

Google sees the future of search as a unified experience across platforms—Search, Maps, Lens, and AI tools—where information is intelligently connected and context-aware. The vision is to create an environment where users not only get direct answers, but also feel invited to explore further with trusted sources.

Key Takeaways for SEOs

ThemeInsight
AI-Enhanced QueriesLonger, conversational queries are becoming the norm—optimize content for depth and nuance.
Voice & Multimodal InputVoice-first features are rising—consider voice search optimization and accessible content formats.
Smarter Ad TargetingRicher queries mean better ad relevance—monitor how AI Mode impacts campaign performance.
Authority & TrustHigh-quality, well-cited content is more likely to be featured in AI responses—prioritize credibility.
Dual ExperienceWith users toggling between classic and AI search, make sure your content performs well in both formats.

Final Thoughts

Google’s move toward AI-powered search is not just a feature update—it’s a fundamental shift in how people find and interact with information. For SEOs, this means creating content that meets deeper user intent, supports new input types, and aligns with both classic search and evolving AI interfaces. Those who adapt early will lead in visibility, trust, and engagement.


Google Offers New Search Customization Tools for Users

Google has introduced a series of personalization features to enhance user search experiences, ranging from Labs experiments to long-standing settings. Here’s what’s included:

Personalized Search Features:

  1. Preferred Sources (Labs) – Users can choose sites they’d like to see more often in Top Stories.
  2. Topic Updates – Searches for familiar topics show “new updates” since the user last visited.
  3. Recency Boost – Frequently visited pages surface higher in relevant queries.
  4. Sports Team Feeds – Discover includes scores and highlights for fans’ chosen teams.
  5. Style & Shopping Preferences – Users opt into saving styles and categories to personalize shopping results.
  6. Curated Shopping Feeds – Google Shopping delivers tailored product suggestions based on user interests

Benefits for Users

  • More relevant search results – Tailored to interests, browsing history, and brands.
  • Improved discovery – Especially for shopping and news, with preferred sources and recency alerts.
  • Seamless shopping – Users can shop based on saved tastes and trends without re-entering preferences.

SEO Implications — Pros & Cons

Pros:

  • Enhanced visibility from “preferred sources” lab boosts for brand-focused publishers.
  • Increased brand loyalty for sites consistently ranked and visited.
  • Higher CTR potential with personalized signals, alerting users that new content is available.

Cons:

  • Performance variability: visibility may decline for non-favorite sites or less-frequent pages.
  • SEO research bias: personalized results obscure true average ranking positions.
  • Increased complexity: tracking personalized performance requires deeper analytics and user insights.

What SEOs Should Do

  • Encourage engagement by driving repeat visits—ranking your domain as a “frequent site.”
  • Expand content variety and update fresh material to trigger “new update” visibility.
  • Build brand credibility across topical and transactional content to earn preferred placements.
  • Monitor personalized vs non-personalized results using tools that isolate logged-out views or clean SERP captures.

Final Takeaway

Google’s move toward personalization offers both opportunities and challenges. For SEO professionals, this means optimizing for brand consistency, content recency, and audience engagement—while navigating increased complexity in tracking and performance analysis.


Google Launches AI Mode in India’s Search Labs

Google has officially launched AI Mode in India as part of its Search Labs initiative. Available in English, the feature allows users to opt in for an enhanced search experience powered by a custom version of its Gemini model. AI Mode is designed to handle complex, multi-part queries and provide detailed, context-aware responses.

Key Features

  • Conversational Search: Users can ask longer, more nuanced questions and receive AI-generated summaries that synthesize information from multiple sources.
  • Follow-Up Friendly: AI Mode supports back-and-forth interaction, letting users ask follow-up questions that build on the original query.
  • Multimodal Input: In addition to text, users can interact using voice or images—making it possible to ask questions by uploading a photo or speaking naturally.
  • Useful for Everyday Tasks: Whether comparing products, planning travel, or identifying a plant, AI Mode delivers dynamic, practical results in a conversational format.

Why It Matters

India is one of the largest and most active internet markets in the world, with a strong preference for voice and mobile-first search. The rollout of AI Mode aligns with how Indian users are already interacting with Google, offering a more intuitive, flexible, and enriched search experience. It’s a major step forward in making search smarter and more accessible for a diverse user base.

Final Thoughts

With AI Mode now available in India, search is becoming more natural, multimodal, and helpful than ever before. For users, it offers faster answers and more fluid interaction. For digital marketers and content creators, it signals a shift in how content will be discovered and consumed—favoring clarity, relevance, and adaptability in an AI-enhanced world.


As search increasingly becomes conversational, personalized, and globally accessible, these updates underscore the evolving nature of user expectations—and the growing role of AI in meeting them. Whether you’re refining content to align with AI‑first experiences, adapting to new personalization features, or preparing for regional rollouts, staying ahead means embracing flexibility and innovation. We’ll continue monitoring these shifts to help you stay visible in the fast-changing search landscape.