Table of Contents
Google-owned business and product cards are taking a bigger role in AI Mode, especially for local and shopping searches.
Google’s AI Mode increased citations to google.com by 8.4x in about two months, making it the No. 2 cited domain in Profound’s tracking.
The increase came almost entirely from Google Business Profiles and Product Knowledge Panels, according to Profound. Those Google-hosted cards now appear within AI Mode answers for many local and product searches.
Google cards moved up. AI Mode now surfaces Google Business Profiles as inline panels for local-intent queries.
These panels can display a business’s hours, photos, location, and reviews before users reach the company’s website. Profound said the shift makes the Google-hosted profile the first page many users see.
Local categories led. The change was strongest in industries where local intent drives revenue, including:
- Hospitality and travel
- Home services
- Restaurants and dining
- Real estate
- Healthcare
Product panels gained ground. Product searches also shifted toward Google-hosted results. Queries about comparisons, compatibility, or specifications increasingly surfaced Product Knowledge Panels instead of direct links to ecommerce or brand websites, Profound said.
Why we care. Your Google-hosted profile may shape a user’s first impression before they ever reach your website. Missing hours, outdated photos, incomplete information, or poor reviews can cost you the click before users visit your site.
About the data. Profound tracked AI Mode citation share from April 15 through June 30, analyzing more than 32 million google.com/searchviewer instances.
The report. Google AI Mode’s shift to citing itself
Topics on this page
If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on Google News too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.
If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our Technology category.
