Google’s developer and marketing showcases on May 20–21, 2025, made one thing unmistakably clear: artificial intelligence is now at the heart of everything Google does. With Gemini deeply embedded across Search, Ads, YouTube, and Shopping, AI has evolved from a helpful tool to the driving force behind bid strategies, creative automation, commerce experiences, and performance measurement.
For marketers, the search results page is no longer a static list of links. It’s now a dynamic, multimedia environment where generative answers, ads, maps, and product galleries compete for attention. Below, we highlight the most important announcements and break down how Total SERP framework helps brands adapt to this AI-first future.
Google I/O breakthroughs reshaping search strategy
Here’s everything Google unveiled at I/O that’s set to reshape the search landscape:
AI Mode goes mainstream
Chat-style queries are now up to three times longer, and conversational answers take up premium real estate. Brands must earn a citation or relevant ad placement to maintain visibility.
Gemini 2.5 Pro + Deep Think
Google’s most advanced model delivers more nuanced and contextual responses. Structured data, expert-driven content, and clear topical relevance are now essential for discoverability.
Agent Mode (Project Mariner)
Search can now plan and complete multi-step tasks—like booking accommodation. Accuracy of live inventory feeds and form-fill capability now outweigh keyword optimization.
AI Shopping Graph, Virtual Try-On, and Price Tracking
Google’s 50-billion-product database supports photorealistic try-on and real-time price alerts. Image quality, GTINs, and detailed variant data directly impact visibility.
Imagen 4 & Veo 3 creative engines
Studio-grade visuals and native-audio video are now automatically applied across Ads, YouTube, and Shopping. Real-time creative testing is possible at near-zero marginal cost.
Beam with live translation
Google Meet can now mimic your voice in another language. This signals potential for hyper-localized global ad experiences and richer intent signals for attribution.
Android XR & Gemini Live heads-up search
Hands-free, camera-based queries using AR glasses offer geo-personalized answers. Local accuracy—reviews, inventory, listings—is more important than ever.
Why this matters
The classic organic blue links are being squeezed out by summaries, visuals, and commerce features. Organic and paid teams can no longer operate in silos. Winning a single generative answer box requires alignment, not competition.
Google Marketing Live 2025: Updates that redefine media strategy
At Marketing Live 2025, Google revealed a wave of updates that are set to redefine how media strategy is planned, executed, and measured:
Ads in AI Overviews and AI Mode (Desktop + Mobile)
Already live for Performance Max, Shopping, and broad match. Success now hinges on clean feeds, structured schema, and real-time accuracy.
AI Max for Search Campaigns
One-click Gemini-powered campaigns replace keyword lists. These campaigns capture conversational and multimodal queries created by AI experiences.
Channel Performance Reporting for PMax (Open Beta)
Reveals which surfaces—Search, YouTube, Discover, and more—drive conversions. Essential for balancing paid investments with organic share of voice.
Smart Bidding Exploration
Flexible ROAS targets help uncover incremental searches you didn’t know existed. Captures high-value demand without manual keyword expansion.
Cinematic Creative Suite
AI turns static product shots into scroll-stopping video for Search and Shopping. Assets are resized for every format—vertical, square, CTV—with zero manual effort.
Agentic Tools in Ads, Analytics & Chrome Marketing Advisor
AI copilots now audit tags, build ad groups, and troubleshoot live campaigns. Faster setup and fewer missed opportunities make agility the new growth driver.
Immersive Video + Shorts Checkout + Meridian MMM
TikTok-style, shoppable YouTube videos boost engagement. New tools enable sub-$5K incrementality tests with first-party data pipelines.
Product Studio with Predictive Creative
Suggests campaign ideas, product offers, and content titles using real-time trend data. Ideal for merch-heavy retailers and agile campaign cycles.
Merchant Center as Brand HQ
Now includes branded Search profiles, video assets, and AI-powered seasonal adjustments. Turns product feeds into a full-funnel content ecosystem.
New immersive ad format
Google is piloting interactive, TikTok-style video ads in the U.S. Video becomes not just storytelling, but direct-response ready.
Why this matters
Google is shifting from media buying to machine-led decisioning. The brands that win will have the cleanest data, the most creative variety, and a measurement model that keeps pace with real-time outcomes.
TotalSERP: A Unified Strategy for Google’s Evolving Search Landscape
Traditional playbooks treat SEO and SEM as separate sports. That breaks down in a world where, generative answers can bury organic rankings under zero‑click summaries.
Ads share the same real estate as citations—sometimes in the same AI paragraph or SERP feature.
Local intent swings every SERP based on a user’s GPS, not your domain authority.
TotalSERP is DAC’s proprietary AI and tech-enabled process that treats the search results page as one interlinked ecosystem. It unifies:
- Data—Query-level, Search Console, Ads, Analytics, Product Feed, Ranking etc.
- Signals—SERP‑feature tracking, local visibility, and share‑of‑voice.
- Action—AI‑driven insight generation that can steer both optimization/testing and content fixes.
It serves as a framework that enables paid, organic, local, and creative teams as we try to work together to bring truly integrated search programs to life in today’s world of unique and varied search experiences.
Why DAC is built for the AI-first future
Built for scale, from enterprise to local
We design full‑funnel programs that connect brand-building at the national level with performance at the store level. Whether it’s a chain-wide promotion or a hyperlocal push, we’re focused on driving results where they matter most.
AI‑native thinking
We don’t just talk about AI—we apply it across every area of our work. From Paid Media and SEO to Strategy, Creative, and Analytics, our teams are constantly exploring new ways to bring intelligence and efficiency into play.
Integrated tech stack
IRIS, our integrated marketing suite, connects media, creative, and measurement into a single, unified platform—helping teams see the full picture and make informed decisions quickly. TransparenSEE complements this by surfacing location-level insights that often go unnoticed, ensuring local performance stays aligned with broader strategy. Together, they help us keep strategy and execution moving in sync, even at scale.
Actionable expertise
Our teams aren’t built in silos. We bring specialists together to solve problems quickly and move ideas into action. It’s this cross-functional approach that helps clients stay responsive in a constantly evolving search landscape.
The bottom line
Search isn’t what it used to be. The familiar list of blue links has evolved into a conversation—powered by AI and packed with ads, answers, visuals, and local cues. The next click might be on an ad, a map pin, a product gallery—or nowhere at all.
In this new environment, success isn’t about ranking higher or bidding more. It’s about showing up in the right way, across the full search experience—organic, paid, local, and everything in between.
That’s where the TotalSERP approach comes in. And it’s why having a partner who can unify strategy, execution, and insight across every touchpoint matters more than ever.
If you’re ready to stop optimizing in silos and start owning the entire results page, let’s connect.
