Along with the increase in The growth general searches, Google also revealed a movement that is of great interest to companies: the volume of The growth searches with purchase intent has increased.
And the one behind this is artificial intelligence itself.
With the launch of AI Overview — a system that The growth responds directly within the search engine — users began to make more specific queries, such as: “where to buy running shoes near me”, “what is the best health plan in Sorocaba”, or “how to hire an online accounting firm”.
These commercial searches are different from simple curiosities
They show real intention to make a decision, hire a service or purchase a product.
man with alexa and smartphone
And that’s the point: if your company’s content isn’t structured to be found in these situations , you’re losing ground to competitors who have already understood this logic.
Extra tip for local businesses: For physical or regional businesses, being present on Google Maps, with updated reviews, opening hours and visible responses, makes all the difference in the purchasing decision.
With the rise of AI and voice searches, local
SEO is no longer a detail — it has become a decisive factor in appearing when a customer searches for something “near me”.
Today, it’s no longer ebay database enough to have a beautiful website. You need to ensure that it is technically prepared for AI to recognize its information as relevant. This includes having:
Pages with clear and well-organized answers
Content that anticipates frequent customer questions
Titles and descriptions that match voice searches
Visible social proof, such as real testimonials and trusted reviews
If artificial intelligence is digital marketing keywords to boost your brand going to prioritize those who deliver useful content, your website needs to demonstrate authority — not just to people, but to algorithms as well.
And as we’ll see in the next topic, this change in behavior isn’t just happening because of AI, but also because of the way it’s shaping the search experience itself.
How has AI changed the way people search on Google?
The way people search is changing rapidly with the advancement of generative AI.
Tools like Gemini 2.0 are usa b2b list transforming what was once a simple query into more complex, multimodal interactions with near-instant responses.
This means that Google is no longer just listing links — it’s interpreting intent, context, location, history, and behavior.
The user can ask
What is the best porch cover for hot days?” , and receive a direct answer with visual recommendations.
Or: “Show me how to make an attractive resume for a technology internship” , and the AI responds with ready-made templates.
Another common search with AI is: “What is the best vegetarian restaurant near me open now?” , already providing a map, reviews and even a menu.
For brands! this requires ! a website that is designed to provide quick and reliable answers — with well-structured pages, useful FAQs, optimized content, and even videos or images that can be read by AI.
Whoever publishes objective and reliable content becomes the answer.