Imagine online shopping that feels like chatting with a smart friend: one who not only shows you what you want, but helps you try it on, tracks the best price, and even checks out for you.
That is the future Google has launched with AI Mode, and it signals to brands that they must evolve their search strategy or get left behind.
AI Mode: From Search to Full Shopping Experience
Google has introduced AI Mode as more than just search. It is a virtual shopping assistant powered by generative AI and billions of product listings.
Here is what is live now in the United States:
- Virtual try on with your photo: Upload a full length image, tap “try it on,” and see how clothes stretch, drape, and fold on your body without needing a model.
- Smarter price alerts and automated checkout: Set your price, size, and colour. When the item matches your target, Google tracks it and can even purchase it for you using Google Pay.
Coming soon:
- Style and decor inspiration: Describe what you are after, such as “green flowy dress for a garden party.” AI Mode will generate visual styles and match them with real shoppable products.
Shopping in AI Mode is no longer just browsing. It is an inspiration, fitting room and checkout in one place.
Why This Matters for eCommerce Retailers
- Advertising is shifting. With AI filtering results, brands will need smarter strategies for visibility, not simply larger ad budgets.
- Discovery is dynamic and visual. AI Mode creates a shopping canvas that goes far deeper than keywords. If your product data is not detailed or your visuals are weak, you risk disappearing from results when shoppers get inspired.
- Conversion depends on clarity. Virtual try on reduces hesitation. Shoppers can see how something looks on them, making buying decisions faster and reducing returns.
- Pricing flexibility matters. Consumers can now comfortably wait for deals. AI Mode’s price targeting and automated checkout put more power in their hands.
The Importance of Blended Search
At Kia Ora Digital, we built Blended Search to meet this moment where SEO, paid search, and AI converge into one growth system, where:
- Paid search is still your testing ground for fast insights and quick revenue.
- SEO converts those insights into compounding organic growth.
- AI search optimisation ensures you appear when shoppers ask AI assistants, not only when they type into a search bar.
Together, this clears up overlap, eliminates wasted ad spend, and focuses on profit instead of clicks.
Our Revenue Forecast technology projects how much revenue you could earn by ranking for high value keywords before you spend a cent. Our Blended Audit identifies channel conflict, highlights missed revenue, and guides your budget into the areas that actually improve profit margins.
In the AI shopping era, this matters more than ever. Crisp data, sharp visuals, and clear conversion paths are essential. Blended Search positions you where shoppers are headed, not where they used to be.
A Real World Example
Consider a fashion retailer:
- Paid ads highlight a dress that converts strongly.
- We capture that data and organically push rankings for the dress.
- At the same time, AI optimisation ensures the dress appears when a shopper asks “what to wear to a midsummer wedding in Sydney.”
- Improved product images and metadata allow the dress to show up in Google’s virtual try on and future inspiration tools.
- Forecasting shows strong organic revenue potential, which reduces ad reliance over time and increases margins.
That is Blended Search in practice. It is strategic, profitable, and ready for what comes next.
Fixing the Search Funnel for This Moment
As more shoppers lean on AI driven discovery, here is what matters most:
- Visuals: Virtual try on makes image quality critical.
- Pricing: Price alerts mean smart pricing strategies are more powerful.
- Metadata: Inspiration mode requires product data that clearly conveys style, fit, and purpose.
That is the new front end. On the back end, you need:
- SEO that ranks for intent and context.
- Paid search that delivers tested conversions.
- AI optimisation that ensures visibility when consumers speak to AI agents.
- Forecasting that proves impact before investment.
At Kia Ora Digital, we equip brands with all of this so you are not left playing catch up as shopping AI reshapes buyer behaviour.
Stay Ahead of the Trend
Google’s AI Mode is transforming how consumers discover, try on, and purchase products. It is creating new expectations for clarity, convenience, and confidence in shopping. Brands that rely only on traditional ads will struggle to keep pace.
Our Blended Search offering gives you the advantage. By combining paid, organic, and AI search into one profit focused system, we eliminate waste, uncover hidden opportunities, and position you at the front of the new search era.
If you want your products visible in AI Mode from discovery through to checkout, it is time to put Blended Search to work for you. Get in touch with our team today.