How Google’s AI Is Reshaping Marketing and the Customer Journey

Highlight: Key Trends at a Glance

AI is now a trusted advisor for customers, influencing how they discover, evaluate, and choose brands.
The traditional marketing funnel is evolving into an AI-guided, conversational journey.
Google Discover and the Search Generative Experience (SGE) are shifting awareness from search-based to proactive, personalised discovery.
To stay visible, brands must be recommended by AI, not just appear in search results.
Performance Max campaigns help marketers feed Google’s AI with creative assets and goals for smarter ad placement across Search, YouTube, and Discover.
Building authority and trust (E-E-A-T) is essential to earn placement in AI-generated summaries and recommendations.
The customer journey now includes marketing to both humans and AI systems that influence decisions.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has transformed marketing in ways few could have imagined. For years, marketers have used AI to optimise campaigns, automate targeting, and analyse performance.

But in 2025, a deeper shift has emerged: AI is no longer just a marketing tool. It’s now a trusted advisor for customers, guiding their choices and shaping the brands they connect with.

This means the traditional customer journey — the linear funnel — no longer exists. Instead, it’s a dynamic, AI-guided conversation.

To succeed in this new era, your marketing must influence both the customer and the AI assisting them. Let’s explore how Google’s AI is redefining both sides of the journey, and what your business can do to stay competitive.

1. The Awareness Stage: From Search to AI-Powered Discovery

How the Buyer’s Journey Has Changed

A few years ago, a customer might have searched “best waterproof jackets” on Google.

Today, Google’s AI anticipates the intent before the customer even types a query.

With tools like Google Discover and the Search Generative Experience (SGE), users now receive personalised content based on browsing patterns and interests. For example, someone reading about hiking might see an article titled “Top 5 Waterproof Jackets for Tropical Adventures” appear automatically in their feed.

AI has transformed awareness from an active search into a passive, personalised discovery.

How Your Marketing Can Adapt

Your brand’s goal is no longer to appear in search results; it’s to be recommended by Google’s AI.

That’s where Google’s Performance Max campaigns become essential.

By supplying your goals, creative assets (videos, images, and ad copy), and audience data, you enable Google’s AI to automatically distribute your ads across Search, YouTube, Discover, Gmail, and the Display Network.

It uses real-time signals to predict intent and show your brand at the right moment — when your ideal customer is most likely to take interest.

Essentially, you’re not waiting for them to search — you’re part of their AI-curated discovery experience.

2. The Consideration Stage: Building AI-Friendly Authority

As Google’s AI becomes more conversational and contextual, trust and authority are key to earning a place in its recommendations.

In the Search Generative Experience, Google summarises answers and highlights sources it considers credible.

To ensure your brand appears in this stage:

Publish original, expert-level content that offers genuine insights.
Follow Google’s E-E-A-T principles (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness).
Optimise your Google Business Profile and YouTube presence for brand consistency.

When Google’s AI sees your brand as a reliable expert, it’s more likely to recommend your content — even before customers compare alternatives.

3. The Decision Stage: Marketing to Humans and AI

The final step of the customer journey has undergone significant evolution. You’re no longer marketing only to people, but also to the AI systems helping them decide.

To make your brand AI-friendly:

Use structured data (schema markup) so Google understands your offerings.
Keep your product feed data clean and up-to-date.
Create clear CTAs that make your intent obvious to both AI and human users.

AI prioritises clarity and consistency. The more your website helps Google understand your products and expertise, the more likely it is to recommend you in voice search, SGE, and local discovery.

Conclusion: Marketing to the AI Co-Pilot

The future of digital marketing belongs to those who understand how to market not just to humans, but to the AI co-pilot guiding them.

By embracing tools like Performance Max, Google Ads automation, and AI-powered analytics, you position your brand where customers — and their digital assistants — are already looking.

Businesses that adapt to this shift will do more than keep up.
They’ll become the preferred choice in an AI-driven world.

Are you ready to elevate your social media marketing in 2025? Start implementing these strategies today and stay ahead of the competition!