Search is evolving from keywords into conversations. Google’s latest AI advertising update offers a glimpse into how brands will reach consumers as they research, compare, and make decisions.
For decades, search advertising has operated around a relatively simple concept.
Someone has a question. They type a few words into Google. Advertisers compete for visibility in the results.
The consumer clicks, explores, and hopefully takes a desirable action. Rinse, Repeat.
We’ve gotten remarkably sophisticated at making that process work. Keyword targeting, automated bidding, audience signals, negative keywords, conversion tracking, and increasingly advanced algorithms have transformed search into one of the most powerful advertising channels available.
But even as the tech behind the scenes has become ever more complicated, the basic user interaction has remained remarkably consistent.
A query. A result. Another query. Another result.
That relationship is changing. Rapidly.
What happens when searching is no longer a single question?
What happens when consumers stop trying to figure out the right keywords and simply explain what they want?
And what happens when a search engine remembers the context of the conversation, allowing someone to explore products, services, and purchasing decisions through a series of connected questions?
We’re starting to find out. And all of us marketers, we’re gonna need a bigger boat! Because Google’s latest advertising announcement suggests the waters of search marketing are about to get a whole lot more interesting.
How Multiturn Advertising Works in Google AI Mode
Google Is Bringing A New Advertising Term Into the Conversation: Multi-Turn.
On October 28, 2026, Google announced the introduction of multiturn advertising within AI Mode in the United States.
In simple terms, sponsored advertisements can now appear as consumers continue asking follow-up questions within Google’s conversational search experience.
Previously, opportunities to advertise within these experiences were more limited. Much more. Now, Google is expanding where advertising can appear throughout an ongoing search conversation, basically allow advertisers to be part of the conversation.
Let’s quickly distinguish two Google experiences that are often confused.
- AI Overviews are Google’s AI-generated summaries that appear within traditional search results, helping consumers understand a topic without necessarily visiting multiple websites.
- AI Mode takes things further. It allows users to have ongoing conversations with Google, asking increasingly detailed questions while maintaining the context of their earlier interactions.
This latest update specifically expands advertising opportunities within follow-up conversations in AI Mode.
And while that might sound like a relatively small product update, the implications are considerably larger. Like… T-Rex larger.
Search is changing, and this is advertising adapting to that change.
To understand why this all matters and the major implications, let’s look at how people actually make decisions.
How Search Intent Changes During a Conversation
Four Questions. Four Levels of Intent. One Conversation.
Imagine someone considering a career in chiropractic medicine.
They’re interested in the profession but don’t know much about the educational requirements.
Their research typically begins with a fairly broad question:
“What does it take to become a chiropractor?” or “How much does a chiropractor make?”
At this point, they’re exploring.
They want to understand the profession, the necessary education, and perhaps the career opportunities. And of course, what’s that big fat paycheck going to look like after I do all this learning stuff.
They’re not ready to choose a university, they aren’t even sure they want to go into medicine at this point. It’s just a curiosity search, very top of the funnel, and something we all do when a new idea or thought pops into our heads.
But after learning more, their curiosity develops into something more specific.
“How long does chiropractic school take?”
Now they’re thinking about the commitment.
How many years will they spend in school? What prerequisites are required? How does the timeline compare with other healthcare professions?
Their next question takes things further.
“Which schools have the best programs?”
Notice the shift.
They’re no longer simply researching a profession.
They’re evaluating specific educational institutions.
And eventually, the conversation becomes even more focused. This is the main entry point to a targeted marketing campaign. This is where most advertisers want to show up.
“What does Parker University cost?”
We’re now discussing tuition, affordability, and potentially financial aid.
Four questions.
Four different levels of intent.
One evolving conversation.
And four very different opportunities for an advertiser.
This is what makes conversational search so interesting.
In traditional search advertising, each of those questions could represent a separate search interaction, possibly occurring across multiple sessions.
Google’s AI Mode allows consumers to explore those questions as part of a connected conversation.
And with multiturn advertising, sponsored placements can now participate in follow-up interactions when Google identifies a relevant commercial opportunity.
Think about the implications for a university trying to recruit students.
An advertisement highlighting the advantages of a chiropractic career might make sense during the early research stage.
A message about academic programs and campus experiences could be more relevant when someone begins comparing universities.
And information about tuition or financial aid becomes particularly valuable as the conversation moves toward affordability.
And the most effective message must reflect where that consumer is in the decision-making process.
That principle certainly isn’t new to marketing. At least I hope not!
But the technology enabling these interactions is evolving rapidly.
Why AI Mode Searches Are Getting Longer
Here’s Where Things Get Really Interesting: Searches Are Getting Longer
Google recently shared a statistic that deserves some attention.
Queries in AI Mode are, on average, three times longer than traditional Google searches.
Three times. In a world where we are all too busy with too much to do and not enough time to do it, it’s wild to see people spending MORE TIME searching, instead of less.
Let’s talk about why that matters.
Consider someone shopping for a vehicle.
A traditional Google search might look like this:
“Best family SUV”
Short. Direct. Relatively straightforward.
Now imagine that same person interacting with an AI-powered search experience.
“I’m looking for a reliable SUV for my family of five. We travel frequently, so I need something comfortable with good gas mileage. Safety is really important, and I’d like to stay under $50,000. What should I consider?”
That’s a completely different search.
The consumer isn’t limiting themselves to a particular category with a generic vehicle search. Instead, they took the time to explain their family size, priorities, lifestyle, and budget.
They’re telling Google what matters to them.
And as the conversation continues, they will probably reveal even more.
Perhaps they prefer a hybrid.
Maybe they need towing capability.
They might want to compare warranty coverage or local dealership availability.
Each additional question adds context.
Now, let’s be clear about something.
A longer search doesn’t automatically mean a consumer is closer to purchasing.
Someone can ask a detailed question and still be months away from making a decision.
But longer, more descriptive questions can provide significantly more context about what a consumer needs.
And that context creates opportunities for more relevant advertising. Which, in the end should always be our goal. To connect people to the products they truly want, not just the ones we want to sell them. This is how people stay more satisfied with their choices and our marketing gets stronger, and better. Perhaps one day people won’t HATE the ads… and this is where the evolution of search becomes especially compelling.
How Conversational AI Is Changing Search Behavior
We’re Learning to Search Differently
There’s something happening here that extends well beyond Google.
Think about how your own relationship with technology has changed over the past few years.
We’ve spent decades learning how to communicate with search engines.
We shortened our questions.
We removed unnecessary words.
We experimented with different combinations of keywords.
We learned to think about how a search engine might interpret our request.
But AI assistants and agents are beginning to reverse that relationship.
Instead of teaching ourselves to speak the language of technology, we’re increasingly expecting technology to understand ours.
We’re becoming comfortable providing context.
Explaining what we like.
Describing what we don’t like.
Sharing our preferences, constraints, and motivations.
And asking follow-up questions without having to repeat everything we’ve already explained.
We aren’t simply searching for information anymore.
We’re increasingly using AI to help us think through decisions.
Consider the difference between asking:
“Best vacation destinations”
And:
“My wife and I want to take a seven-day vacation somewhere warm in October. We’d prefer an adults-only resort, great food, and somewhere that isn’t overly crowded. We’re willing to spend more for a really memorable experience. Where should we go?”
Those are dramatically different requests. It’s hard to believe the same person made both of those searches.
The second provides context that would traditionally require multiple searches, filters, and comparisons.
And consumers are becoming increasingly comfortable providing that kind of information. Perhaps one major reason is the information is being saved. They aren’t being asked to fill out a form every time and re-explaining themselves over and over again. The whole thing is becoming more personal and more pleasant.
For advertisers, the opportunity is built around the idea that people are explaining more of the thinking behind their decisions.
That’s a meaningful shift from the days of just keyword phrase searches.
And it must influence how we marketers think about search strategy.
Building Search Strategy Around Consumer Decisions
The Future of Search Is Less About Winning a Keyword
Let’s be careful here.
Keywords aren’t going away, at least not anytime soon.
Traditional search advertising remains extremely important, and Google’s existing advertising infrastructure continues to play a central role in AI-powered search.
But there’s a difference between building a campaign around what someone might search for and building a strategy around how someone actually makes a decision.
Historically, marketers have spent significant time identifying the keywords associated with products and services.
Those keywords often provide valuable signals about consumer intent.
But an effective marketing strategy has always required understanding more than the words someone types into a search box. As we say at PunchDrunk, this whole thing is about People and if you don’t take the time to at least try to understand them, then you are no better at marketing then a guy spinning a cardboard sign on the side of the road. You are just waiting on chance and not working a strategy.
We need to understand the motivations behind those words.
- Why are they searching?
- What problem are they trying to solve?
- What information do they already have?
- What concerns might prevent them from moving forward?
- And what would make them confident enough to take the next step?
Conversational search makes those questions increasingly relevant.
An advertiser who understands the entire decision-making process is better positioned to develop messages that address different consumer needs.
For example, consider a healthcare organization.
Someone asking about the symptoms of a particular condition may be looking for general education for themselves, their kids, a neighbor down the road.
Someone asking about treatment options is exploring possible solutions.
Someone comparing medical providers has moved into evaluation.
And someone searching for available appointments is ready to take action.
Those are different moments.
They require different information.
Intent isn’t static. It evolves.
And our strategies should evolve alongside it.
What Advertisers Should Do About AI Search
As exciting as this technology is, the answer isn’t to immediately rebuild every Google Ads campaign.
In fact, Google’s current implementation makes participation relatively straightforward.
Eligible existing Search, Shopping, and Performance Max campaigns can automatically participate in advertising opportunities within AI Mode and AI Overviews.
Google also states that these advertisements use its existing auction-based pricing system, including cost-per-click and conversion-based bidding.
There’s currently no separate premium simply for participating in these AI-powered search placements.
However, advertisers cannot independently target AI Mode placements or isolate their performance through a dedicated placement-level report. Which isn’t a surprise as the norm with Google is to limit our targeting and visibility.
This means marketers should be cautious about declaring these new placements more effective or more expensive than traditional search advertising.
We simply don’t have enough transparent, placement-specific performance data to make those claims confidently.
Instead, we see several practical opportunities.
1. Map the Questions Consumers Ask
Start by looking beyond your existing keyword lists.
- What questions do your potential customers ask when they first begin researching your category?
- What questions emerge as they evaluate alternatives?
- What concerns do they have about pricing, quality, reliability, or outcomes?
- And what questions indicate they’re approaching a decision?
Those questions should help shape both your advertising strategy and your website content.
2. Develop Messaging for Different Stages of Intent
Not every consumer needs the same advertisement.
An educational message may be appropriate early in the research process.
A competitive differentiator might matter during evaluation.
Pricing, financing, availability, or a compelling offer may become more important closer to conversion.
The objective is to understand which messages are most relevant at different moments.
Importantly, this doesn’t mean advertisers can currently assign a separate ad to every conversational turn within Google AI Mode.
It means building more thoughtful campaigns, useful creative assets, and relevant destination pages around the real needs consumers express.
3. Make Your Website Genuinely Useful
Here’s something we believe is going to become increasingly important.
If people are asking better questions, businesses need to provide better answers.
Your website should clearly explain what you offer, who it’s for, why it matters, and what makes your business different.
That includes useful information about services, products, pricing, qualifications, locations, and frequently asked questions.
Clear, authoritative content supports the consumer experience and gives advertising systems relevant information to work with.
It also helps support organic discovery, although paid advertisements do not influence Google’s organic AI-generated recommendations.
The businesses that provide meaningful answers to real consumer questions will be better positioned than those relying on vague marketing language.
4. Measure Business Outcomes, Not Just New Technology
This is our most important recommendation at PunchDrunk and a drum we beat regularly. It isn’t the new platform or the new shiny toy that makes a strategy works. It’s calculated and it’s measured. We always advise people, never spend one dollar marketing until you have a measurable outcome attached to that dollar.
Don’t confuse innovation with effectiveness.
A new advertising format isn’t automatically a better advertising format.
A longer search doesn’t guarantee a qualified customer.
And appearing within an AI-generated conversation doesn’t mean an advertisement contributed to a conversion.
What matters is the outcome.
Are we generating qualified leads?
Are we acquiring customers efficiently?
Are we increasing sales?
Are we improving market share?
Are we reaching the right consumers?
Those remain the questions that should guide advertising investment.
Marketers must continue evaluating performance against clearly defined business objectives.
Where AI Search Fits in the Customer Journey
Remember, Search Is Only Part of the Customer Journey
There’s another important point worth making.
Consumers don’t make every decision inside a search engine.
They see television commercials.
They encounter advertisements while streaming content.
They interact with social media.
They read reviews.
They talk with friends and family.
They visit websites.
And somewhere along the way, they may turn to Google to research a product or service.
That broader customer journey isn’t disappearing.
If anything, conversational search makes understanding the relationship between different marketing channels even more important.
Someone may discover a brand through connected television, become familiar with it through social advertising, and eventually begin asking Google detailed questions about its products.
Those earlier interactions can influence what the consumer searches for and which brands they consider.
This is why we consistently encourage businesses to think beyond individual advertising channels.
Search advertising is incredibly powerful.
But it doesn’t operate in isolation.
The opportunity is to understand how different channels work together to influence consumer behavior.
Conversational AI is becoming another part of that ecosystem.
And the more we understand the entire journey, the better positioned we are to develop effective strategies.
Adapting Marketing Strategy to Conversational Search
The Technology Is Changing. Consumer Behavior Is Changing. Are Marketing Strategies Keeping Up?
Google’s latest announcement is part of a much larger evolution.
We’re watching consumers become increasingly comfortable interacting with technology conversationally.
We’re seeing search engines develop a better understanding of complex questions.
And we’re seeing advertising opportunities emerge within those evolving interactions.
Google also expanded AI Mode advertising into ten additional countries as part of its October announcement.
That expansion suggests the company is making a substantial commitment to conversational search as part of its broader advertising ecosystem.
Will every new AI advertising feature become a success?
Absolutely not. We’ve already seen some features come and go, some to the trash, some recycled as newer better features.
Will consumer behavior continue changing?
Absolutely. Some of the change because we are weird humans who seem to just need change for change sake and then some of the change will occur because platforms and technology pave the way for behavioral evolution.
And will marketers need to reconsider some of the assumptions that have guided search advertising for decades?
We believe so.
But here’s the thing.
At PunchDrunk Digital, we don’t think the most important lesson is about artificial intelligence.
It’s about understanding people.
Technology has always evolved.
We’ve watched television advertising become more targeted.
We’ve watched social media develop into a sophisticated advertising ecosystem.
We’ve watched search evolve through automated bidding, audience signals, and increasingly intelligent algorithms.
Each advancement has created new opportunities for advertisers.
But the fundamental challenge remains remarkably consistent.
Understand the consumer.
Understand what motivates them.
Understand how they make decisions.
And develop a strategy that connects the right message with the right person at the right moment.
Google’s multiturn advertising announcement offers a fascinating glimpse into what that might look like as searching becomes more conversational.
We’re excited to see where it goes.
And we’ll be watching closely as the technology, advertising opportunities, and measurement capabilities continue evolving.
But for now, we’ll leave marketers with one question.
Are you building campaigns around what consumers search for, or around how consumers actually make decisions?
Because increasingly, those two things aren’t quite the same.
And understanding the difference could be one of the most valuable opportunities in the next evolution of digital advertising.
At PunchDrunk Digital, we believe great advertising starts with great strategy. We help brands understand their audiences, navigate an evolving digital landscape, and connect marketing investments to meaningful business outcomes.
Want to explore what the future of search means for your business? Let’s get in the ring.