Dofollow Digest #31: Why combined AI Mode reporting is good news

Hey, it's Eric 👋

Google has officially started counting AI Mode clicks, impressions, and positions in Search Console. The catch? This data is combined with your regular search results rather than being reported separately.

Your Search Console reports now include traffic from Google's AI Mode alongside traditional search results, AI Overviews, and featured snippets. While this makes tracking more complex, it also signals that AI Mode is becoming a significant part of Google's search experience.

📣 Build AI citations & backlinks with our Lite package
We’ve received a lot of requests for a lower price point than our $4k/month package, so we listened. We dropped our Lite Link Building Package for only $2,500/month a few months ago.

It should be noted that this package's DR cap is 69, so you won’t get our usual DR70, 80, and 90+ links that we build for clients. However, it might be a good fit for you if you’re more budget-conscious or in the early stages of building your SEO strategy.

We’re opening up a few slots in July for this package, so if you want to learn more, get in touch here.

🔍 DEEP DIVE: Why Combined AI Mode Reporting Is Good News for SaaS

Google's decision to combine AI Mode data with traditional search results in Search Console means you can't separate the traffic sources. As Glenn Gabe noted: "We now have the 10-blue links, featured snippets, AIOs, and now AI Mode all grouped together in the performance reporting under Web Search."

Here's what this means: When someone uses Google's AI Mode, clicks on your link, and visits your site, that traffic appears in your Search Console data alongside regular search clicks. You can't tell which clicks came from which source.

This creates a challenge for understanding your SEO performance. You won't know if a traffic increase came from ranking higher for a keyword or from being featured in an AI Mode response.

However, this change actually creates opportunities for SaaS companies.

While everyone else adapts to the new reporting structure, SaaS companies can focus on what matters most. Here's why this change works in your favor:

The fundamentals remain unchanged. Whether your content appears in traditional search results or AI Mode responses, Google still needs to crawl, index, and understand your content. Companies with authoritative, comprehensive content around their core topics are the ones getting featured in AI responses.

This creates new opportunities. AI Mode responses often pull from multiple sources and can highlight specialized sites that provide the best answer to specific questions. This means smaller SaaS companies with deep expertise can compete alongside larger sites.

User intent becomes more important. AI Mode responses are designed to answer complex questions. Content that performs well needs to be genuinely helpful, not just keyword-focused. For SaaS companies, this plays to your strengths – you're already experts at solving specific problems for your users.

Instead of worrying about tracking complexities, focus on what you can control. Build content that serves your ideal customers throughout their journey. Create resources that are valuable enough to get referenced whether someone finds them through traditional search, AI Mode, or direct sharing.

The companies that succeed in this environment will be those who built strong authority and useful content that shows up across all search formats.

🔗 LINK ROUNDUP

• Google's June 2025 Core Algorithm Update: What's Changed?

• Google's Crackdown on "Parasite SEO" and Site Reputation Abuse

• Google's Latest Image SEO Update (May 2025)

• Microsoft Rolls Out Bing Copilot to All Users

• Key Google Updates in 2025 That Impact Law Firm SEO

Til next time,

Eric