Google Search at all-time highs: what changes for SEO in 2026

Google Search's record quarter: the numbers that matter

On April 29, 2026, Alphabet released its Q1 financial results. The numbers positively surprised even the most optimistic analysts. According to reports from The Verge , Sundar Pichai stated that Google Search queries have reached a all-time high . Furthermore, Search segment revenues grew by 19% year-on-year .

Pichai attributed this achievement to the approach full stack of the company on AI. In particular, it cited AI experiences integrated directly into Search as the main driver of growth. Therefore, artificial intelligence is not cannibalizing Search: it is amplifying it.

Alphabet also announced that it has surpassed 350 million paid subscriptions . YouTube and Google One are the main drivers. Plus, Q1 2026 has been called the strongest quarter ever for consumer AI plans, supercharged by the Gemini app.

AI Overviews and the organic traffic paradox

More queries don't necessarily mean more clicks to websites. This is the paradox that Italian SMEs urgently need to understand. The AI Overviews — AI-generated summaries that appear at the top of the SERP — directly answer users' questions. As a result, a significant portion of queries are resolved without the user visiting any site.

Recent research from Gartner shows that by 2027, traditional search engines will lose up to 25% of their referral traffic volume to websites. However, sites that get cited cited by AI Overviews as trusted sources can enjoy a brand new kind of visibility. That's why content quality and structure are becoming super important.

For SMEs operating in B2B or retail sectors, this shift has direct implications for the strategy of SEO and on the production of optimized content . It's no longer just about ranking for a keyword. It's about being recognized as a reliable source by an AI system.

What has changed compared to 2025

Last year, AI Overviews were still in the experimental phase in many European markets. By 2026, their adoption is widespread even in Italy. Therefore, the competitive landscape has structurally changed. Similarly, the logic by which Google assesses a site's authority has shifted towards more sophisticated signals.

In particular, the concept of E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) has become even more central. Google uses these signals to decide which content deserves to be cited in AI-generated results. Plus, the semantic structure of your content—markup schemas, FAQs, structured data—directly impacts how easily language models can read it.

To dive deeper into the impact of AI on organic search, the SHM Studio blog offers analyses updated to the Italian context. In addition to this, the team of AI consulting supports companies in transitioning towards strategies compatible with the new Search standards.

Immediate impact for Italian SMEs: three areas to focus on

Turning Alphabet's data into real actions means looking at the big picture. Here are the top three things Italian SMEs should focus on in Q2 2026.

• Authoritative and verifiable content. Google rewards content that shows real expertise. That's why it's super important to include data, specific use cases, and bylines from recognized experts. Generic content risks getting lost in both the SERP and AI Overviews.
• Technical optimization and structured data. Schema.org markup helps Google—and its AI models—figure out your content properly. Small businesses, in particular, should double-check that schema is set up right for products, FAQs, articles, and organizations. A technical audit of the website is the starting point.
• Focusing on low-competition and high-intent queries. Transactional and comparison searches are still less affected by AI Overviews. So, a keyword strategy focused on what people want to buy can still bring in good traffic. With the help of a team specialized in Digital marketing is crucial at this stage.

The growing role of Gemini in the Google ecosystem

Pichai called Q1 2026 the strongest quarter yet for consumer AI plans, with the Gemini app taking center stage. This isn't small potatoes for anyone focused on online visibility. Gemini is getting baked deeper and deeper into Search, Google Workspace, and Android devices. As a result, people are interacting with content more and more through chat-style interfaces.

According to the Harvard Business Review, companies that adapt their content to a conversational format gain a measurable competitive edge over the next 18–24 months. Plus, Gemini's ability to pull info from multiple sources makes building a solid, consistent online presence more urgent than ever.

For SMEs investing in google ads campaigns , AI integration into Google's advertising platforms opens up new possibilities for targeting and automatic optimization. However, it also requires a review of creative logic and messaging.

A Milanese agency's view on the Italian market

Here at SHM Studio, we're seeing a clear trend among Italian SMEs: lots of businesses spent money on SEO in past years without tweaking their game plan for recent shake-ups. The result is often stuck-in-the-mud rankings, even when the content is technically spot-on. Against this backdrop, Google's Q1 2026 numbers are a wake-up call, but they're also a golden opportunity.

Companies that are now starting to structure their content for the AI-first era still have an advantage over those who wait. Conversely, those who continue to produce content based on pre-AI logic risk progressively and irreversibly losing visibility. Therefore, the time to act is now.

The team at SHM Studio accompanies Italian SMEs on this journey, from defining the SEO strategy to optimizing content for Google's new standards. For a no-obligation consultation, you can contact our team .

Outlook: what to expect from Google Search in 2027-2028

Projections for the next two years indicate further integration between Search and generative AI. Google has already announced significant investments in AI infrastructure for 2026-2027. Therefore, it's reasonable to expect new features that will make the SERP even more dynamic and personalized.

Specifically, greater personalization of results based on user history and device context is expected. Furthermore, voice and multimodal queries — which combine text, images, and voice — will grow significantly. For SMEs, this means that the content strategy will need to be designed for multiple formats, not just written text.

Finally, who manages today the LinkedIn campaigns and other digital channels working hand-in-hand with SEO will have a stronger foundation to tackle these shifts. Digital visibility in 2027 will come down to the moves you make in 2026. So, now's the time to act.