Google AI Mode Is Changing Search—Here’s What Nonprofit Leaders Need to Know

501Hive
Jun 3
4 min read

Updated: Jun 4

If you’re a nonprofit leader who writes newsletters, campaign recaps, grant updates, or even just updates your website, here’s something you should know: Google’s rolling out major changes to how search works. And it’s going to impact how people find your organization, your programs, and your voice.

Marketing expert Neil Patel recently broke it down in his blog, “Google AI Mode: What You Need to Know”. It’s aimed at businesses, but the core message applies to us too. Neil runs one of the most visited marketing websites in the world and has helped major brands adapt to algorithm shifts like this. So when he says “AI Overviews are going to change how people engage with content,” it’s worth listening.

Here’s what matters most for nonprofits—and how to respond.

1. Google is answering questions before anyone clicks a link

In the past, if someone Googled “how to help people experiencing homelessness in [city],” they’d see a list of blue links, maybe some ads, and then choose one.

Now, Google’s AI Overviews pull together answers from multiple sites into one summary. It shows up at the top of the page. No clicks needed.

That means your content might never be seen unless it gets pulled into that AI summary.

So the question becomes: how do we show up inside that summary?

2. You need to prove you’re a trustworthy voice (E-E-A-T)

Google’s using a framework called E-E-A-T: Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. It’s part of how the algorithm decides who to feature in search results.

That’s actually a big opportunity for nonprofits.

We don’t have to fake authority—we already live the work. The key is to reflect that in the way we publish content.

Here are a few things that help:

Show real people. Add a byline to blog posts like “Written by Tanisha Grant, Director of Programs.”
Add references. Link to studies, data, or public documents that back up what you’re saying.
Quote partners. If a community partner shared a perspective, add it in.
List credentials on your “About Us” page. If your team includes LCSWs, educators, veterans, or folks with lived experience, highlight that.
Show your receipts. Numbers matter. “We served 1,284 meals last quarter” builds more trust than “We’re helping hundreds.”

Neil puts it this way: “Google is looking for content from real people, with real authority, that solves real problems.”

3. How you structure your content now matters more than what you say

You might have a powerful story or set of insights. But if it’s buried in long paragraphs or abstract intros, the AI won’t pick it up.

Neil explains: “Well-structured content wins. Think clear headers, short paragraphs, and bullets. That’s what AI can read, extract, and summarize.”

Here’s how to adapt:

Break your content into sections with simple H2 headers.
- Instead of “Our Model,” write “How Our Housing Program Works”
Use bullet points when listing anything: benefits, results, action steps
Keep paragraphs short—2 to 3 lines max
Include keywords your audience is searching for. “Volunteer with refugees in Austin” is more likely to match search than “Building resilient communities”

Think of it like writing for a staff member who has 30 seconds and is scanning their phone.

4. Don’t try to sound like an institution

People are using search like they’re talking to a friend. That means the content that shows up will sound more like a conversation than a press release.

You might see searches like:

“How do I start a food pantry?”
“Can nonprofits use AI?”
“Good examples of nonprofit impact reports”

If your writing sounds stiff or overly formal, it might not connect. And it probably won’t get picked up in the new search summaries either.

So write like you’d explain it to a board member in the elevator.

Say:

“Here’s how we help” instead of “Our organizational mission is…”
“This is what we’ve learned” instead of “This report outlines key findings”
“Need help? Email us” instead of “For further inquiries, contact us”

You can still be professional. But speak clearly, and speak human.

What You Can Do Right Now

This isn’t about rewriting your whole website. It’s about making small shifts so your message still gets heard in a world that’s changing fast.

Here’s where to start:

Update your blog format
Add headings, bullets, and short paragraphs. Use real bylines.
Revise your About page
Highlight lived experience, partnerships, and community data.
Write your next post like a conversation
Think Q&A style. Add a story. Make it scannable.
Use your AI tools smarter
If you're already using ChatGPT or Claude, ask it to “reformat this for search engine visibility” or “simplify this using Google’s E-E-A-T principles.”

And if you’re using our AI for Nonprofit Leaders Toolkit, this is a great time to revisit the prompt libraries with this lens in mind.

Final Thought

You don’t have to chase every tech trend. But this one affects how people find your mission, your work, and your voice.

To quote Neil again: “If you’re not adapting, you’re falling behind.”

This doesn’t mean becoming a search expert. It just means leading with clarity, trust, and accessibility—the same way we lead in real life.

If you’d like help auditing your site or structuring your next blog, reply to this post or check out the resources at 501 Hive. We’re building tools just for leaders like you—so you can spend less time guessing, and more time leading.