The DaSilva Download – May Edition

May started with a bang… or maybe a punch? 🥊

I’m back from vacation and my week kicked off with a literal punch. Yesterday, my sweet chihuahua Zooey was attacked by a coyote — and in a full panic, I did what I never thought I’d do: I punched a coyote. Not exactly how I imagined easing back into work, but here we are.

Tiff – 1, Coyote – 0.

Now that I’m back (and Zooey’s okay), let’s talk about what’s happening in search — because Google’s been busy too. A lot is changing right now, and it might have something to do with the ongoing Google Antitrust case.

So far, Google has officially been ruled a monopoly in two areas: Search and Ads. That could mean they’ll need to either share their data with competitors or break up parts of the business entirely. In the meantime, we’re seeing a big push into AI and AI Mode (more on that later) — likely an effort to stay ahead and look very different from the competition. (PS: Jess Joyce and I broke this down in our latest mini-episode of The New Growth Show, if you want to dig into the case and what it could mean for marketers.)

So what does this mean for us and for SEO? Buckle up. It’s going to be a bumpy ride.

Here’s what we know so far:

• Clicks are going down.
  AI will take even more real estate in search results (maybe even the whole page), leading to even more “zero-click” searches. That means conversion rate optimization is about to become your best friend — we need to make every click count.

• Google is getting harder to read.
  Will traditional SEO still work? How will we rank in this new landscape? We may not have clear answers for a while — but one thing is clear: Brand signals are key.
  Think: backlinks, mentions on LinkedIn and Reddit, review sites, “top 10” lists, and anchor text that reinforces who you are. Google needs to recognize—and trust—your brand to rank it.

• New referral sources are popping up.
  In your analytics tools, keep an eye out for traffic from places like bing.com/chat, perplexity.ai, and openai.com. These are the new players — track them now so you can start comparing their value alongside more traditional sources.

We’ll get into some of the biggest news shaking up the search world in just a minute — but first, let’s start with some good news…

✨ Good News

If the current media landscape feels noisy, messy, and just a little unhinged—you’re not alone. But this piece by the cofounder of Substack helped me reframe it. He compares today’s shift in media to a move from the "temple" (centralized, controlled) to the "garden" (open, diverse, and a little wild). It’s a reminder that we’re not in collapse—we’re in transition. And that actually feels kind of hopeful.

👉 Read “From the Temple to the Garden”

🎓 Tip of the Month

Clicks are getting harder to come by—so let’s make every single one count.

If your website traffic is holding steady (or even dropping), it’s more important than ever to make sure your landing pages are actually converting. That’s where the CLEAR Framework Check comes in—a quick tool I built to give you some Tiffany-style insight into what’s working on your page… and what’s not.

It’s based on my C.L.E.A.R. framework:

✅ Clarity – “What is this? Is it for me?”
You’ve got about 3 seconds to make it clear what you do and who it’s for. If someone has to scroll or guess? They’re gone.

✅ Layout – “Can I follow this?”
Once they get it, they scan. Is your CTA front and center? Is the flow intuitive? A confusing layout kills momentum fast.

✅ Ease – “Can I do this easily?”
Even if someone wants to convert, a long form or complicated signup process can stop them in their tracks. This checks for friction.

✅ Assurance – “Can I trust this?”
People want to feel safe. Social proof, real faces, logos—if it feels vague or scammy, conversions take a dive.

✅ Relevance – “Was this what I was looking for?”
You got the click, but does the page match the promise in your ad, email, or link? Misalignment = bounce.

Here’s how it works:

1. Drop in your URL

2. Choose mobile or desktop

3. Get a personalized breakdown with clear suggestions

4. Leave with 3–5 actionable ways to boost your conversions today

Have a look and let me know how it works for you!

👀 What I’m Keeping an Eye On

📚 Google is beta testing AI Mode… and it’s a game changer. It could totally shift how people search, discover, and click.

Here’s what’s changing:

• Answers instead of links.
  Instead of a list of websites, AI Mode gives you a full written answer. Great for users, but it means people might skip over traditional search results.

• It’s getting a permanent home.
  AI Mode is getting its own tab (like Images or Shopping), which tells us this isn’t just a test—it’s the future of Search.

• Less organic visibility.
  Your content might power the answer but never get clicked. That’s a big deal for brands relying on SEO for traffic.

• More product + local visibility.
  AI Mode includes cards with things like reviews, hours, and prices. If you’ve got structured data set up, this might be a win.

• Search becomes a conversation.
  AI Mode saves your past searches and lets you keep going, like a chat. That means users may take longer paths to find what they need—and intent might shift along the way.

  It’s Google’s direct response to tools like Perplexity and ChatGPT search—and it’s starting to roll out in the U.S. now.

  Will it change SEO and organic traffic as we know it? We’ll just have to wait and see… Read here

🧪 Google also introduced AI Max for Search.. Google just launched AI Max for Search campaigns—an optional feature that helps your ads work smarter. It combines three tools: better matching to search queries, smart updates to your ad copy, and the ability to send users to the most relevant page on your site. While it might sound like a big change, it’s really an upgrade to how Google helps you reach more of the right people — with more control and better reporting built in. Read the Blog

👀 In the future, you might need to prove you’re human… yes, really. That’s the idea behind The Orb—a device from OpenAI CEO Sam Altman that scans your eyeball and gives you a digital ID. This month, they launched a smaller, portable version called the Orb Mini to bring “proof of personhood” to the masses. Read more

🔍 Can you tell if you're talking to a bot? Researchers from the University of Zurich ran an undercover experiment on Reddit, using AI-generated comments to see if users could tell the difference. The result? Most people couldn’t—AI blended in with human conversations surprisingly well, raising new questions about how we detect (or don’t detect) bots online. Read more

🕵️‍♀️ Would you take a writing class from a deepfaked Agatha Christie?
The BBC just launched one—using AI to recreate her voice and likeness, with lessons scripted by humans and approved by her estate. On one hand, the family’s involvement makes it feel okay… but on the other, I still find it a little creepy. → What do you think?

🚀 What I’m Focused on Now

April was full of learning—but May marks the start of something new. I’ve officially kicked off teaching the AI Strategy & Operations lab for Growclass, a program built for women founders and entrepreneurs ready to scale their businesses using the tools of 2025. The gender gap in AI adoption is real, and this lab is part of a national effort to close it. Being part of that work? It’s energizing and deeply meaningful.

At the same time, SEO is shifting in a way I’ve only seen a handful of times in my career. And I’m here for it. I’m keeping a close eye on what’s changing—and more importantly, how we can all adapt with it.

I’ll be sharing more next month on what you can do to stay ahead, so stay tuned.

 🧠 Prompt of the Month

I came across this in The Superhuman newsletter—one of my go-to reads for AI insights.

This prompt helped me get super clear on how I work, what holds me back, and where I want to grow. It’s a great way to reflect and set a goal for your future self. Try running it through ChatGPT and see what comes up for you.

🔥 Vibe Check

📬 Let’s Talk!

Thanks so much for reading! I’d love to hear from you:

💬 Have feelings about the deep fake Agatha Christie like I am?
🧠 Got something you want me to break down next month?
📩 Just hit reply and say hey — I actually read them all.

If this newsletter made you smile, think, or roll your eyes in a good way, feel free to forward it to a fellow marketer!

See you in June 🌸
Tiffany