Is SEO dead in 2025 as AI search trends change Google?

If you’re worried about AI search trends, no shame, we get it.

Look what happens when you ask search engines for general information. Google AI usually answers the question so well; you don’t need to visit the listed websites to learn more. Many businesses now lose traffic to AI, that pesky know-it-all!

(Just kidding, AI, please don’t punish us 🙈.)

But is SEO dead in 2025? No, it reincarnated. First, we explain that evolution. Then we show you how to use SEO for AI search trends: a low-cost way to attract visitors from both traditional search results and new AI tools.
 

Psst, we know what we’re talking about …

Google AI loves us, typically listing our blogs as sources for its related overviews. 

Sometimes we even rank above the AI Overview, when AI deems our content more helpful than its own summary! Only 12 per cent of all online searches top the AI Overview, according to research from seoClarity.

 

First, let’s understand the importance of SEO in digital marketing

Before the rise of AI, how did search engines like Google respond to our queries?

Google displayed the most helpful websites in the organic listings on page one, based on its own ranking criteria.

That’s it! 

We’d VISIT those websites to learn more.

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) helps businesses to rank on page one for relevant queries. You’re far more likely to attract website traffic (visits) from this prime position, because most people end their search on page one. 

SEO is perfect for small businesses, since you don’t pay Google for rankings. 

All you need to do? 

Create quality content around popular keywords, while also improving website structure and usability. Google’s technical algorithms reward you with higher ranks. Users also enjoy spending time on your site, so they’re more likely to connect with you. 

A good system!

But does that still hold under the new AI overlords?

AI search trends in 2025: people now seek information differently

Google AI Overview gives quick answers

Google still ranks webpages based on relevancy.

But with one difference: now Google uses AI to create its own answer, topping the page.

Although this content is new, Google gets its information from multiple websites in its database. The top sources usually feature next to the AI Overview, with clickable links.

AI Overview pops up for many (not most) searches.

In the second quarter of 2025, an AI summary featured in one-third of Australian Google searches (mostly for informational queries like “how to” and “what is”).

Ok, so what’s the big deal?

For transactional searches – not much. Research shows AI didn’t deplete business traffic for product or service queries.

Unfortunately, this wasn’t the case for queries seeking general knowledge. 

Many businesses saw their traffic fall drastically during April, May and June. Why? The AI snippet answered “informational” questions so well that users didn’t need to visit the featured websites to learn more. 

Good news for users looking for a quick answer. 

Bad news for companies that rely on SEO to attract visitors from informational searches!

Then there’s Google’s AI Mode for deeper research

Google’s Gemini is busy with another tool: AI Mode creates an interactive experience for complex queries. This feature encourages follow-up questions and voice conversation with AI.

 

 

How does AI Mode change our search behaviours?

Consumers no longer type short keyword phrases and stop. Instead, they continue to refine their search. Phrases are longer to reflect the way we speak, even when using text. Voice search is growing in popularity because it’s faster and more convenient than typing.

ChatGPT and other external AI programs give Google a run for its money

Google still dominates the search market, but people increasingly get their answers from external AI programs.

For example, 77 per cent of US survey respondents said they look for information in ChatGPT, which does more than craft a diplomatic email to your boss!

By the way, ChatGPT’s creator, OpenAI, just launched its own chat browser called ChatGPT Atlas. As a result, Google’s parent company lost over $100 billion in shares!

What about social media and YouTube? 

YouTube is actually the second-largest search engine.

And more than half of global internet users prefer to find products on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok – a big hit with young folk in particular.

Is SEO dead in 2025?

No, we still need it.

Traditional SEO remains the dominant method for attracting website visitors, even as AI extends its reach.

Thankfully, nearly one-third of website traffic still comes from organic search, compared to less than one per cent from LLM (a type of Artificial Intelligence program). 

SEO can still help you grow online, but it’s no longer enough on its own. 

Do you already create content that pleases humans and technical search algorithms? 

Good news: don’t change much. Small modifications cater to AI search trends, too. 

Search Engine Optimisation evolves into Search EVERYWHERE Optimisation (also called AI SEO)

How do we navigate the most dramatic shift since search engines began? 

Adopt a new mentality: Search EVERYWHERE Optimisation. Don’t abandon traditional SEO techniques. Simply expand your strategy to include AI Optimisation (AIO) too. 

SEO + AI Optimisation (AIO) = match made in heaven.

AI SEO gets your website noticed on multiple platforms:

• Organic search listings (traditional SEO)
• AI answers inside search engines
• AI answers on separate AI programs like ChatGPT
• Social media like TikTok, Instagram and Facebook

Ok, that’s enough acronyms for one day!

But wait …

What about AEO and GEO? What do they mean?

You’ve probably seen both terms used to describe elements of AI optimisation. 

Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO): strategies that help your website feature as a source for featured snippets and direct answers INSIDE search engines.

 

Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO): strategies that appeal to AI models that generate new content – whether inside search engines (e.g. AI Overview) or outside search engines (external programs like ChatGPT, Perplexity and more).

But don’t worry about any of that.

It’s all AI SEO: strategies that attract your target audience from traditional search engines, social media and AI platforms.

 

How to do AI SEO yourself

Modify your traditional SEO for AI search trends – a slight focus shift, that’s all.

Don’t just reach for page one rankings in search engines. Now you must also convince AI technology to cite your website as a source for its answers inside and outside of search engines: Google Gemini, ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity and more.

 

SEO for AI search uses the same principles as traditional SEO

1. Directly answer the search query with helpful and engaging content:

Focus on publishing original and reliable content. Hold people’s attention by writing engagingly. Include images! Discreetly incorporate relevant keywords, without breaking the natural flow of writing. People read with the same rhythm that we speak, so read your writing out loud to honour that rhythm. Find more SEO writing tips here.

2. Structure information clearly for technical algorithms: 

Clear headings, short paragraphs and bullet points make it easy for AI robots and human visitors to digest content quickly. Continue to include keywords in headings, URLs and image tags to appeal to search engine crawlers as well.

3. Improve site functionality to create a user-friendly website:

Ensure your website is easy for humans and technical algorithms to navigate with fast loading times and a simple, mobile-friendly design. Find more tips on improving site functionality here.

4. Structured data: 

Use schema markup (an extra layer of code) to give search engines and AI tools explicit context about your content, such as whether it’s a product, article or review. This increases your chances of appearing in rich snippets and AI summaries.

5. Brand authority: 

When credible websites link to your content (backlinks), traditional search algorithms and AI tools recognise your content as trustworthy and deserving of visibility.  These off-page SEO tips also appeal to AI technology, so keep it up!

AI SEO and traditional SEO: same principles but different focus

Keywords form the ❤️ of traditional SEO, right? 

Well, AI optimisation cares more about context. 

Artificial Intelligence uses Natural Language Processing technology (NLP) to understand the intent behind searches and create the most helpful response.

The following actions help AI tools better understand your content and credibility. 

If you’re a digital Master, your traditional SEO strategy probably included these best practices to some extent. No? It’s time to expand your focus for AI SEO!

⭐ AI optimisation 1: focus on conversational queries

The way people search is changing from short keywords (“email marketing tools”) to conversational questions (“what email marketing tool should I use for my small business?”).

Action: Keyword research remains crucial, but it’s time to target longer queries too, even when no search volume is listed.

Think outside the box for inspiration!

Find the questions your customers ask in forums like Reddit and Quora. You could also brainstorm the questions that clients (and potential clients) ask your team. Create genuinely helpful responses to those questions.

⭐ AI optimisation 2: write in small chunks

AI models retrieve content in passages, not entire pages. Your content needs to be easy to extract and logically structured so it fits seamlessly into a multi-source answer.

Action: Keep paragraphs short, focusing on one idea per paragraph. Mention your key points at the start. Use direct, concise summaries and include clear statements, statistics, or quotes. Include a section for frequently asked questions in your content. 

These elements help to boost AI visibility!

⭐ AI optimisation 3: build authority through mentions 

While traditional link-building still matters for SEO, AI optimisation places a higher value on citations and brand mentions across the entire web, even those without a clickable link.

Action: Invest in digital PR. This strategy includes publishing press releases and adding your contact details to source lists for journalists seeking experts in your industry (as long as you’re happy to be interviewed for a story). You can create a free expert profile on SourceBottle.

⭐ AI optimisation 4: more attention to social media and voice search

Remember that AI tools pull content from multiple platforms. If you’re not already active on platforms outside of your website, it’s time to change that!

Platform / Channel	Strategy Focus	Why It Matters for AI SEO
Social Media	Be active on sites like YouTube, Reddit, TikTok, and LinkedIn.	AI tools often cite content from forums, user-generated content sites and social platforms in their answers. Short-form video (TikTok/Reels) is driving discovery for younger audiences.
Voice Search	Focus on conversational language and creating FAQ sections that offer simple, direct answers.	Voice searches are typically longer and question-based (e.g., “Where is the best coffee shop near me?”).
Local SEO	Update your Google My Business profile and include local phrases (city/neighbourhood names) in your content.	Voice search is often focused on finding local information or services.
Multimodal Search	Use high-quality, relevant images, charts, and videos. Ensure images have descriptive, keyword-rich alt text.	AI systems increasingly synthesise multimodal content (including images, charts, and videos) to provide better answers to user queries.
UGC/Forums	Participate genuinely in relevant Reddit communities or industry forums.	AI models frequently cite Reddit as a source of authentic, community-driven answers.

⭐ AI optimisation 5: measure progress outside of traditional SEO metrics

Keep measuring how much traffic your website attracts from search engines, but now other metrics deserve your attention too. 

• AI search mentions: Track how often your brand and content appear in AI-generated responses (like ChatGPT, Google AI Mode, or Perplexity).
• Branded search volume growth: Have searches for your brand name grown? If people see your brand cited in an AI summary and then later search for your brand name directly, it indicates growing awareness and trust.
• Direct traffic trends: Monitoring users who bypass search results entirely and go straight to your site is a sign of strong trust and recognition built through previous exposure (like an AI mention or social media shares).
• Engagement Signals: Time on page and social media metrics (like the number of shares or saves) show that users value your content, even if they didn’t visit your website from the search results. 

Get noticed online with our cost-effective AI SEO strategies 

E-Web Marketing has spent 25 years growing, despite frequent industry disruptions.

It’s rare for digital marketing companies to last this long, given how fast the internet changes! Our Sydney-based experts adapt early to new technologies that help clients attract more online business.

Now we’ve modified our award-winning SEO strategy to cover AI optimisation too.

Call 1800 785 122 or fill out this form to find out how we can get your website noticed with SEO for AI search trends.