AI Search Tsunami: Is Traditional SEO Drowning?

SEO

Google Core Update March 2025

Core updates are definitely getting less press now with AIOs taking over the top spots. It doesn’t mean you just stop SEO, like so many people are saying. If you have a website or produce content anyways, you still need to consider Search, since that’s a pretty popular way for your customers to find you.

Plus, the principles of building sites and content are going to be very similar for visibility in AI search, social search, and other platforms that have search.

AI Mode Ranks Sites Differently Than Traditional Search. It Uses a "Query Fan-Out" Technique

Marie Haynes explains how AI Mode ranks sites differently than traditional search using a "query fan-out" technique. Instead of matching results to a single query, Google’s AI Mode aggregates multiple related searches to create a fuller answer. This means rankings shift, sources vary, and traditional SEO rules are changing. SEOs must adapt by building authority, understanding intent, and crafting content AI can easily cite. If AI Mode becomes the default, search as we know it will be transformed.

How Google’s AI Mode Could Be Tracked in Google Search Console

Glenn Gabe discussees how Google’s new AI Mode might be tracked in Google Search Console (GSC) and what site owners should prepare for once it moves out of beta. Right now, Google is not tracking AI Mode separately, but he expects it to follow the same messy reporting seen with AI Overviews. That means AI Mode impressions could be buried within standard search data, making it harder to measure AI-driven visibility (yay).

Navigating Google’s Site Reputation Abuse Policy: What Publishers Need to Know

Nicola Agius discusses the site reputation abuse policy and how it targets sites leveraging their domain authority to rank third-party content, forcing publishers like Forbes to rethink their SEO strategies. Google Search Liaison Danny Sullivan clarifies the rules, addressing concerns about freelance writers, writing teams, and manual actions. Some of the key takeaways:

• Freelance content is considered third-party, even if assigned and edited in-house.

• Manual penalties apply site-wide, not to individual writers.

• Relying on third-party content over first-party can trigger penalties.

• Newsrooms may need to shift content strategies to comply with Google's rules.

• Staff writers may have a ranking advantage over freelance contributors.

• Centralized writing teams across multiple brands could raise red flags.

• Recovery options include no-indexing, moving content, or rewriting it in-house.

• Publishers expanding into new verticals should build fresh authority, not piggyback on existing rankings.

12 SEO Hot Topics for 2025

Chima Mmeje recaps an AMA on some of the biggest SEO trends shaping 2025—from AI-powered search changes to the dominance of UGC (hello, Reddit and Quora). If Google’s constant updates have your rankings in flux, this AMA with Tom Capper, Dr. Pete Meyers, and Amanda Natividad discuss what’s happening and what SEOs need to do next. Spoiler: brand authority, audience research, and omnichannel strategies are more critical than ever.

• UGC dominates search—brands must build organic conversations beyond their own platforms.

• Helpful Content Update (HCU) favors big brands—small sites need stronger brand signals.

• AI overviews impact informational queries—but not transactional ones (yet).

• Google’s bias toward large brands is shifting—topical relevance is making a comeback.

• TikTok & Reddit aren’t replacing Google—they’re just changing search behavior.

• Diversification is key—Google isn’t the only source of traffic anymore.

• Site reputation abuse got penalized—but big brands will find new loopholes.

4 Essential Strategies for Navigating SEO in the AI Search Era

Lem Park breaks down how AI is reshaping search and details four key strategies to optimize for AI search, without abandoning traditional SEO fundamentals. As AI-driven search engines like ChatGPT Search and DeepSeek gain traction, and Google’s AI Overviews expand, SEO is no longer just about rankings—it’s about getting cited in AI-generated answers. This guide Key Takeaways:

• Structure content for multi-step queries—AI anticipates follow-up questions, so connect related topics in your content.

• Leverage schema markup—structured data helps AI understand and index your content correctly.

• Ensure AI crawlers can access your site—check robots.txt settings for Google-Extended, GPTBot, and PerplexityBot.

• Make deep pages accessible—AI search engines pull insights from buried content, not just top-ranking pages.

• AI prioritizes contextual depth—comprehensive, well-structured content wins over shallow keyword stuffing.

• Internal linking is more important than ever—AI looks at topic relationships, not just standalone pages.

  • ⚠️ That doesn’t mean you link haphazardly just because another article has a certain “keyword.'“ Use a topical map!

From SGE to AIO & AI-Organized: AI on the SERPs in 2025

Tom Capper studies how Google’s AIOs have evolved since their start as Search Generative Experience (SGE) and what they mean for search visibility today. His deep dive into 46,000 tracked keywords reveals which queries trigger AIOs, which brands get cited, and how AI-organized SERPs are changing organic rankings. Soem of the key takeaways:

• 12% of U.S. SERPs now show AI Overviews, with much lower adoption in Europe.

• AIOs favor top-funnel informational queries, making transactional searches less impacted—for now.

• 55% of AIO-cited pages also rank in the top 10 organic results, meaning traditional SEO still plays a role.

• Preview links in AIOs send traffic; citation links bury sources deeper, reducing click potential.

• Verticals like health and finance see high AIO prevalence, while others are untouched.

SEO Ripples

• Google has reintroduced local packs in AI Overviews, a shift from when they were removed in 2023. This means businesses vying for local visibility may have a new way to appear at the top of search results. Greg Sterling and Andy Simpson spotted the change, showing how AI Overviews now blend local search results directly into AI-generated responses.

• Google is starting to experiment with ads in AI Mode, following its previous tests in AI Overviews. The company told Adweek that it plans to "explore bringing ads" into this evolving search experience, leveraging insights from AI-generated search results. While details are sparse, advertisers should brace for yet another shift in the search ad landscape.

• Robby Stein, Google’s VP of Product at Google Search, says the Google team “is really focused on how we make it easy to click to sites” with AI Mode. Don’t hold your breath!

AI

New Research: Google Search Grew 20%+ in 2024, Receiving 373X More Searches Than ChatGPT

Rand Fishkin dismantles the hype around AI tools "stealing" Google’s market share with hard data. Google Search saw a 21.64% growth in 2024, reaching over 14 billion daily searches—compared to ChatGPT’s 37.5 million, only 0.27% of Google’s volume. While AI tools like Perplexity and Gemini are growing, their search traffic remains a fraction of traditional search engines.

• Google confirmed 5 trillion searches in 2024, a 20%+ YoY increase.

• AI Overviews increased Google search usage, but slashed CTRs by 70% for organic and 12% for paid.

• ChatGPT saw 1 billion daily messages, but only 30% were search-like queries.

• Google Search outperforms ChatGPT by 373X in search volume.

• AI-powered search remains a niche, with AI tools capturing <2% of the market.

Gemini App Updates: Deep Research, Connected Apps, Personalization

Google’s Gemini app just got an upgrade, and Dave Citron breaks down how it’s now smarter, more personalized, and better connected. Deep Research speeds up AI-powered research, instantly searching, synthesizing, and generating multi-page reports. Personalization now syncs with your Google Search history, refining responses based on your interests. Plus, Gemini now integrates with Google Calendar, Notes, Tasks, and soon Photos to assist with complex tasks.

MARKETING

9 Ecommerce Website Optimization Tactics

Yongi Barnard breaks down the strategies that can 2X-3X your ecommerce sales—without spending more on traffic. The key is to diagnose your site’s weak spots and fixing them with data-driven optimizations. From reducing checkout friction to improving mobile UX and boosting page speed, these expert-backed tactics tackle the biggest revenue-killers. Some of the key tips:

• GA4 & heatmaps uncover where visitors drop off.

• Faster sites sell more—optimize Core Web Vitals.

• Streamline checkout—26% abandon when forced to create an account.

• Product pages need UGC—real photos & reviews boost trust.

• Simplify mobile UX—reduce clicks, auto-fill forms, and speed up load times.

• Predictive search boosts conversions—optimize filters & search logic.

• Personalized experiences increase AOV & retention.

• Conversion copywriting matters—features inform, benefits persuade.

• A/B test checkout & product pages—optimize based on behavior.

The On-Page SEO & Content Summit: Key Takeaways & Actionable Insights for Your 2025 Strategy

Digitaloft’s On-Page & Content Summit hosted five speakers on modern SEO and content strategies (watch presentations from here). Here are the some of the key takeaways from each speaker:

• Dani Leitner – Google is prioritizing deep expertise over domain authority—brands must focus on a niche, create in-depth content, and build a structured topical map to rank effectively.

• Andy Chadwick – AI-written content is generic and lacks originality. Use AI for efficiency—summarizing, formatting, and ideation—but let humans drive content strategy and execution.

• Ellie Wraith – High search rankings mean nothing if visitors don’t convert. SEO should focus on real audience problems, user intent, and guiding visitors toward action.

• Yagmur Simsek – AI can help scale SEO, but human oversight is critical for credibility, depth, and strategic execution. Test AI-assisted content workflows, but never remove the human touch.

• John Doherty – To scale content profitably, standardize workflows, hire vetted freelancers, and keep delivery costs under 40% of revenue. Never sacrifice quality for quantity.

We Spent Over $1 Million Sponsoring Creators. Here’s What We Learned About B2B Influencer Marketing

Si Quan Ong shares insights from Ahrefs' massive investment in influencer marketing, revealing what really works when partnering with creators. The key lesson is brand awareness takes time, and not all sponsorships deliver immediate ROI. Other takeaways:

• Low-friction offers (like free tools) work best for driving action.

• Brand reputation matters—influencers will vet sponsors before saying yes.

• Vanity metrics lie—always check engagement, not just follower counts.

• Pricing is all over the place—a micro-influencer might charge more than a big name.

• Always negotiate—creators expect it, and you’ll get better deals.

• ChatGPT can help find influencer leads (seriously).

CONTENT

How to Turn Audience Research Into Content Ideas

Amanda Natividad shares a system for turning audience research into content ideas that resonate. If you’ve ever wondered what to write next, the answer isn’t more brainstorming—it’s mining the questions, frustrations, and interests of your audience. This guide walks you through how to:

• Find content triggers in customer questions, pain points, and social discussions.

• Use structured frameworks like Problems → Solutions, Misconceptions → Reality, and How-To guides.

• Validate ideas with search data, social engagement, and audience feedback.

• Prioritize content that aligns with business goals and audience needs.

• Map ideas to formats—long-form for complex topics, social posts for quick wins.

CASE STUDY / REPORTS

Gaps Income Report, February 2025

Glen Allsopp’s latest income report dives into real-world success stories of online businesses, showcasing everything from AI-powered startups to scrappy side hustles pulling in serious revenue. These monthly reports are packed with insights for entrepreneurs looking to spot trends and refine their own strategies.

• Langua, an AI-powered language-learning platform, hit $144K MRR in 13 months by combining human tutors with AI-driven conversations.

• WP Umbrella, a WordPress management SaaS, grew MRR by $4K last month, now managing over 39,000 active sites.

• Furniturebox.co.uk, an online furniture retailer, tripled US sales and turned a £1M loss into a £612K profit.

• GetOutdoorJobs.com, a niche job board, grew 18% MoM, earning $673 with just 1 hour of work per week.

• ScorePlay, a sports content management startup, raised $13M—niche-focused SaaS models are booming.

• OpenAlternative.co, a directory for open-source software, hit 65,000 unique visitors and $3,500 revenue in January.

• Visarun.ai, an AI-powered visa processing platform, secured $700K in pre-seed funding.

• Youform, a Typeform competitor, now earns $5,000 MRR in a bootstrapped, profitable model.

• ProjectionLab, a financial planning SaaS, grew MRR from $52K to $70K in just a few months, passing $1M in lifetime revenue.

• Tally, a form-building SaaS, added $25K MRR in three months, now generating $2M ARR with just a five-person team.

NEWS

Mullenweg Considers Delaying WordPress Releases Through 2027

Roger Montti reports Matt Mullenweg is considering slowing WordPress core releases to just one per year until 2027, citing reduced corporate contributions—particularly from Automattic. He hinted that WP Engine’s ongoing lawsuit is a key factor in the decision, leading some in the WordPress community to call it blackmail. While some developers are frustrated, others see this as an opportunity to focus on stability rather than constant feature updates.

🤩 OTHER NEWSLETTERS TO FOLLOW

• Lazy Link Building Newsletter - Alex Horsman offers great tips on link building and SEO. He also has a 5-day email course.

WAYS WE CAN WORK TOGETHER

Floyi - The only AI-powered tool that builds 4-level topical maps, so your content strategy isn’t just planned—it’s unstoppable.

Topical Maps Unlocked 2.0 - The blueprint for ranking dominance. Learn how to structure content the way search engines (and audiences) crave.

Topical Map Service - We handle the research, structure, and strategy—delivering a custom topical map that builds authority, so your content dominates its niche

Content Strategy and SEO Consulting – No guesswork, no gimmicks—just you and me, refining your strategy into a clear, proven roadmap for traffic, authority, and conversions.