Rethinking SEO for the Age of AI: Google Search Trends Explained

Quick Summary

If you’ve Googled anything recently, you may have noticed something different—and no, it’s not your browser acting up. Google is actively rolling out a new search experience powered by artificial intelligence (AI), and it’s reshaping how information is displayed. Google’s AI Overviews are live for over 1.5 billion monthly users as of mid-2025, according to internal testing and third-party reports

What used to be ten blue links is now an interactive scroll of AI generated answers, featured content, and summaries pulled from across the web all served before you even click.

This update isn’t just cosmetic. It’s changing how users find information, how quality websites earn clicks, and how marketers need to think about visibility. 65% of users now say they get the answer they need from Google without clicking any result, a phenomenon known as zero-click searches. If your content isn’t showing up in those top level summaries, you’re not just missing ranking you’re missing the conversation entirely.

This shift reflects one of the most significant Google Search Trends in years: AI is now mediating the user experience. That means brands, publishers, and nonprofits alike need to rethink search engine optimization (SEO) not just for keywords, but for contextual inclusion in AI summaries.

What’s Changing?

Google is shifting from traditional search results to what it’s calling the Search Generative Experience (SGE), a new AI-powered layer that lives above the usual search results. Instead of directing users straight to websites, Google’s AI now answers questions directly in the search interface.

AI Snapshots at the top of search

Google now generates an overview of answers in response to a query often summarizing what multiple sources say in one scrollable card. These summaries prioritize relevance, clarity, and source diversity. Sites featured here may gain high visibility, but without guaranteed attribution or traffic.

Fewer traditional organic results above the fold

With AI content taking up prime real estate, standard page listings are getting pushed further down making it harder to earn that top spot the old fashioned way. Even a strong Page 1 result can get buried beneath AI answers, People Also Ask, and visual elements like maps or shopping listings.

Conversational follow ups built into the SERP

Users can click suggested follow up questions, and the AI will respond without restarting the search. That means longer engagement in Google’s interface and fewer immediate clicks to your site. For marketers, that creates a need to optimize not just for keywords, but for topic clusters and search journeys.

More context, less control

Brands can’t control how their information is summarized or which content Google pulls into its AI snapshot. That raises real questions about accuracy, visibility, and SEO strategy. Sites with strong topical authority and structured content are more likely to be referenced but there’s no opt-in, and little recourse for misrepresentation.

The SERP is no longer just a set of links; it’s a full blown AI conversation. And if your content isn’t optimized for that format through semantic clarity, expert sourcing, and structured data, it’s easier than ever to be left out.

How This Affects Your Business

Google’s shift toward AI-first search is reshaping the foundation of digital marketing strategy. By analyzing Google Search Trends, we can already see that user behavior is changing. People are spending more time interacting with results within Google’s interface, and less time clicking through to websites. Businesses must now optimize not only for visibility, but for inclusion in AI generated experiences that bypass the traditional click through funnel.

SEO: Visibility Is No Longer Equal to Traffic

What used to be a battle for position one is now a fight to appear inside Google’s new AI Overviews. These generative snapshots summarize answers to user queries directly in the SERP, pulling information from multiple sources, often without linking prominently to any one of them.

Implications:

• You might rank on page one, but if your content isn’t being pulled into the AI snapshot, it’s effectively invisible above the fold.
  
• Pages structured for quick, clear, and factual answers (think FAQ format, paragraph headers, and schema) have a higher likelihood of being summarized.
  
• Schema markup, clean code, and page experience signals will play a critical role in whether Google’s AI sees your site as “scrapable” and trustworthy.
  

Next steps:

• Rework key landing pages and blogs to prioritize “answer ready” content.
  
• Use Google Search Trends to identify high volume queries being converted into AI snapshots and structure your pages to directly address them.
  
• Monitor how your top pages appear in SERPs not just ranking, but presence in the AI layer.

What does this mean for pay-per-click (PPC) advertising?

It’s simple; the real estate is shrinking. Even top position ads now compete with AI blocks that appear first. Paid visibility is impacted especially for informational or broad match queries. Studies suggest paid ads are seeing a nearly 35% lower CTR due to the AI Overview dominating the SERP space.

Implications:

• Clickthrough rates (CTR) may decline even if impressions hold steady
  
• Branded terms are safer territory they’re less likely to trigger AI takeovers
  
• Informational searches are increasingly handled by AI without triggering a click
  

Refocus your strategy:

• Shift spend toward bottom funnel keywords and purchase ready terms
  
• Adapt ad copy to match AI’s tone: clear, helpful, benefit first, and formatted like a fast answer
  
• Watch for trend surges in categories like AI tools, sustainability, and personal finance, where SGE adoption is highest

Organic Traffic & Funnel Disruption

With users getting their answers directly in the SERP, fewer are clicking through to websites especially for broad or research based queries. This pushes much of the buyer journey into Google’s domain, shortening your window for influence. As a result, your top of funnel content may see a drop in clicks but an increase in visibility within AI overviews. This means brands must move beyond just driving traffic and instead focus on building authority and brand awareness directly within the search experience. This also means that your mid-funnel blog content must now work harder. Instead of just attracting attention, it needs to also be framed in a way that Google’s AI deems “summarizable.”

What can you do?

• Rebuild your content hierarchy to emphasize Q&A, definitions, comparisons, and structured answers.
  
• Layer in clear call to actions (CTAs) and content linking within the first paragraph of key blogs. Don’t assume users will scroll.
  
• Use tools like Google Analytics (GA4) and Looker Studio to isolate traffic and conversion drops on informational content, especially pages ranking for terms spiking in Google Search Trends.

The New AI Features: Explained Simply

So, what exactly are these new AI features? Let’s break them down. From AI overviews to visual shopping carousels and follow-up prompts, here’s what’s new in Google Search—and what you need to know about how they work.

AI Overviews (Google’s Instant Answer Box)

SGE now generates top level summaries that appear above all other results even above featured snippets. These overviews are written by Google’s AI and stitched together from multiple sources.

What matters now:

• It’s not enough to rank. Your content has to be structured, factual, and authoritative enough to be summarized.
  
• Google looks for trustworthy, well-formatted content it can quote without context. So think about using short paragraphs, FAQ style responses, and schema.
  
• Attribution is inconsistent; even if your content is used, users might not see your brand without clicking through.
  

Bottom line: You’re no longer writing for readers alone; you’re writing for Google’s editorial assistant. Optimize for clarity, trust, and direct answers.

Snapshot Shopping

For ecommerce queries, Google now shows a visual first shopping experience powered by product feeds. This includes images, pricing, review stars, and seller info all before the user sees your product page.

What matters now:

• If your product feed isn’t fully optimized in the Merchant Center with high quality visuals, you’re excluded from the “AI shelf.”
  
• Structured data (price, availability, reviews) must be correct and synced or you’ll lose placement.
  
• Paid and organic shopping strategies need to be aligned AI doesn’t differentiate between them the way it used to.
  

Bottom line: The product page is no longer the first impression the SERP is. Your storefront starts inside the search experience.

Search Refinement Prompts

After a user’s initial query, Google now suggests follow up questions. Users can continue the conversation without typing, and AI responds in real time.

What matters now:

• These follow ups often outshine the original results. Meaning your content needs to anticipate the next question, not just the first.
  
• Pages that address clusters of related questions (vs. single keyword targets) are more likely to stay visible.
  
• Long tail and semantic content strategies are essential even for short, high volume queries.
  

Bottom line: Visibility now requires staying power. If your content doesn’t map the user journey, Google’s AI will move on without you.

What Marketers Should Do Next

The shift to AI powered search isn’t coming. It’s here. 

Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) is already changing how users interact with the SERP, and marketers can’t afford to wait it out. If you want to maintain visibility in a world of instant answers, curated carousels, and zero click journeys, here’s your action plan.

Optimize for AI Scrapable, Snippet Ready Content

SGE favors content that’s structured, factual, and easy to summarize. That means your blog posts, landing pages, and service content need to be written not just for users, but for Google’s AI assistant.

Do this:

• Use short paragraphs, question based subheadings, and bolded takeaways.
  
• Integrate bullet points, numbered steps, and direct answers whenever possible.
  
• Target informational queries like “what is,” “how to,” “benefits of,” and definitions.
  

Why it matters: If your content can’t be pulled into an AI snapshot, it may never be seen even if you rank on page one.

Nail Your Structured Data: Every Page, Every Time

Schema markup is what allows Google’s AI to “understand” your site. Without it, your content is invisible to key SGE features like Snapshot Shopping and Overviews.

Do this:

• Use the right schema types: FAQPage, Article, Product, Service, etc.
  
• Add alt text, publish dates, author fields, review data, and availability tags.
  
• Use Google’s Rich Results Test to validate markup and spot errors.
  

Why it matters: Structured data increases your eligibility for AI generated visibility. No markup, no placement.

Rethink Keyword Strategy Around Search Behavior, Not Just Volume

SGE changes how users search and what they see first. That means traditional keyword rankings no longer tell the full story.

Do this:

• Prioritize longtail, conversational keywords especially those that start with “how,” “why,” and “what”.
• Build topic clusters that align with user journeys, not just isolated keywords.
• Identify gaps where Google’s AI provides answers but you don’t, then fill them with targeted content.
  

Why it matters: AI responds to intent, not just terms. You need to write for the question, not just the keyword.

Track the Right Metrics in the Age of AI

Your top ranking pages may now see fewer clicks not because your SEO failed, but because Google answered the question before the user needed you.

Do this:

• Monitor changes in click through rate (CTR) and average position together in GA4.
• Use Search Console to identify which queries are triggering impressions but not clicks
• Track content performance by type  especially FAQ sections and blog posts aimed at informational intent
  

Why it matters: SGE may be stealing your clicks. You need to know where, when, and why and adapt fast.

Who Will Benefit the Most

Not all industries are impacted equally. The brands that move now will have the advantage especially in categories where AI curation is already reshaping visibility.

Ecommerce Brands with Visual, Structured Feeds

SGE’s Snapshot Shopping rewards sellers who pair strong visuals with rich metadata. If your Merchant Center feed is dialed in and your product content is built for SERP display, you’ll own more shelf space right in the results.

Local Businesses with Optimized Google Profiles

Restaurants, service providers, and brick and mortar shops with optimized Google Business Profiles are already surfacing more often in AI results. Local photos, reviews, and updated hours are now a key part of visibility.

B2B Brands with Educational Authority

Industries with long buying cycles legal, financial, tech, consulting have the most to gain. AI Overviews love explainer content, whitepapers, and deep dives. If you’re publishing expertise rich content, you’re already writing what Google wants to summarize.

Our Take: Pulse POV

At Pulse, we don’t see AI as the end of search, we see it as a new beginning.

The rollout of Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) is more than just a layout shift; it’s a redefinition of how users find, evaluate, and act on information. While others worry about shrinking organic real estate, we’re already turning this disruption into an advantage.

This moment rewards brands that move with precision.

We’re adapting SEO and content strategies to meet the moment not just chasing rankings, but engineering visibility within Google’s generative AI layers. That means:

• Structuring content for AI digestion and snippet inclusion
  
• Auditing and upgrading schema to feed clean, credible data into SGE
  
• Building question based content clusters that answer, anticipate, and stay relevant through follow up threads
  

For our clients, this means owning visibility where it matters most at the top of the funnel and inside the AI curated experience, even when traditional clicks are down and competition is tighter than ever.

Search is no longer about being a blue link. It’s about being the trusted source that Google’s AI chooses to summarize the web.

At Pulse, we make sure that’s you.