You may have noticed that traditional Google search is rapidly being taken over by artificial intelligence (AI).
When you type a search query, the top result box is an AI answer. The AI cites certain website results as reference points within the context of its answer, but more often than not, it provides the required answer within the AI overview, meaning there is no website click resulting from the search.
Are you seeing reduced traffic levels as a result of this significant shift?
The exception to this is local search – there are NO AI Overviews present for local queries.
According to a recent post by Ryan Stewart, the American internet marketing specialist:
If you’re doing traditional SEO, you are bleeding money.
If you’re doing local SEO, you’re printing it.
Local queries would include accountant near me, or accountant Lancaster (insert your town/city) where you either refer to a location, or use the ‘near me’ function. This uses the Google Map Pack to determine the closest geographic businesses providing the required service, combined with some other factors, including the number and quality of Google Reviews on the profile.
A sensible SEO strategy for 2025 would be to focus on a combination of optimising your Google Business Profile (your map pack marker and content) and targeting local search terms within Google Organic results (the traditional first page) which aren’t heavily saturated. Ensure consistency across both platforms (website and business profile) and ideally, combine this with your social media plan for maximum effect.