12 SEO & GEO Search Trends That Defined 2025 (And the Playbook for What Comes Next)

If you've been optimizing for Google like it's 2023, I have some pretty bad news…

The entire foundation of search discovery just shifted beneath your feet.

For the first time since 2015, Google's global market share dipped below 90%, landing at 89.54% by late 2025. That might sound like a rounding error, until you realize what's absorbing the difference.

ChatGPT now processes over 1 billion queries daily, with 400 million weekly active users. Perplexity handles 780 million monthly searches. And 77% of Americans now use ChatGPT as a search engine, with 24% reaching for it before Google.

This isn't disruption on the horizon. It's disruption in your analytics right now.

But here's what the "SEO is dead" doomsday-preppers are missing entirely… search volume is actually growing.

Google processes 9.1 to 13.6 billion searches daily, up from 8.5 billion in 2024.

The paradox? More searches, fewer clicks.

The traffic that does flow is higher quality, and the brands capturing it are playing an entirely different game.

Let's break down what actually changed in 2025, backed by the data, and what you need to do about it.

1. Zero-Click Searches Became the Majority Experience

What Happened

The "clickless search" that was a curiosity became the norm.

According to SparkToro and Similarweb research, 60% of all Google searches now end without a single click to any website. On mobile, that number climbs to 77%.

But AI Mode takes zero-click to its logical extreme.

Semrush data shows that 93% of AI Mode sessions end without users ever leaving the interface. Users spend an average of 49 seconds in AI Mode versus 21 seconds with traditional AI Overviews, getting more done while clicking less.

The kicker?

News-related searches saw zero-click rates climb from 56% to 69% between May 2024 and May 2025… a 13-percentage-point jump in just one year.

What It Means for Marketers

Stop measuring success by clicks alone. The new game is influence—being the source AI pulls from, even when users never visit your site.

Action Framework:

• Audit your current zero-click exposure using Semrush's AI Visibility Toolkit

• Identify which queries in your category trigger AI summaries

• Restructure content to be "extractable"—clear answers in 40-60 word chunks that AI can quote directly

• Optimize for PAA (People Also Ask) boxes, which appear in 99.7% of AI Overview results

• Track "share of voice" in AI summaries, not just ranking positions

2. AI Overviews Rewrote the SERP Hierarchy

What Happened

Google's AI Overviews went from experiment to everywhere.

The feature now triggers on 13-47% of all queries depending on the category, up from just 6.49% in January 2025, a 102% increase in just two months.

The industries getting hammered hardest?

Healthcare (87% of queries trigger AI Overviews), Education (87%), B2B Tech (70%), and Insurance (63%), according to BrightEdge research. E-commerce actually declined from 29% to 4% as Google prioritized product grids instead.

The traffic impact is absolutely brutal: Pew Research Center's controlled study found click-through rates plummet to just 8% when AI Overviews appear versus 15% without them.

That's a 47% reduction in clicks.

Seer Interactive's analysis across 3,119 queries showed organic CTR cratering from 1.76% to 0.61% for AIO queries—a 61% collapse.

What It Means for Marketers

But here's the insight almost everyone's missing… brands cited within AI Overviews get 35% more organic clicks and 91% more paid clicks than those not cited.

The game isn't avoiding AI Overviews, it's getting inside them.

Action Framework:

• Map which of your target keywords trigger AI Overviews

• Analyze which domains Google cites in those overviews for your category

• Structure content with clear Q&A formatting that AI can extract

• Build schema markup (FAQPage, HowTo, Article) that helps AI understand your authority

• Monitor your citation rate in AI Overviews monthly using tools like Profound or Otterly.ai

3. ChatGPT Became the Fourth-Largest Website on Earth

What Happened

ChatGPT isn't just an AI tool anymore, it's a discovery platform.

It now ranks as the 4th most visited website globally, commanding 82.7% of all AI chatbot market share according to Statcounter. With 400 million weekly active users processing over 1 billion daily queries, it's become a parallel search universe.

The referral traffic it generates is staggering.

ChatGPT now sends 77-87% of all AI referral traffic to websites, with users spending an average of 10 minutes per session on sites they visit from ChatGPT, nearly double the engagement of traditional search.

And OpenAI isn't stopping at information retrieval. With features like Agent Mode for task delegation and Instant Checkout for in-chat purchasing, ChatGPT is evolving from search engine to commerce platform.

What It Means for Marketers

ChatGPT optimization is no longer optional… it's where your highest-intent buyers are researching.

The citation patterns differ dramatically from Google, Wikipedia dominates ChatGPT citations at 7.8%, followed by Reddit at 1.8% and Forbes at 1.1%.

Action Framework:

• Set up tracking for chatgpt.com referral traffic in GA4

• Identify your brand's current citation frequency using Profound or similar tools

• Create Wikipedia-style authoritative content with clear facts and citations

• Develop FAQ-rich content that answers specific buyer questions

• Monitor which competitors appear in ChatGPT responses for your category keywords

4. Reddit Became AI's Favorite Source

What Happened

Here's the surprise nobody predicted: Reddit (the chaotic, unedited forum) became the #1 most-cited domain across AI platforms, accounting for 40%+ of all AI citations according to Reddit's Q2 shareholder letter citing Profound data.

The breakdown across platforms is striking:

• Perplexity: Reddit is #1 at 6.6% of citations (46.7% of top 10 sources)

• Google AI Overviews: Reddit leads at 2.2%

• ChatGPT: Reddit comes in second at 1.8%, behind Wikipedia

A Semrush analysis of 248,000 Reddit posts found that Q&A threads dominate citations, making up over 50% of all cited Reddit content. Comparison posts and discussion threads follow.

The reason?

AI models crave authentic human voices, real-world experiences, and specific contextual answers that Reddit communities provide in abundance.

What It Means for Marketers

Community presence is now a ranking factor. If your brand isn't part of trusted Reddit conversations, LLMs have fewer reasons to cite you.

Action Framework:

• Identify 5-10 subreddits where your audience asks questions about your category

• Monitor these communities using tools like GummySearch or Keyworddit

• Participate authentically—no self-promotion, just helpful answers

• Create content on your site that answers the exact questions asked in relevant subreddits

• Build a Reddit listening dashboard to track brand mentions and category conversations

5. AI Traffic Started Converting at Superhuman Rates

What Happened

Here's the counterintuitive truth about the traffic apocalypse… while clicks are down, the clicks that do happen are dramatically more valuable.

The data is consistent across multiple studies:

• Semrush: AI search visitors convert at 4.4x the rate of traditional organic

• Ahrefs: AI visitors generated 12.1% of signups from just 0.5% of traffic—23x better conversion

• Seer Interactive: ChatGPT traffic converts at 15.9% vs Google Organic at 1.76%—9x improvement

• Similarweb: AI referrals convert at 11.4% versus 5.3% for organic across global e-commerce

Why? By the time an AI search user clicks through to your site, they've already researched, compared alternatives, and refined their requirements through conversation. They're further along the buyer journey. They arrive with intent, not curiosity.

What It Means for Marketers

This changes the entire ROI calculation for search optimization. Even small gains in AI visibility can massively outperform traditional SEO investments.

Action Framework:

• Calculate current value per AI visit versus Google organic visit

• Project revenue impact if AI traffic scales to 10%, 25%, 50% of current organic

• Prioritize GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) investment based on conversion potential

• Create dedicated landing experiences for AI-referred traffic

• Track customer lifetime value by traffic source—AI customers often have 73% lower churn

6. GEO Became a Real Discipline (Not Just Hype)

What Happened

Generative Engine Optimization moved from buzzword to budget line item. The academic foundation came from Princeton University research showing that specific GEO techniques can boost visibility in AI responses by up to 40%.

The industry responded: Gartner forecasts a 50% reduction in traditional organic traffic by 2028, while Forrester reports that 89% of B2B buyers have adopted generative AI as a key information source. Investment followed, mid-market brands now spend $75K-$150K annually on GEO initiatives, with enterprises allocating $250K+.

The insight you can't miss?

LLMs cite only 2-7 domains per response on average—far fewer than Google's 10 blue links.

It's winner-take-most dynamics baby, if you're not in the top 5 sources for your category, you're invisible.

What It Means for Marketers

GEO isn't replacing SEO, it's augmenting it.

Most GEO signals (structure, authority, freshness) actually strengthen traditional SEO performance too.

Action Framework:

• Audit current AI visibility using tools like Profound, Superlines, or Otterly.ai

• Implement structured data (FAQ, HowTo, Article schema) across key pages

• Create content with clear "extractable" sections—summaries, key takeaways, quotable facts

• Build consistent brand messaging across all channels (AI learns from everywhere)

• Develop an E-E-A-T enhancement plan: author bios, credentials, citations to authoritative sources

7. Citation Frequency Replaced Ranking as the Key Metric

What Happened

Traditional SEO metrics are telling an incomplete story. Rankings still matter, but the real signal is whether AI systems actually use your content, and how often.

New metrics emerged in 2025:

• Citation Frequency: How often AI platforms mention your brand in responses

• AI Share of Voice: Percentage of AI citations in your category that reference you vs. competitors

• Sentiment in AI Responses: Whether AI describes your brand positively, neutrally, or negatively

• Citation Quality: Are you cited for high-value commercial queries or just informational ones?

AirOps research revealed that for commercial queries, 85% of brand mentions came from third-party sources—not brand-owned content.

Your owned media matters less than what others say about you.

What It Means for Marketers

PR, SEO, and brand teams need to align around earning citations, not just building content.

Action Framework:

• Establish baseline AI visibility metrics for your brand and top 5 competitors

• Track citation frequency weekly across ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews

• Prioritize "citation-worthy" content: original research, proprietary data, unique frameworks

• Invest in digital PR to get mentioned on sites AI trusts (news outlets, industry publications)

• Monitor AI sentiment about your brand—negative mentions compound quickly

8. The Hybrid AI Workflow Became Standard

What Happened

The pendulum swung from "AI will write everything" to "AI-only content fails" to a balanced middle ground.

Teams learned that fully automated AI content consistently underperforms, while traditional workflows are too slow.

The data supports the hybrid approach:

• 83% of top Google rankings belong to human-written or human-edited content

• Only 3.8% of developers report high confidence shipping AI code without human review

• Teams using AI with human review see 81% quality improvements versus 55% without review

• AI can reduce drafting time by 50-70%, but human refinement is non-negotiable

The winning formula? AI handles research, outlining, and first drafts. Humans own accuracy, voice, and strategic framing.

What It Means for Marketers

Stop debating whether to use AI. Start building workflows that combine AI speed with human judgment.

Action Framework:

• Document your current content workflow from ideation to publication

• Identify which steps AI can accelerate (research, drafts, optimization)

• Define human checkpoints for accuracy, brand voice, and strategic alignment

• Create templates that blend AI-generated structure with human polish

• Measure output quality, not just speed—set minimum quality thresholds before publication

9. Content Structure Became the New Moat

What Happened

LLMs work best when information is structured, not buried in long blocks of prose. Clear headings, lists, tables, FAQs, and consistent formatting dramatically increase citation likelihood.

AirOps research showed that structured content increased citation frequency across all AI models. The mechanics are straightforward… AI systems extract information most effectively from predictable patterns.

The practical elements that drive AI visibility:

• Clear hierarchical headings (H1, H2, H3) that are descriptive, not clever

• FAQ sections with specific Q&A pairs (40-60 word answers)

• Tables for comparisons and data

• Bullet points for lists of 3+ items

• TL;DR sections at the top of longer content

• Schema markup that helps AI understand content type and authority

Google's core updates in 2025 reinforced this, putting more weight on quality, recency, and E-E-A-T signals.

Fresh, well-structured content outperformed older material and low-value AI-generated pages.

What It Means for Marketers

Treat your content like an API for AI. Make information machine-readable without sacrificing human engagement.

Action Framework:

• Audit top-performing pages for structure gaps

• Add FAQ sections with schema markup to all major content

• Create comparison tables for product and category pages

• Use clear, descriptive headings that match user queries

• Include "Last Updated" dates and refresh content quarterly

10. Freshness Signals Became Non-Negotiable

What Happened

AI systems increasingly prioritize recent information over static content. Google's 2025 core updates explicitly penalized stale content, while AI platforms show clear preference for up-to-date sources.

AirOps research on content freshness demonstrated the impact: content with visible update dates and current-year references significantly outperformed older material. The reasoning is straightforward—LLMs are being trained to avoid perpetuating outdated information.

Key freshness signals that matter:

• Visible "Last Updated" dates on all evergreen content

• Current-year references throughout ("In 2025, marketers must...")

• Updated statistics, trends, and predictions (refreshed quarterly)

• Schema markup with dateModified properties

• Regular content audits removing or updating outdated pages

What It Means for Marketers

Content isn't "done" when you publish. It's an ongoing asset that requires maintenance.

Action Framework:

• Create a content refresh calendar with quarterly review cycles

• Prioritize updating your top 20% performing pages

• Add "Last Updated" dates visible to both users and AI crawlers

• Include current-year statistics and predictions in all major content

• Set up alerts for when key statistics or industry data changes

11. AI Browsers Emerged as the New Gatekeepers

What Happened

A new wave of browsers arrived that function more like AI agents than traditional web browsers. Atlas, Comet, Arc/Dia, and Opera Neon generate answers before users finish typing, surfacing key facts in side panels without requiring page views.

The signal that this is mainstream, not niche? Atlassian acquired Arc for $610M—a clear bet that agent-led browsing is the future of how people navigate the web.

These browsers change content discovery at it's core:

• Answers are generated before users click

• Content is judged for agent readability, not just design

• Key facts are lifted into side panels

• Agents decide what gets highlighted, summarized, or ignored

What It Means for Marketers

You now have two audiences: people and agents.

The agent reads your content first and decides what users see.

Action Framework:

• Test how your content appears when accessed through AI browsers like Comet

• Ensure key information is in plain text, not locked in images or JavaScript

• Structure content so agents can extract and present key facts

• Monitor how AI browsers summarize your brand and products

• Create content that serves both human readers and AI intermediaries

12. The Tipping Point Timeline Crystallized

What Happened

The most important trend isn't any single change, it's the accelerating timeline toward AI search dominance.

Current trajectory projections:

• Gartner: Traditional organic traffic drops 50% by 2028

• Semrush: LLM traffic overtakes traditional search by end of 2027

• First Page Sage: AI could drive equal conversions to Google by late 2027-early 2028

• Adobe: AI search visitors predicted to surpass traditional search visitors by 2028

The window for establishing AI visibility is 18-24 months. After that, early movers will have compounding advantages that late adopters will struggle to overcome.

What It Means for Marketers

This isn't about predicting the future, it's about positioning for it. The brands building AI visibility now will dominate the discovery landscape of 2027 and beyond.

Action Framework:

• Treat GEO as a strategic initiative, not a tactical experiment

• Allocate 15-25% of SEO budget to AI visibility efforts

• Build cross-functional teams spanning SEO, content, PR, and brand

• Set 6-month milestones for AI citation frequency and share of voice

• Document learnings systematically—this playbook will evolve rapidly

Building Your 2026 Search Strategy

The brands winning in 2025 didn't wait for permission. They recognized that search was fragmenting across AI platforms, adapted their content for machine readability, and built systems to track visibility beyond traditional rankings.

The playbook for 2026 starts here:

Phase 1: Foundation (Weeks 1-4)

• Audit current AI visibility across ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews

• Set up tracking for AI referral traffic in analytics

• Document baseline metrics: citation frequency, AI share of voice, conversion rates by source

Phase 2: Optimization (Weeks 5-12)

• Restructure top 20 pages for AI extractability (FAQs, schema, clear structure)

• Launch GEO-focused content targeting high-intent queries in your category

• Build presence in relevant Reddit communities and third-party platforms AI trusts

Phase 3: Scale (Months 4-6)

• Develop content refresh calendar with quarterly updates

• Create hybrid AI workflows for content production

• Build competitive monitoring for AI visibility

• Launch digital PR initiatives targeting citation-worthy coverage

The irony of 2025?

In a world flooded with AI-generated content, human judgment, original thinking, and strategic clarity matter more than ever. AI handles the mechanics. Humans drive the differentiation.

The marketers who thrive in 2026 won't be the ones who mastered prompting. They'll be the ones who understood that AI is a powerful lever… but the strategy, creativity, and execution that make brands memorable remain irreducibly human.

How Averi Helps You Win in AI Search

The search revolution demands a new approach—one that combines AI-powered efficiency with human strategic judgment. That's exactly what Averi was built for.

Brand Core trains AI on your specific business, ensuring every piece of content maintains your voice even as you scale production. No generic outputs—your brand, amplified.

/create Mode gives you a collaborative canvas where AI assists while you maintain creative control. Structure content for both human readers and AI discovery in a single workflow.

Library preserves context across campaigns, building the institutional knowledge that compounds your AI visibility over time. Every asset, every insight, always accessible.

Expert Marketplace connects you with specialists in GEO, content strategy, and digital PR who understand how to build citation authority across AI platforms.

The teams winning in AI search aren't choosing between speed and quality. They're building systems that deliver both.

Explore Averi →

FAQs

Is SEO dead in 2025?

No—but it's transformed. Traditional SEO factors still drive visibility, but they're now one input into a multi-platform discovery ecosystem. Google remains dominant with 89%+ market share, but AI platforms are capturing high-intent users who convert at 4-5x higher rates. The winning strategy optimizes for both traditional search and AI visibility.

How do I get my brand cited in ChatGPT?

Focus on creating authoritative, well-structured content that answers specific questions in your category. Use schema markup, maintain consistent brand messaging across channels, and build citations from trusted third-party sources. Monitor your current visibility using tools like Profound or Otterly.ai, then systematically fill gaps where competitors appear but you don't.

What's the difference between GEO and AEO?

GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) and AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) are largely interchangeable terms. Both focus on optimizing content to appear in AI-generated responses rather than traditional search rankings. The goal is earning citations and brand mentions within AI answers, not just ranking on results pages.

How much should I invest in GEO versus traditional SEO?

Most experts recommend allocating 15-25% of current SEO budget to GEO initiatives. The disciplines share significant overlap—structured content, authority building, and E-E-A-T signals benefit both. Start with AI visibility auditing and structured content optimization before expanding investment.

Which AI platforms should I prioritize?

Focus on the big three: ChatGPT (82% of AI chatbot traffic), Google AI Overviews (13-47% of searches), and Perplexity (fastest-growing, highly engaged users). Expand to Claude and Microsoft Copilot as resources allow. Each platform has distinct citation preferences, so track your visibility across all of them.

How long until AI traffic matters as much as Google traffic?

Industry projections suggest AI could drive equal conversions to Google by late 2027 or early 2028. The conversion advantage of AI traffic (4-5x) accelerates this timeline. Early movers have an 18-24 month window to establish AI visibility before competition intensifies significantly.

Does Reddit presence actually affect AI visibility?

Yes—significantly. Reddit is now the #1 most-cited domain across AI platforms, appearing in 68% of AI-generated answers. AI models value authentic human perspectives and specific contextual answers that Reddit communities provide. Building genuine presence in relevant subreddits directly improves your citation likelihood.

What metrics should I track for AI search?

Beyond traditional SEO metrics, track: AI citation frequency (how often each platform mentions your brand), AI share of voice (your citations versus competitors), sentiment in AI responses, AI-driven conversion rate, and brand visibility trends over time. Tools like Profound, Superlines, and Otterly.ai can help.

Should I worry about AI Overviews reducing my traffic?

Yes and no. AI Overviews do reduce overall clicks (34-61% CTR decline), but brands cited within AI Overviews see 35% more organic clicks. The strategy isn't avoiding AI Overviews—it's getting cited inside them. Structure content to be extractable and build the authority signals that earn citations.

How do I optimize content for AI without hurting human readability?

They're largely compatible. Clear structure, well-organized headings, FAQ sections, and authoritative citations improve both AI extractability and human experience. The key is ensuring information is accessible in plain text (not locked in images or JavaScript) while maintaining engaging narrative flow for readers.

Additional Resources

• The GEO Playbook 2026: Getting Cited by LLMs, Not Just Ranked by Google

• Content Marketing ROI Benchmarks and AI Integration Strategies

• The Future of B2B SaaS Marketing: GEO, AI Search, and LLM Optimization

• AI for CMOs: What to Delegate, What to Own, and What to Rethink

Ready to build AI visibility for your brand? Explore Averi's AI Marketing Workspace →