Table of Contents
The search landscape is shifting fast. With Google’s AI Overviews (AIOs) and AI Mode, the rise of AI-powered engines like Perplexity, and increasing on-SERP engagement, traditional SEO is entering a new phase. But this isn’t a time to panic—it’s a time to adapt.
We’ve reviewed the latest industry research and commentary to uncover what’s changing, and more importantly, what you should do about it. Below, we break down five key takeaways, each backed by data and paired with next steps to help you evolve your search strategy for the AI era.
1. AI Overviews Rarely Appear for High-Value, Bottom-Funnel Searches
Ahrefs’ analysis of 56 million search results found that AI Overviews appear far less frequently for high-CPC and high-difficulty keywords—just 1% and 3%, respectively. These findings suggest that while AIOs dominate informational and top-of-funnel queries, they avoid commercial intent spaces where accuracy and liability matter more.
Our Take
Recalibrate your content strategy to focus on bottom-funnel keywords less likely to trigger AIOs. Even better—mine your Paid Search keyword data to uncover high-converting queries, then create high-quality content around them. Organic and paid should work in tandem to dominate commercial queries AI isn’t touching.
2. Traditional SEO KPIs Are Outdated — Visibility Is the New North Star
Duane Forrester’s breakdown of GenAI-era KPIs emphasizes that the old SEO playbook—rankings, CTRs, clicks—was built for a different search experience. In an AI-first world, visibility matters more than clicks. The new KPIs include AI citation count, AI crawlability, and impression share, especially for branded or topical queries.
Our Take
Start tracking:
- Organic impressions and branded queries
- AI bot crawl success rates
- Mentions in AI Overviews or third-party AI search engines
At the same time, shift your traffic KPIs from top-line visits to bottom-funnel behavior—product engagement, lead forms, conversions—that reflect real business impact.
3. In the AI Era, Brand Mentions Matter More Than Backlinks
Ahrefs’ study on AI Overview brand correlations revealed that frequent brand mentions correlated more strongly with AI visibility than traditional link-building metrics. AI systems value topical familiarity, authority, and recognition more than they do raw link count.
Our Take
Brand building isn’t optional—it’s SEO. To increase your AI visibility:
- Launch a subreddit or run a Reddit AMA
- Get your founders interviewed on industry podcasts or blogs
- Publish original research or take bold stances on trending topics
- Show up in communities your audience already trusts
AI systems can’t cite what they don’t “know” and brand mentions are how they learn.
4. Expect Less Top-Funnel Traffic — But More Branded Homepage Visits
As Siege Media uncovered, the rise of AI Overviews is cutting into top-funnel organic traffic. But this isn’t all bad news—brands are seeing increased branded homepage visits, as users shift their research into AI tools and come to your site only when they’re ready to act.
Our Take
Top-of-funnel traffic may shrink, but conversion-ready traffic is growing. Prepare by:
- Strengthening your homepage content and conversion paths
- Optimizing for branded queries and navigational search
- Investing in brand awareness so users remember (and search) your name
- Letting go of vanity traffic metrics and focusing on qualified visits
5. Traditional SEO Still Matters in the Age of AI Search
ZipTie’s study of 25,000 user queries found that pages ranking #1 in Google had a 25% chance of being cited in AI Overviews. In other words, ranking well in organic search is still a prerequisite for AI inclusion. AI systems use traditional SEO signals to select source material before generating answers.
Our Take
To stay competitive:
- Keep your site highly crawlable and well-structured
- Continue optimizing for high-intent queries and featured snippet opportunities
- Track your AI citations and top-10 rankings together—they’re now part of the same visibility funnel
Final Thoughts: SEO Isn’t Dead—It’s Evolving
The age of AI search doesn’t eliminate SEO, it expands its scope. The brands that succeed won’t be the ones clinging to old KPIs and tactics. They’ll be the ones who evolve: building brand equity, doubling down on bottom-funnel optimization, and measuring visibility across both AI and traditional surfaces.
We’re here to help you stay ahead of the curve. If you’re ready to assess how your brand is performing in this new landscape, let’s talk.
