In 2025, search is changing faster than ever. With the introduction of AI Overviews, ChatGPT and more, it is imperative that marketers adapt their content to appear on the AI driven search page so they don’t get lost in the shuffle. This is especially important for local businesses who thrive on appearing high on local searches to attract customers to their business. In this article, we will discuss how AI is reshaping local search visibility in 2025 and how to stay ahead of the pack.

Discovery in Local AI Search

In order for your content to be found in LLMs and on AI dominated searches it is imperative that marketers adapt their content for AI models. There are a number of recommended strategies that can be used to enhance local search performance through AI.

• Audit search and LLM – Auditing the content that is appearing in AI searches and Large language models, such as ChatGPT, allows marketers to adapt their content to meet the needs of the audience (and AI) for their specific search queries by understanding what is already working and following suite.

• Optimise local listings – Optimising your local listings and make sure they are up to date with relevant NAP (Name, Address, Phone number) information has always been important in local search and remains imperative in the AI era. There are several local listings you can claim including Google Business Profile, Apple Maps and Bing Places. Google’s AI mode uses Google Business Profile data when generating responses, as well as links to your profile or website which is helpful for generating increased traffic levels.

• Local Business Markup – Local business markup is a type of schema (structured data that helps explain your web page to search engines) provides AI Overviews with valuable data about your business like your NAP information that are displayed in your local listings.

• Online Reviews – Reviews are crucial for getting your business into AI overviews. If users ask search engines for recommendations for local businesses e.g. best local restaurant in my area, AI overviews will rely heavily on reviews to formulate to understand the quality of local services. Encouraging your users to leave reviews can be an important step to gaining more customers who see reviews as a credible source of information.

What does this mean for marketers

Many of the tips for appearing high in local searches remain consistent with what was seen before the introduction of AI Overviews such as optimising local listings, employing schema markup and using online reviews, as AI also uses these functionalities to understand the reputation of a website. However, it is very important for marketers wanting to expand their customer base for local businesses in today’s AI dominated world to continually monitor the content being produced by search engines and LLMs for local queries and adjusting or creating new content to reflect this.

Google could soon face new rules in the UK that may change how businesses appear in search results and how digital ads are bought and displayed, particularly as AI becomes a bigger part of search.

The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which ensures fair competition between businesses, is investigating how Google runs its Search and Advertising services. Their main focus is on Google’s new AI-powered search features, which often show AI-generated answers instead of a list of website links.

The CMA has raised concerns about:

• Whether Google is ranking websites fairly in search results
• High costs for advertising on Google Search
• Use of other websites’ content in AI-generated summaries without clear permission

To deal with this, the CMA is considering giving Google a label called Strategic Market Status (SMS). If applied, this status would allow the CMA to enforce specific rules on Google without needing to prove the company has broken competition laws.

This status would apply to Google’s AI search features, although not to Gemini, its AI assistant tool.

Why this matters for digital marketers

If Google is given this new status, it could lead to:

• Changes in how ads are placed and displayed in search results
• Shifts in how visible your website or content is on Google, especially when AI summaries appear instead of traditional links
• Potential changes in ad pricing, which could impact your digital marketing budget

These changes could increase competition in the search market, which may benefit smaller businesses. However, they may also bring new compliance issues and require updates to your marketing strategies.

What Google is saying

Google has criticised the CMA’s proposals, calling them too broad and unfocused. The company warned that unclear rules could get in the way of progress in AI development.

“Evidence-based regulation will be essential to avoid turning a roadmap into a roadblock,” Google said.

What’s next

The CMA’s current review ends on 13 October 2025. If they move forward, a second, more in-depth phase will begin in early 2026. This next stage could look at other areas of Google’s business, such as:

• Its dominance in the ad market
• How it works with publishers
• How it treats rival search engines

If your work relies on Google ads or organic search traffic, it’s worth keeping an eye on these developments.

Google is rolling out a powerful new AI video tool called Veo 3 on YouTube Shorts later this summer – and it could completely change how marketers and creators make short-form videos.

What is Veo 3?

Veo 3 is an AI tool that creates short videos from just a few lines of text. Instead of filming, editing, or hiring a production team, all you need to do is type in what you want the video to show and Veo 3 will generate the visuals and even sound for you.

This is a step up from Google’s previous experiments with AI tools like Dream Screen. Veo 3 aims to deliver full videos with high production value, created entirely from a written prompt.

Why does this matter to digital marketers?

Faster content creation: Marketers can now generate engaging, short video ads or brand content without needing a camera or editor.

• Lower costs: This makes video creation far more accessible for small teams or brands with limited budgets.
• More experimentation: You can test more creative ideas quickly, since you’re not tied to expensive or time-consuming production processes.
• In short: it could revolutionise how branded content is made on YouTube Shorts, giving even smaller brands the chance to compete creatively.

What are the risks?

While the tech is exciting, there are concerns:

• The Shorts feed may get overcrowded with AI-generated content, making it harder for authentic, high-quality videos to stand out.
• There’s a risk of low-effort or misleading content being created at scale.
• Some creators worry about being pushed out, as AI videos take up more space and attention on the platform.

To address some of these concerns, YouTube is developing a “likeness protection” tool in partnership with talent agency CAA, to help protect creators and public figures from having their image used without permission.

What does this mean for the future?

Veo 3 has the potential to open the doors for more brands and voices to join the Shorts space — but it also raises serious questions about content quality, originality, and trust.

As a marketer, this means:

• AI video content might become the norm so thinking about how your brand maintains authenticity and quality will be key.
• You may need to adjust your creative strategy as the content landscape shifts.
• Keeping up with YouTube’s algorithm and evolving rules around AI-generated content will be essential to staying competitive.

YouTube CEO Neal Mohan described Veo 3 as a way for “anyone with a voice” to reach an audience. For marketers, it’s a powerful opportunity but one that comes with the responsibility to use it thoughtfully.

A Simpler Way to See What’s Working

Google Ads is testing a new layout that makes it easier for advertisers to track and
understand how well their ads are performing. The update is focused on what Google calls
“conversion goals” — the actions you want people to take after clicking an ad, such as filling
out a form, calling your business, or making a purchase.
With the new design, users can now click on a dropdown arrow next to each goal to get
more details without needing to dig through multiple menus. This new layout helps
advertisers quickly see which goals are active, how they are set up, and how they’re
performing — all in one place.

Easier Navigation and More Useful Information

Previously, Google’s conversion tracking could feel cluttered or confusing, especially if you
were managing several goals at once. This new test groups similar goals together and
provides a cleaner overview, making it easier to understand what’s going on.
For example, if you’re tracking both online purchases and phone calls, you’ll now be able to
see those separately but within a unified dashboard. Clicking on each goal shows more
specific setup steps and performance data, helping advertisers fix problems or make
changes faster.

Helping Businesses Make Smarter Decisions

This update is part of Google’s ongoing effort to make its advertising tools more helpful,
especially for small businesses or teams without dedicated marketing staff. By offering more
transparency and easier-to-read data, the redesigned interface should help users make
better decisions about where to spend their money.
Some advertisers have already spotted the change in their accounts as part of a limited test.
If it proves helpful, it’s likely Google will roll it out more widely soon. For now, it’s a
promising step toward making ad performance easier to understand — even if you’re not a
marketing expert.

Many websites struggle to attract organic traffic from Google Search, leading to frustration and confusion among site owners. Google’s Search Liaison, Danny Sullivan, has provided guidance on improving visibility and success through three core strategies: creating high-quality content, diversifying traffic sources, and building an engaged audience.

Sullivan emphasizes the importance of long-term SEO practices, moving beyond quick fixes and focusing on creating content that resonates with readers. Diversifying traffic sources and engaging directly with audiences through various channels are also crucial for sustainable growth. Finally, understanding that Google’s ranking system uses a variety of signals can help site owners develop a comprehensive SEO strategy.

Build for your audience

Building an engaged audience is crucial for long-term success. Sullivan shares his experience of growing websites from zero to authoritative entities through email lists, social media, and direct engagement. Cultivating a loyal audience requires consistent effort and a genuine connection with your readers. This involves not only creating valuable content but also engaging with your audience through various channels.

Developing multiple ways to reach and interact with your audience, such as through newsletters, social media, and community forums, can significantly enhance your site’s reach and influence. An engaged audience is more likely to return, share your content, and contribute to your site’s growth.

Long-term strategy, not short-term hacks

Success in SEO now hinges on a comprehensive approach that encompasses all elements of search engine optimization. This means paying attention to technical SEO, on-page and off-page SEO, user experience, and more. The future of SEO belongs to those who are willing to invest time and effort into understanding and implementing these elements effectively.

A long-term strategy focused on sustainable practices will yield better results than short-term hacks or loopholes. Google’s ranking algorithms are becoming increasingly sophisticated, rewarding websites that provide genuine value to users rather than those that exploit technicalities.

The importance of great content

Creating great content is fundamental to attracting and retaining an audience. High-quality content is not just about meeting SEO requirements; it’s about providing real value to readers. This means producing content that is informative, engaging, and relevant to your target audience.

Great content builds trust and authority, positioning your site as a reliable resource in your niche. It encourages users to spend more time on your site, share your content, and return for more. This sustained engagement helps improve your site’s ranking on Google over time.

Stay up to date with the latest Google Updates

Google frequently updates its algorithms to improve search quality and user experience. These updates can sometimes negatively impact websites that were previously performing well.

For sites affected by these changes, future updates might offer some relief. Danny Sullivan acknowledges that in some cases, issues could be on Google’s end rather than the site’s. It’s important for site owners to stay informed about these updates and adapt their strategies accordingly. Regularly reviewing and updating your content to align with the latest best practices can help mitigate the impact of algorithm changes.

Don’t just rely on SEO

Relying solely on Google Search for traffic is not a sustainable strategy. Successful websites attract traffic from a variety of sources, including direct visits, email referrals, links from other sites, and social media mentions.

Diversifying your traffic sources not only helps ensure a steady flow of visitors but also builds resilience against fluctuations in search engine algorithms.

By promoting your content across multiple channels, you can reach a broader audience and reduce dependence on any single source. This multifaceted approach enhances your site’s visibility and can lead to more consistent and reliable traffic growth.

By focusing on these key areas—high-quality content, diversified traffic sources, and building an engaged audience—site owners can improve their chances of success in Google Search. Embracing a long-term, holistic SEO strategy is essential for sustainable growth and visibility.

Google has confirmed that performance data from its new AI Mode will appear in Search Console soon. However, you won’t be able to isolate that data to understand how AI Mode is performing on its own.

What is AI Mode?

AI Mode is part of Google’s growing use of generative AI in search results. Instead of showing traditional blue links right away, AI Mode generates a full answer using AI -pulling together information from various websites.

This can appear as a block of text with links, products, or suggestions before standard search results. It’s designed to give users a fast, direct summary or response and it’s a major shift from how search has worked in the past.

AI Mode was initially tested in Google Labs and has now been rolled out more widely in the US.

What’s happening?

When AI Mode first launched in Google Labs earlier this year, it wasn’t included in Search Console reports. Now that it’s out of Labs, Google plans to include it – but you won’t be able to separate AI Mode traffic from standard search traffic.

Just like with AI Overviews, all data will be lumped into the “Web” search type in your Search Console Performance reports.

What Google has said

Google’s John Mueller confirmed that:

• AI Mode reporting is planned for Search Console
• It will appear as part of the existing “Web” search traffic
• There are no plans for a separate reporting view or API changes

The updated Google help document also confirms that sites appearing in AI Mode and AI Overviews are included in general search performance, not as separate categories.

What about bugs?

There was a bug that initially made AI Mode untrackable, but Google has confirmed this issue was fixed on May 28th. That said, you still won’t be able to isolate or analyse that data separately in your reports.

What about ads?

Google is now testing ads inside AI Mode and AI Overviews. However, advertisers won’t be able to see ad performance data broken out by these AI features. This limits the ability to understand how ads are performing in these new environments.

Despite the emphasis on transparency during Google Marketing Live, this is a clear gap.

Why is AI Mode important for marketers?

AI Mode is expected to reshape how users interact with search results. Instead of browsing multiple websites, users may get what they need from the AI-generated summary – potentially reducing clicks to individual sites.

This matters for both SEO and paid media:

• Organic traffic might drop if AI summaries reduce the need to click
• Featured brands in AI Mode could see a rise in visibility
• Without clear data, it’s hard to optimise for AI-driven search
• Paid media performance is difficult to attribute or assess in this format

In short, AI Mode may change how users engage with your content — but you won’t have the data to adapt your strategy effectively.

Why this matters

AI Mode could significantly shape how people search and how your brand appears in results. But for now, you can’t track AI Mode traffic separately, whether it’s for organic results or paid ads. This makes it harder for digital marketers to:

• Understand where traffic is coming from
• Optimise for AI-generated answers
• Track ad performance in new search formats

What can marketers do?

Unfortunately, not much – yet. While Google may add more reporting in the future, there’s no timeline. For now, all you can do is:

• Keep an eye on general traffic changes in Search Console
• Combine Search Console with Google Analytics to spot shifts
• Continue to give feedback to Google

Many in the industry are pushing for better visibility, but we’re unlikely to see big changes soon.

Since the introduction of AI, the way marketers automate their workflows has changed forever. AI can improve productivity, problem-solving solving and even creativity with industry tools such as ChatGPT and Gemini leading the way in the new age of AI. SEOs can use these latest developments in AI technology to help with time-consuming tasks such as On Page SEO, Technical Audits and Competitor Research.

How has AI impacted SEO?

AI has impacted real-time results with SEO as website links are now getting pushed further down the search engine results page (SERP) for AI-generated responses.

This makes it more important than ever to be ahead of the curve on SEO and stand out from competitors, and the SERP is more competitive than ever. Using AI to your advantage to automate tasks i,s therefore a crucial component of appearing high up in search engine rankings in today’s digital age.

On-Page SEO

On-page SEO is the process of optimising elements of a web page to improve its performance on search engines. AI can help users with on-page SEO, including allowing users to answer any content-related questions to inform them about the content. Written content can also be optimised and summarised with the help of AI. Finally, AI can analyse web pages given a summary of any improvements that can be made in order to enhance a web page.

Technical Audits

A technical audit is a comprehensive review of a site’s SEO capabilities, including site speed, site errors, image optimisation, title, descriptions and more. AI can be used for technical audits, for example,e creating any title tags and meta descriptions in bulk to specification, helping you understand any site speed issues. As well as explaining how to fix technical issues that may be complex or that you have not encountered before, as can be seen below.

Competitive Analysis

Competitive analysis is also another SEO task that can be automated by recent advances in AI technology. These tasks are often time-consuming as multiple websites need to be analysed to make informed decisions on the strengths and weaknesses of competitors. AI tools can analyse the content on websites in a matter of seconds and help users to make quicker decisions on on-page tactics, as well as analyse keywords and content gaps.

AI is here to stay and can be used to automate a number of SEO tasks. The sooner SEOs get to grips with advances in AI the better, as they will be at risk of being left behind by their competitors if they fail to keep up with the latest advancements in AI technology.

Google’s new AI Mode is now live for all users in the U.S. – no special opt-in required. Originally available only through Search Labs (a kind of testing ground for experimental features), it’s now a standard part of Google Search. You’ll find it in a new AI Mode tab just under the search bar on Google.com and in the Google app.

What is AI Mode?

AI Mode is Google’s next step in enhancing how people search. Instead of giving you a list of links, it can break down your query, run multiple related searches in the background, and deliver an in-depth, fully cited response – more like a report than a typical search result. Google says these AI-powered searches are often two to five times longer than standard ones.

New features included in AI Mode

Google has added several powerful tools to AI Mode, some of which are still in beta under Search Labs:

• Deep Search: Offers long-form, research-style answers to complex queries. It automatically pulls together information from hundreds of sources and presents it with citations. Great for marketers researching trends, audiences, or new industries.
• Complex Analysis & Data Visualization: Rolling out soon, this feature uses real-time data to create dynamic charts and visual summaries—especially useful for financial or sports-related searches. You’ll need to opt into this via Search Labs.
• Agent Support (Agentic AI): Google is starting to introduce task-completing agents in AI Mode. For example, if you search for event tickets, it can compare prices and availability across multiple websites and even help pre-fill booking forms—without completing any transactions unless you choose to.
• Shopping Enhancements: AI Mode will soon help with product discovery and checkout by suggesting options based on live availability and pricing.
• Personalised Context: Later this summer, AI Mode will be able to draw from your personal Google services (like Gmail) to tailor results. If you search for “restaurants in Halifax this weekend,” for example, it could suggest places near your hotel or taxi arrival, assuming it can access your relevant bookings. You’ll be able to turn this feature on or off.
• Gemini 2.5: AI Mode is now powered by a custom version of Google’s Gemini 2.5 model, the same technology behind its AI Overviews. This upgrade improves the accuracy, speed, and depth of AI responses.

Why this matters for digital marketers

This is a major shift in how search works. While traditional organic results still matter, AI Mode adds a new layer where Google can summarise content and direct users more efficiently.

Marketers will need to consider:

• Visibility: How do your brand and content appear in AI responses?
• Click-through potential: Will users still click through to your site from these summaries?
• Conversion tracking: Google claims that users who do click through from AI Mode are more engaged and likely to convert. You’ll want to verify that with your own data.

AI Mode might also offer a better experience than the much-criticised AI Overviews, since it’s housed in a separate tab rather than embedded in traditional search results. That gives users more control and clarity.

What’s next?

With AI Mode now live across the U.S., expect more changes to follow. For marketers, it’s a good time to start testing how your content is being handled in AI Mode and see whether it drives traffic and conversions.

At Google Marketing Live 2025, Google unveiled Smart Bidding Exploration, an AI-driven enhancement to its automated bidding platform. This new feature aims to help advertisers capture more conversions by expanding the range of search queries their campaigns can target. By introducing greater flexibility in return-on-ad-spend (ROAS) goals, it empowers marketers to reach potential customers earlier in their journey without sacrificing performance.

Broader Targeting for Early-Stage Customer Intent

Traditionally, Smart Bidding strategies focus on highly specific, high-intent searches such as “mortgage rates” or “best running shoes.” While effective, this approach can overlook broader, exploratory queries like “how to buy a home” or “top sneakers for beginners.” Smart Bidding Exploration addresses this gap by allowing more flexible ROAS targets that enable campaigns to tap into these earlier-stage search intents. This helps marketers attract a wider audience and uncover new demand without needing to overhaul their existing strategies.

Enhanced AI-Driven Discovery

Built on Google’s advanced AI technology, including AI Max, Smart Bidding Exploration actively identifies valuable but previously underutilised search queries. This enables campaigns to expand reach while maintaining efficiency dynamically. Early internal data from Google shows promising results, with an 18% increase in unique converting search categories and a 19% lift in total conversions during the test period.

Implications for Advertisers

This update reflects Google’s ongoing commitment to AI-powered automation in digital advertising. Advertisers can optimise performance by leveraging machine learning to explore new opportunities while reducing manual targeting efforts. For digital marketers, Smart Bidding Exploration represents a significant step toward smarter, more adaptive campaign management that balances growth and efficiency.

Stay Ahead by Monitoring Google Updates

As Google continues to evolve its advertising tools, marketers must stay informed and monitor these changes closely. Regularly reviewing campaign performance and adapting strategies accordingly will ensure you’re maximising the benefits of new features like Smart Bidding Exploration and maintaining the best possible results.

Google has launched a free training course for a Generative AI Certification that allows users to learn how to use all of Google’s AI tools, including Gemini, AI Overviews, Google Lens and more.

What is Generative AI

Generative AI is a type of artificial intelligence that generates new content such as text, video and imagery based on data it has learned. Google has released its own generative AI help assistant Gemini, to combat the growing popularity of other AI tools including ChatGPT, Perplexity and more.

Google Generative AI Course

There has currently been more than one Generative AI course made available. There is an introduction to Generative AI course which is a micro learning course that takes 45 minutes to complete. However, for a full certification users will need to complete the Generative AI Leader course. The Generative AI leader course has 5 different activities:

• GEN AI: Beyond the Chatbot – “Gen AI: Beyond the Chatbot is the first course of the Gen AI Leader learning path and has no prerequisites. This course aims to move beyond the basic understanding of chatbots to explore the true potential of generative AI”

• GEN AI: Unlock Foundational Concepts – “Gen AI: Unlock Foundational Concepts is the second course of the Gen AI Leader learning path. In this course, you unlock the foundational concepts of generative AI by exploring the differences between AI, ML, and gen AI”

• Gen AI: Navigate the Landscape – “Navigate the Landscape is the third course of the Gen AI Leader learning path. Gen AI is changing how we work and interact with the world around us. But as a leader, how can you harness its power…”

• Gen AI Apps: Transform your Work – “Transform Your Work With Gen AI Apps is the fourth course of the Gen AI Leader learning path. This course introduces Google’s gen AI applications, such as Gemini for Workspace and NotebookLM. It guides you through concepts like grounding, retrieval and more.

• Gen AI Agents: Transform Your Organisation – “Gen AI Agents: Transform Your Organization is the fifth and final course of the Gen AI Leader learning path. This course explores how organizations can use custom gen AI agents to help tackle specific business challenges.”

Although the course is free to complete, in order to gain your certification it costs £75 to complete.

Why is this important for Marketers

Digital marketing is an ever evolving landscape and AI is becoming more crucial with each passing year in order for marketers to automate tasks and improve their workflows. Keeping up to date with the latest trends and technologies is important and Google’s latest generative ai training courses are helpful to stay informed.