With Google conducting 90% of all search queries on the internet, ensuring your website is optimized to appear on search results is a foundational part of any digital marketing strategy. Google regularly updates its algorithm to improve user experience and accurately answer a user’s search intent. Google’s sheer dominance in the search engine space makes SEO agencies in Orlando (and around the world) take notice when changes are made. Below, we profile the most significant changes to Google search in 2025 and how they may impact your business.
AI Overviews
This year, the most predominant change in Google Search is the continued improvements to AI Overviews, which debuted in May 2024. These Generative AI-produced information snippets appear in about 47% of all search results and include buttons with source links. Tests indicate that being featured in an AI Overview increases website traffic, although Google doesn’t share individual click data on AI Overviews. Studies also suggest that 75% of AI Overview links come from a given query’s top 12 search results. This means it’s more important than ever to utilize SEO best practices to increase the chances of showing up at the top of the search results.
AI Search
More users are utilizing Generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude to conduct direct searches. AI Search synthesizes the top responses for a single answer using multiple sources. In 2025, more people will likely turn to Generative AI for recommendations and answers to their questions instead of going through a traditional search engine like Google. That’s why partnering with an SEO agency in Orlando is essential to help optimize your website and online presence and increase the likelihood of being recommended for an AI search query.
Crackdown on Site Reputation Abuse
One element of increasing brand recognition to rank well on Google is your brand’s domain authority. Domain authority is a score Google uses to indicate how trusted your brand is across the web. Websites with high domain authority are well-known brands in their area of expertise. Over time, notable companies like Forbes and USA Today took advantage of their high domain authority and established subdomains like “Forbes Advisor,” which were filled with third-party advertorial content. These websites aimed to increase affiliate revenue for a wide range of SEO keywords not affiliated with their primary market, such as “best cockroach removal” and “best air purifiers,” crushing small publishers and brands in the process. Google instituted an algorithm update in late 2024 to crack down on this practice, issuing manual actions (Google’s equivalent of a penalty) to sites. This change is good news for small brands and businesses that share relevant content that is helpful to their audiences.
Online Forums Appear in Search Results
Another big change in Google search results is the increase of online form posts (specifically Reddit) appearing directly on the search results page. In fact, Reddit forum questions appear in 97% of searches for product reviews. The increase appears to be directly related to Google’s agreement with Reddit. To excel in this area, you may want to consider joining relevant subreddits for your target audience and answering user questions to become a trusted source of information.
Southern Cross Media: Digital Marketing and SEO Agency in Orlando
Google made some significant changes in 2024. In 2025, we’ll see these features refined and improved. With all these changes, partnering with an SEO agency in Orlando, like Southern Cross Media LLC is essential to help optimize your website and Google My Business profile for improved ranking. Schedule a consultation online or call us at 407-377-7530 to learn how we can help your business thrive online.
