The Great Google Reset: How AI affects SEO

google ai summary cover imageIf you’ve noticed a drop in your website traffic lately or your once-reliable content just isn’t delivering like it used to, it’s not a coincidence. Something big is changing behind the scenes,  and it’s not your fault, but you should be aware of how ai affects SEO.

Google’s rolled out what many are calling the Great Google Reset. This isn’t just another algorithm tweak or core update. It’s a fundamental change to how search works, who gets seen, and how content is being served to you and your potential customers.

Here’s what’s happening, what it means, and how you can adapt.

So what exactly is the Great Google Reset, and what’s really changed?

In short: Google is now using AI to answer people’s search queries before they even click on a website.

Instead of just serving up a list of links, Google’s rolling out something called the Search Generative Experience (SGE), which is a system that pulls together summaries from multiple sources to create a single, AI-generated answer right at the top of the page.

Which means:

  • Fewer people are even scrolling beyond the SGE
  • Fewer people are clicking through to your website
  • Less space on page one for organic listings
  • More competition from AI summaries, ads, videos, and snippets

Let’s break it down further.

 

What’s shifting in search?

1. AI Overviews + Search Generative Experience (SGE)

Google now pulls information from across the web to generate an AI-written summary for most queries. These answers sit above the traditional search results, meaning users often find what they need without ever leaving Google.

So; Less real estate for traditional blog posts. Informational content gets buried unless it’s truly unique or offers something AI can’t.

 

2. Shrinking organic listings

What used to be ten clickable links on page one is now closer to four or five, and they’re surrounded by:

  • Paid ads
  • Featured snippets
  • “People Also Ask” sections
  • AI-generated content
  • Videos, images, and carousels

So; Even top-ranking content is seeing less traffic. To earn clicks, content now needs to be hyper-relevant and impossible to summarise in a few lines.

 

3. E-E-A-T is now essential

Google’s leaning harder into its quality signals: Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. If your content reads like a surface-level opinion or lacks personal credibility, it won’t rank.

So; Keyword-stuffing is out. Real, lived experience and deep knowledge are in.

 

How will ai affect my SEO & Will Search Kill My Website Traffic?

Short answer? It might take a hit, yes, especially if you’re relying on Google to send a steady stream of eyeballs to your content.

With AI Overviews popping up at the top of search results, users are getting their answers without needing to click through to your site. And let’s be honest, if Google’s already serving up the answer, most people aren’t going to scroll down to find more.

This is especially true for quick, info-style searches. Think “what is X” or “how to do Y”, those are exactly the kind of questions AI loves to answer without anyone ever leaving the search page.

But it’s not all doom and gloom. Your content can still shine, especially if it’s helpful, original, and clearly written for real humans. Google’s not throwing SEO out the window, it’s just shifting the focus.

What matters more now is how relevant your content is, how well it fits the context of what someone’s searching for, and whether it actually helps someone. This is where your unique experience and perspective give you an edge.

Hey V.A google ai summarySo, what can you actually do about it?

This shift doesn’t mean SEO is dead. But the rules of the game have changed, and your content strategy needs to evolve with it.

Here’s how to stay visible, relevant, and worth clicking on:

1. Write for humans, structure for AI

Start by being genuinely helpful. Share what you know from experience — what clients ask, what you see behind the scenes, what’s worked and what hasn’t.

Then, help Google understand it:

  • Use clear H1s, H2s, and paragraph structure
  • Add FAQ sections where it makes sense
  • Include schema markup and an author bio
  • Optimise meta titles and descriptions (not just for robots, but for click-throughs)

 

2. Say things only you can say

Your voice matters more than ever. Create content that AI can’t copy — things like:

  • Personal case studies
  • Lessons you’ve learned the hard way
  • Your own frameworks or methods
  • Hot takes or niche insights
  • This kind of content builds trust and protects you from getting lost in the noise.

 

3. Be the brand they search for

Here’s the secret no one talks about: if someone Googles your name or your business, you win! every time!

That’s why building brand awareness matters:

  • Use your email list
  • Show up regularly on social media
  • Say something worth remembering
  • Create content that people want to share
  • Don’t just optimise for keywords, make people want to find you by name.

 

4. Repurpose with purpose

If you’re only publishing blog posts, you’re missing huge SEO opportunities. Every format gives Google another way to rank your content.

Turn one great piece of content into:

  • A YouTube video
  • A podcast segment
  • A LinkedIn article
  • A carousel on Instagram
  • A “People Also Ask” style FAQ
  • A quote graphic for Pinterest
  • More formats = more visibility = more ways to connect.

 

5. Double down on local and niche content

If you’re a service-based business or serve a specific industry, this is still a major SEO win. Keep investing in:

  • Location-specific landing pages
  • Google Business Profile updates
  • Testimonials and reviews
  • Community engagement
  • Content that speaks to your people
  • General content is getting absorbed by AI — specific content still stands out.

Neil Patel has been laying it out very clearly, and he’s all over it. This isn’t a prediction anymore. It’s happening. And here’s what else you need to know:

  • Deep search queries are disappearing from traditional SEO. Google’s now handling complex questions and multi-step queries through AI. If you’re still only optimising for single keywords, you’re falling behind.

  • Organic visibility is being replaced by contextual ads inside AI summaries. That means businesses that don’t align their content strategy with Google’s sponsored placements are going to lose out.

  • Product searches are shifting to AI-powered shopping experiences like virtual try-ons and shopping partners. You’ve got bad product data and low-quality images? You’re being skipped over entirely.

  • Google’s AI Ultra subscription, at AU$350/month, is already in testing. Early adopters get access to experimental features you won’t see out in the wild yet—getting ahead in SEO before the rest even knows what happened.

 

 

How to adjust your SEO and content strategy

  1. Focus on topic-level authority, not just keywords
    Create long-form content that goes in-depth on a topic. Cover questions before the user even knows to ask them. Help both readers and AI like Google understand you’re the real expert.

  2. Add Multimedia
    Visuals are a brilliant way to enhance your content. AI Overviews can understand text, images, videos, and voice. Create and add custom media to your content to enhance its visibility and appear in search results.

  3. Structure for featured snippets
    Increase the likelihood of a feature by organising your content with a clear structure. Prioritise the use of headings, subheadings, and bulleted lists. Add useful (and relevant) photos, graphs, and videos to complement your content.

  4. Lean into experience-based storytelling
    Share what you’ve actually done. Include case studies, behind-the-scenes stories, your methods, and your mistakes. This is the original content AI can’t summarise.

  5. Build brand searches
    Make sure your strategies encompass attention beyond Google. Email, podcast, social media – they all help people search for your name instead of a generic phrase.

  6. Plan for those AI-sponsored placements
    Create content that aligns with Google’s messaging and marketing formats. Optimise product pages and landing pages so they can slot into AI Overviews with sponsored placements.

  7. Invest in AI-ready product data
    Utilise high-quality images, detailed descriptions, and structured product information to increase visibility in AI shopping tools and new virtual try-on experiences.

  8. Continue local and niche focus.
    If you serve a specific area or market, continue to refine local content, review pages, and community-focused copy. With AI handling broad queries, niche content is how you stay visible.

Traditional SEO is changing. Mobile-first, keywords, regular blog posts, they’re still part of the mix. But now your content also needs to:

  • Be deeply useful
  • Show who you are and what makes your business unique
  • Be optimised for AI and brand visibility, not just search rankings

We’re already uncovering the AI effects on SEO, rewriting content for impact, and building brand visibility across email, blog, socials, and search.

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