Surviving the AI Search Shake-Up: What Every SME Must Know

🎙️ Episode Overview

In this episode of the Digital Success for Business Podcast, host Leanne Cohens breaks down the seismic shift in digital marketing triggered by Google’s latest AI-powered updates, revealed at the Google IO 2025 event. From AI Overviews and multi-step queries to sponsored answers and shopping partners, these new features are changing how consumers search, shop, and interact with brands online.

This episode reveals why traditional SEO strategies are becoming obsolete and what SMEs must do to maintain visibility, trust, and traffic. Leanne explores the rise of topical authority, the growing importance of structured data, and how product information, reviews, and visual content are shaping AI-driven search results. You'll also gain insight into how platforms like ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and Google Gemini are influencing user behaviour—and how to ensure your content and ads show up where it matters most.

✅ What You’ll Learn / Key Takeaways

• Why Google’s new AI Overviews are reducing traditional click-throughs and what it means for SEO

• How to structure your content for AI tools to pick up and prioritise

• The rise of topical authority and how to build it across your site

• Why product data, media assets, and reviews now influence ad visibility and organic reach

• What platforms like ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and Google Gemini mean for your digital presence

• How to adapt your Google Ads and website content to align with AI search expectations

🔑 Key Quotes

“If you're not helping AI help you—you're invisible.”
“Ranking for keywords isn’t enough anymore. You need to be the brand AI trusts.”
“Search is no longer about clicks, it's about context, quality, and relevance at scale.”

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction to Google's New AI Search Mode
01:03 – Impact of Google IO 2025 on SEO
01:31 – The Shift to Topical Authority
04:09 – AI's Influence on Google Ads
05:45 – Adapting Your Content for AI
07:18 – The Role of Structured Data and Rich Media
10:12 – The Broader AI Landscape
12:45 – Conclusion and Next Step

Is your SEO strategy future-proof? Learn why AI Overviews, multi-step queries, and AI shopping partners are changing how consumers find and engage with your business.

Discover how to adapt with topical authority, improve your structured content, and optimise your product data and Google Ads for visibility in a world where AI answers come first. Plus, understand the impact of tools like ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and Google Gemini on your online presence.

Whether you're an SME owner, marketer, or agency looking to stay ahead, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help your business stay visible, trusted, and competitive in the AI-first era.

About The Host: Leanne Cohens is the Digital Success Coach and owner of the agency Marketing LEAP. With over 25 years of experience as a marketer and over 30 years as a business owner, Leanne helps entrepreneurs grow their businesses through proven marketing strategies.

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