The Truth About Your Dropping Organic Traffic
If You’ve Seen a Drop in Organic Traffic, You’re Not Alone. Here’s Why.
Over the past few months, we've noticed a dip in organic traffic across multiple client accounts. This isn't a coincidence—it’s part of a massive shift in search behavior driven by Google’s AI, Gemini, and changes in how people search for information.
But before you panic, know this:
👉 We’ve already pivoted your strategy to ensure you’re ahead of the game.
Let’s break down what’s happening, why it matters, and how we’re turning this challenge into an opportunity.
What’s Going On With Search?
Search isn’t just changing—it’s fragmenting.
Google’s dominance in search results is being challenged on multiple fronts:
AI Search Results Are Taking Over → Google Gemini is answering user queries directly, reducing the need for clicks.
Social Search is Growing → TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube are now primary search engines for younger demographics.
People Are Searching in More Places → Reddit, Quora, and Amazon are eating into Google’s search volume.
The result? Your website is competing against AI summaries, social media, and forums—not just other websites.
Google’s Gemini is Stealing Your Clicks
One of the biggest traffic killers right now is Google’s AI-driven Gemini integration in search results.
Here’s what we’re seeing in SEMRush data:
AI Search results skyrocketed in February 2025.
Discovery-based searches are hit hardest. (Think: "best hiking boots" or "how to plan a trip to Hawaii"—Google now answers these directly in search results.)
Transactional searches are less affected. (Google still needs to send people somewhere to buy.)
Long-tail keywords are safer from AI cannibalization.
🔎 The takeaway? Broad search terms are losing organic traffic, but niche, transactional keywords still convert.
How AI is Changing the Search Funnel (And What You Can Do About It)
Google’s AI-driven search isn’t just about answering quick questions—it’s fundamentally shifting how people interact with search.
Here's what’s happening:
AI search is good at answering general knowledge questions → People no longer need to visit sites for “What is SEO?”-type queries.
AI is weak at providing in-depth, experience-based answers → First-hand product reviews, case studies, and expert opinions still get clicks.
Google wants to keep users on Google → But it can’t replace interactive content, video, or real customer discussions.
🚀 What to do:
Create content AI can’t steal. Share unique insights, customer testimonials, and personal experiences.
Optimize for AI search visibility. Use structured data and clear, AI-friendly formatting so your content is featured in Google’s AI-generated summaries.
The Role of Video Search in the New SEO Landscape
AI is eating up traditional search, but video search is thriving. Why? Because:
Google prioritizes video content in search results.
YouTube is the second-largest search engine in the world.
TikTok’s search traffic is exploding, especially among younger users.
💡 How to leverage this:
Turn your high-performing blog posts into videos.
Optimize video descriptions & captions with SEO-friendly keywords.
Use video SEO techniques like timestamps and keyword tagging.
If you’re not doing video yet, now is the time.
How AI Search is Actually an Opportunity (Not Just a Threat)
Let’s flip the script: Instead of fearing AI, let’s use it to our advantage.
🔹 How to structure content so AI pulls from your site:
Use FAQ sections that AI can easily extract answers from.
Implement schema markup to help Google understand your content better.
Focus on clear, structured answers that AI can feature.
🔹 Leverage AI-driven search trends to your advantage:
Target long-tail transactional queries that AI doesn’t summarize as often.
Write content that feeds AI summaries but leaves users wanting more (so they click through!).
🚀 The key takeaway? AI isn’t the enemy—it’s just changing the game. Adapt, and you win.
PPC Adjustments: If Organic Traffic is Down, Where Should You Invest?
If Google’s organic CTR is dropping, should you be shifting more budget to paid search?
✅ Yes—but do it strategically.
If your top-ranking pages are losing traffic, test Google Ads for those keywords.
Shift some spend to YouTube Ads to capitalize on video search.
Test TikTok & Meta Ads for discovery-based queries where organic reach is declining.
You don’t have to rely only on Google organic—diversifying your traffic sources is the future.
The New SEO Playbook: Long-Tail + Transactional Wins the Game
We’ve analyzed the impact of AI on search and are adjusting strategies accordingly.
Here’s the tactical shift we’re making for you:
✅ Focusing on long-tail transactional content.
→ AI is less likely to steal niche, purchase-ready queries (e.g., "best trail running shoes for wide feet" vs. "best running shoes").
✅ Doubling down on high-intent keywords.
→ Instead of ranking for "best surfboards," we’re optimizing for "best 6’2 shortboard for small waves."
✅ Creating content that AI can’t replace.
→ First-hand experiences, in-depth reviews, and expert opinions that Google AI can’t just summarize.
✅ Expanding search presence beyond Google.
→ We’re optimizing for TikTok SEO, YouTube, and social-driven discovery.
What This Means For You (And Why You’re Still in Good Hands)
Yes, Google organic traffic is shifting.
Yes, AI search is taking a big chunk of broad search terms.
But here’s the good news:
💡 We’ve already pivoted your SEO strategy. You’re not losing traffic—you’re gaining higher-quality traffic that actually converts.
👉 SEO isn’t about chasing clicks anymore. It’s about attracting the right audience and guiding them to take action.
We’re ahead of the curve, and your content strategy is built for where search is going—not where it used to be.
Want to dive deeper into your SEO performance? Let’s set up a quick call to review your data and next steps.
- Your Marketing Team 🚀