The future of SEO is undergoing a seismic shift, with data from 100,000 websites revealing that traditional search engine strategies no longer dominate the digital landscape. As we explore the current SEO trends and the evolving SEO industry, it’s clear that search behavior has fundamentally transformed. This is evidently shown by the 31% of users now turning to social media platforms rather than Google for their information needs. Additionally, AI tools currently account for 12% of all search activity, signaling a significant departure from conventional search patterns.
This comprehensive analysis of search data uncovers several game-changing trends in SEO that will reshape practices by 2025. While Google remains important, the rise of platform-specific search optimization across TikTok, YouTube, Reddit, LinkedIn, and Instagram demands a completely different approach. Furthermore, the emergence of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) and AI SEO presents both challenges and opportunities for content creators and digital marketing professionals. Consequently, businesses that fail to adapt their SEO strategies to these evolving search ecosystems will likely experience declining visibility and engagement in the coming years.
Search Behavior Trends from 100,000 Websites
Data from across the digital landscape reveals a profound transformation in how people find information online. Traditional search engines no longer monopolize the discovery process as users increasingly adopt a multi-platform approach to satisfy their information needs.
Shift from Google to Multi-Platform Discovery
For the first time since 2015, Google’s global search market share has dropped below 90%, signaling a significant shift in search behavior. This decline reflects a broader trend toward diversified search strategies, with users now turning to specialized platforms based on their specific query types and personal preferences. The days of relying solely on a single search engine are fading. Instead, users distribute their search activities across multiple channels, creating a more complex and fragmented search ecosystem.
This evolution stems primarily from a growing demand for convenience, immediacy, and personalization that traditional search engines struggle to provide consistently. Search behavior in 2025 varies markedly depending on the type of information being sought. For general information queries, traditional search engines remain dominant, with 79.8% of users preferring these platforms. However, when looking for products, restaurant recommendations, or visual content, users increasingly turn to alternative platforms, highlighting the importance of multi-channel optimization in modern SEO strategies.
31% of Users Now Use Social Media for Search
Social media has emerged as a formidable player in the search landscape. According to recent data, approximately 24% of consumers use social media as their primary search engine, with this figure rising to an impressive 31% when including occasional social search users. The generational divide in this trend is particularly striking:
- 46% of Generation Z prefer social media over traditional search engines
- 35% of millennials favor social platforms for search
- Gen Z is 25% less likely to use Google compared to Gen X
Platform preferences show clear patterns based on content type. TikTok excels for discovering trends and product recommendations, with 40% of Gen Z preferring it over Google for topics like hair, makeup, and gift ideas. Instagram attracts fashion-related searches, while Reddit hosts in-depth discussions that create trust and authenticity traditional search engines often lack.
Social platforms have redefined search by offering real-time content, community-driven insights, and visually rich experiences. This shift is particularly noticeable in mobile search behavior, where 33% of respondents access the internet exclusively on their cellphones – a percentage that increases to 40% among Gen Z.
AI Tools Account for 12% of Search Behavior
Perhaps most notably, AI-powered search tools have gained substantial traction. Recent data indicates that AI tools now account for approximately 12% of all search behavior, with adoption rates climbing steadily. Trust in AI search technology has reached surprisingly high levels. Nearly 79% of Americans trust AI search engines, and 77% trust AI chatbots – nearly matching trust levels for established platforms like Amazon (87%), Google (86%), and YouTube (86%).
This growing confidence is accelerating the shift toward AI-assisted discovery. Usage patterns reveal that 71.5% of respondents now use AI tools like ChatGPT for at least some of their searches. However, most users employ these tools as complements to, not replacements for, traditional search engines. The data shows varying preferences based on query complexity:
- For simple information, 47% use search engines, while 28% opt for AI chatbots and 23% for AI search
- For complex information, traditional search engines drop to 36%, with 27% choosing AI chatbots and 21% selecting AI search
This evolving search landscape presents significant challenges for businesses accustomed to Google-centric SEO strategies. Success now requires understanding and adapting to diverse algorithms across multiple platforms, each with unique requirements and user expectations. The integration of AI in SEO and the rise of AI-powered tools are reshaping the industry, making it crucial for marketers to stay ahead of these trends.
Zero-Click Search and AI Overviews Impact
Zero-click searches have emerged as a critical factor reshaping SEO strategies, with AI-generated summaries fundamentally altering how users interact with search results pages. Recent data shows that nearly 60% of Google searches now end without a click as users obtain information directly from the search results page. This phenomenon has accelerated dramatically with the introduction of AI Overviews, creating both challenges and opportunities for digital marketers.
AI Overviews in Google SERPs Since May 2024
In May 2024, Google officially began rolling out AI Overviews to users in the United States, with plans to expand to over a billion people by the end of that year. Initially appearing for just 10,000 keywords in August 2024, AI Overviews expanded to over 172,000 keywords by May 2025 following Google’s March core update. These AI-generated summaries provide instant answers by combining information from multiple sources, effectively creating comprehensive responses directly on the search results page.
Google’s internal data suggests that users with access to AI Overviews search more frequently and report higher satisfaction with their results. Moreover, the company claims that links included in AI Overviews receive more clicks than traditional web listings for the same queries. Nevertheless, the overall impact on organic traffic tells a different story. AI Overviews occupy prime real estate on SERPs—especially on mobile devices where they often fill the entire first screen—pushing traditional organic results further down the page.
Reddit and Quora as Primary Sources in AI Summaries
Perhaps the most striking revelation about AI Overviews is which sources they prioritize. Analytics firm Semrush discovered that Reddit is the second most-cited website in Google AI Overviews, with Quora taking the top position. Fresh data from Profound reveals that Google’s AI Overviews pull 21% of citations from Reddit, 18.8% from YouTube, and 14.3% from Quora. This preference for user-generated content platforms represents a significant shift in how information is valued and distributed online.
As one analysis notes, “Quora and Reddit users often ask and answer niche questions that aren’t addressed elsewhere, making them rich information sources for highly specific AI prompts”. The dominance of these platforms in AI-generated responses has substantial implications for brands. Corporate websites are mentioned only 9% of the time in AI-generated responses, with the remaining 91% of citations coming from third-party sources. Companies that invested years building domain authority for traditional SEO now find themselves largely invisible in AI search results, whereas platforms aggregating user discussions have become primary information sources.
Drop in Organic Clicks: -9% YoY on Desktop
The rise of zero-click searches and AI Overviews has directly impacted organic traffic patterns. According to data from Datos and SparkToro, organic clicks on desktop have declined significantly year-over-year. In March 2025, only 40.3% of U.S. Google searchers clicked on an organic result, down from 44.2% the previous year—representing a 9% drop. The situation is similar in European markets, where 43.5% of EU/UK Google searchers clicked on an organic result in March 2025 versus 47.10% in March 2024.
Simultaneously, zero-click searches increased from 24.4% to 27.2% in the U.S. and from 23.6% to 26.10% in the EU/UK during the same period. The impact is even more dramatic when AI Overviews appear in results. GrowthSRC Media found that click-through rates for Google’s top-ranking result have declined from 28% to 19%—a 32% drop correlating with the expansion of AI Overviews. For major publishers like MailOnline, the presence of AI Overviews reduces CTRs from 13% to less than 5% on desktop and from 20% to 7% on mobile.
Despite these challenges, citations within AI Overviews can drive qualified traffic. Brands appearing in AI Overview citations may experience increased brand awareness and traffic because they’re recognized as authority domains. Indeed, Bain‘s research indicates that about 80% of consumers now rely on ‘zero-click’ results in at least 40% of their searches, reducing organic web traffic by an estimated 15% to 25%.
Platform-Specific SEO Insights from the Dataset
Platform-specific search behavior has become essential to SEO strategy as users increasingly rely on specialized platforms for their unique search needs. Our dataset from 100,000 websites reveals important patterns that demand targeted optimization approaches across various digital marketing channels.
TikTok Search Trends and Keyword Discovery
TikTok’s search functionality has evolved into a powerful discovery engine, primarily through voice-over, text overlay, and ad text components. Keywords extracted from these elements drive content visibility. For maximum discoverability, content creators should place keywords in the first 5 seconds of videos, as TikTok prioritizes this placement over captions or engagement metrics. Successful keyword targeting requires utilizing tools like TikTok’s Creative Center and Keyword Tool, which reveal both high-volume terms and niche long-tail keywords.
YouTube Visibility and Video Schema Usage
Though details on YouTube schema usage were limited in the dataset, the platform remains crucial for search visibility. Video schema markup has become increasingly vital for ensuring content appears in rich results across search engines, thus driving both direct platform traffic and cross-platform discovery. This technical SEO approach enhances the chances of videos appearing in featured snippets and other prominent SERP features.
Reddit’s 500% Traffic Growth Since 2022
Reddit has experienced extraordinary growth, with traffic increasing 500% since 2022. The platform now hosts 110.4 million daily active users and 416.4 million weekly active users. This surge correlates with Reddit becoming the second most-cited website in Google’s AI Overviews. With over 100,000 active subreddits, Reddit’s community-driven content has established it as a primary source for authentic discussions that search engines increasingly prioritize.
LinkedIn as a B2B SEO Channel
LinkedIn dominates B2B social media marketing, with 87% of survey respondents maintaining paid relationships with the platform—more than twice the number of those using Facebook. Its professional network design provides unique access to B2B buyers, making it the unrivaled leader for business-focused content distribution. Content visibility on LinkedIn increases significantly when profiles are complete and active, with such pages receiving 5x more pageviews than incomplete ones.
Instagram Alt Text and Location Tag Optimization
Instagram’s algorithm now incorporates alt text as a key relevance signal, allowing users to search by keywords to find content. The platform limits alt text to 100 characters, making concise yet descriptive text essential. Adding location tags further enhances discoverability, as Instagram’s SEO capabilities leverage multiple factors—including captions, content type, and posting date—to determine search visibility.
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) Best Practices
Optimizing content for AI-powered search requires a fundamental shift in how we structure and present information. As generative AI continues to reshape the search landscape, understanding the mechanics of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) has become essential for maintaining visibility in the evolving world of SEO with AI.
Structuring Content for AI Ingestion
AI models process information differently than humans, primarily seeking clear patterns and consistent formatting. Structured content significantly improves an AI’s ability to understand context and relationships between different content elements. For optimal AI ingestion, content should be organized into self-contained topics with logical heading hierarchies. Each paragraph should communicate a single idea clearly, as walls of text increase the likelihood that an AI model will extract incorrect information.
Essentially, content should be “pre-chunked” with bulleted lists, tables, and focused paragraphs that make segmentation straightforward for AI systems. This approach not only benefits AI comprehension but also enhances user experience and readability, which are crucial factors in modern SEO and content strategy.
Prompt Injection Using H2/H3 Formatting
Headings serve as semantic cues that help AI models understand content hierarchy and relationships. Using a clear H1-H2-H3 structure creates a blueprint for comprehension. Alongside standard formatting, strategic cues like “Step 1,” “Key takeaway,” or “In summary” help AI identify the purpose of each passage. Yet prompt injection goes beyond structural elements—it involves front-loading key insights since AI tends to prioritize information appearing early in content.
Uniquely, this approach aligns with how Large Language Models (LLMs) process information sequentially, creating natural injection points for emphasis. By optimizing content structure for both AI and human readers, marketers can improve their chances of appearing in AI-generated responses and featured snippets.
Schema Markup for AI Visibility
Schema markup provides critical context that helps AI tools understand website content. For maximum AI visibility, focus on implementing these schema types:
- Organization schema that establishes brand identity and connects to trusted platforms
- FAQ schema for answering common user questions directly
- HowTo schema for instructional content
- Article/BlogPosting schema to identify content types properly
Despite not being required for AI comprehension, schema markup significantly enhances how machines interpret web content, making it 32.5% more likely to be cited by LLMs. This technical SEO approach can give content a competitive edge in both traditional and AI-powered search results.
Citation Loops and Attribution Strategy
Proper attribution represents both an ethical practice and a technical requirement for AI-friendly content. When using external sources, follow the TASL framework—Title, Author, Source, and License. This approach creates citation loops that strengthen content authority and credibility. For text attribution, clearly indicate the source of borrowed content, including any adaptations.
Subsequently, adding structured citations supports the scholarly conversation while providing AI models with clear signals about information provenance. This strategy ultimately improves the likelihood of your content being selected as a relevant source in AI-generated responses, enhancing your overall SEO performance.
Brand Visibility and E-E-A-T Signals in 2025
E-E-A-T signals have emerged as the cornerstone of brand visibility strategies, primarily as AI systems reshape how content is discovered and evaluated. Understanding these signals offers valuable insights for maintaining visibility in an increasingly AI-driven search ecosystem and adapting to new SEO trends.
Unlinked Brand Mentions in AI Summaries
Unlinked brand mentions now hold unprecedented value in AI-generated content. Remarkably, up to 90% of citations driving brand visibility in large language models come from earned media. Unlike traditional search crawlers, LLMs don’t prioritize backlinks when generating responses; henceforth, reputation, context, and mention frequency carry substantial weight. This shift transforms PR from mere link building to strategic narrative-building across authoritative platforms that shape AI knowledge bases.
Branded Search Volume as a Visibility Metric
Branded search volume—the frequency people search specifically for your brand name—serves as a direct indicator of brand recall and recognition. This metric reflects brand awareness through direct search traffic. Advantageously, branded keywords typically yield higher click-through rates plus lower costs-per-click, making them exceptionally valuable for measuring marketing effectiveness. Monitoring and optimizing for branded search can significantly impact your overall SEO and digital marketing performance.
Author Profiles and sameAs Schema Usage
The sameAs Schema property connects various online profiles to a central entity, creating a digital fingerprint that strengthens E-E-A-T signals. This structured data helps search engines recognize that different URLs represent the same entity, potentially boosting search rankings by establishing trustworthiness and relevance. Implementing sameAs schema for author profiles can enhance the credibility of your content and improve its chances of appearing in AI-generated summaries.
Trustworthiness as the Top E-E-A-T Factor
Although all E-E-A-T components matter, Google explicitly identifies trust as the most critical element: “Untrustworthy pages have low E-E-A-T no matter how Experienced, Expert, or Authoritative they may seem”. Core trust factors include transparent contact information, secure websites, well-researched content with citations, and ethical business practices. Focusing on building trust through high-quality, accurate content and transparent practices is crucial for long-term SEO success.
Conclusion
The search landscape stands at a critical inflection point as we approach 2025. Traditional Google-centric strategies no longer suffice in an ecosystem where 31% of users turn to social media for information, and AI tools account for 12% of all search activity. Consequently, businesses must adapt their SEO approaches to survive and thrive in this new era of digital marketing.
This massive dataset from 100,000 websites clearly demonstrates that search has become fundamentally platform-specific. TikTok demands front-loaded keywords, Reddit continues its explosive 500% traffic growth since 2022, while LinkedIn remains the undisputed B2B channel. Therefore, successful digital strategies now require tailored optimization for each platform rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
Zero-click searches present perhaps the most significant challenge, with nearly 60% of Google searches ending without a website visit. AI Overviews have accelerated this trend, causing organic click rates to drop 9% year-over-year on desktop. Meanwhile, user-generated content sites like Reddit and Quora have emerged as primary information sources for these AI summaries, reshaping which websites receive visibility.
Generative Engine Optimization has thus become essential for modern SEO practitioners. Structured content with clear hierarchies, strategic H2/H3 formatting, comprehensive schema markup, and proper attribution now determines whether AI systems will feature your content. Additionally, E-E-A-T signals—particularly trustworthiness—remain paramount for visibility across both traditional and AI-powered search.
The future of SEO belongs to brands that recognize search as a fragmented ecosystem rather than a single-channel endeavor. Companies must distribute their optimization efforts across multiple platforms, structure content for both human and AI consumption, and build genuine trustworthiness through transparent practices. Those who adapt quickly to these evolving realities will capture visibility and engagement, while others risk fading into digital obscurity as the multi-platform, AI-augmented search revolution accelerates.
As we look ahead to 2025 and beyond, it’s clear that the SEO industry will continue to evolve rapidly. Embracing new SEO technologies, focusing on user experience, and staying attuned to emerging trends in AI and machine learning will be crucial for maintaining a competitive edge. By combining traditional SEO best practices with innovative approaches to AI SEO and content optimization, businesses can navigate the changing landscape and ensure their online presence remains strong in the face of these transformative shifts in search behavior.