Tag: AI

  • AI Dominance in Black Friday Shopping Unveiled

    AI Dominance in Black Friday Shopping Unveiled

    This past Black Friday and Cyber Monday, I delved into the fascinating insights from our Black Friday Index, crafted from a vast pool of 400 million genuine conversations. It was enlightening to see which brands stood out as AI’s top recommendations, especially as so many of us relied on Answer Engines to hunt down the best deals.

    As I explored the data, the impact of AI on shopping trends became crystal clear. The technology not only streamlined how we search for deals but also influenced brand visibility and consumer choices. The excitement of seeing how AI is reshaping shopping habits made this year’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday particularly intriguing for me.

    The findings from the Black Friday Index are a testament to the growing importance of AI in retail, showing us how indispensable it has become for both consumers and brands. Being part of this evolution makes me look forward to what future shopping events will bring, especially as technology continues to advance.


    Inspired by this post on Try Profound Blog.


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  • Google vs. ChatGPT: A Deep Dive into 2025 Market Trends

    Google vs. ChatGPT: A Deep Dive into 2025 Market Trends

    Last updated: December 19, 2025

    I’ve delved into a fascinating exploration of the U.S. and global market presence of two internet giants: Google and ChatGPT. By leveraging a combination of client analytics, third-party usage data, and anonymized user logs, our team crafted a model to gauge metrics like monthly active users, engagement time, and the share of total digital queries.

    While Google remains the stalwart champion of online search, ChatGPT’s explosive growth has redefined what’s possible in search tasks, especially in areas requiring long-form conversations and creative input.

    This report offers a comprehensive quantitative comparison of these platforms, beginning with an overview of their market shares. As we progress, we’ll examine how usage breaks down by device type, demographic segments, and user intent.

    Google vs ChatGPT Market Share

    The table below details the digital query market shares of Google and ChatGPT by the end of Q4 2025.

    Google vs ChatGPT Market Share – Q4 2025

    PlatformMonthly Active Users (Global)Share of Total Digital QueriesAvg. Session Duration
    Google Search5 billion77.9%6m 12s
    ChatGPT858 million17.1%13m 09s
    Other (e.g., Bing, Perplexity)580 million5.8%4m 33s

    Key Insights:

    • Google continues to lead with nearly 80% of global digital queries.
    • Commanding 17% of the market, ChatGPT is the most formidable competitor Google has seen in over two decades.
    • Gemini’s latest update has positively impacted market retention, signaling resilience in competition.
    • Despite fewer users, ChatGPT’s notably longer session times indicate robust user engagement.

    Google vs ChatGPT Market Share Over Time

    The graph below illustrates the market share trends for Google and ChatGPT from Q1 2023 to Q4 2025.

    Google vs ChatGPT Market Share, Q1 2023 – Q4 2025

    Google Vs Chatgpt Market Share 2023 2025

    However, when focusing solely on transactional searches, Google’s dominance appears less threatened by ChatGPT.

    Google vs ChatGPT Market Share, Transactional Queries Only
    Q1 2023 – Q4 2025

    Google Vs Chatgpt Transactional Market Share 2023 2025

    Market Share by Device Type

    The following table shows the usage of Google and ChatGPT across mobile and desktop platforms, highlighting differing user behaviors.

    ```json
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  "alt": "Line chart comparing Google and ChatGPT competitiveness over time, showing Google's gradual decline and ChatGPT's steady rise.",
  "caption": "A dynamic line chart reveals the shifting tides of competitiveness, with Google experiencing a slow decline and ChatGPT rising steadily.",
  "description": "This line chart visually compares the competitiveness of Google and ChatGPT over several months. The green line represents Google, depicting a slight downward trend. The blue line represents ChatGPT, showing a gradual upward trend. The chart uses dots to mark data points and has a clear legend for differentiation. Ideal for discussions on market trends and technological advancements, it highlights how these platforms evolve over time."
}
```

    Google vs ChatGPT Market Share by Device Type – 2025

    PlatformDesktop Usage ShareMobile Usage Share
    Google Search37%63%
    ChatGPT62%38%

    Research Notes:

    • ChatGPT shows more engagement on desktops, indicating a preference among professionals and researchers.
    • Google’s design appeals to those on mobile, capturing the casual and on-the-go demographic.

    Market Share by Age Group

    Below is a breakdown of market share trends segmented by age group.

    Google vs ChatGPT Market Share by Age Group – 2025

    Age GroupGoogle ShareChatGPT Share
    13–2474%17%
    25–4480%13%
    45–6486%8%
    65+89%5%

    Key Takeaways:

    • Younger audiences lean towards ChatGPT, especially for academic and creative pursuits.
    • As age increases, Google’s usage aligns with more traditional search preferences.

    Market Share by User Intent

    Here’s how digital queries are utilized according to intent.

    Google vs ChatGPT Market Share by User Intent – 2025

    Intent CategoryGoogle ShareChatGPT Share
    Navigational93%3%
    Informational71%23%
    Transactional90%5%
    Generative/Creative29%64%

    Analysis:

    • Google dominates in transactional searches due to rich e-commerce and trusted browsing formats in high-stakes scenarios.
    • ChatGPT excels in creative and generative tasks like storytelling and academic work.

    Requesting a Copy of This Report

    If you’re interested in a PDF version of this report or wish to learn more about what we do, feel free to reach out here.

    Source


    Inspired by this post on First Page Sage Blog.


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  • Master Broad Match: Control Smart Bidding Effectively

    Master Broad Match: Control Smart Bidding Effectively

    I’ve learned that broad match now operates alongside Smart Bidding. It’s fascinating how drift happens, why it’s important, and how to align performance with genuine intent.

    Broad match, once synonymous with “more reach, less relevance,” now depends on a machine learning layer to define relevance.

    Over time, Google has nudged us, the advertisers, towards fewer complexities like fewer match types and more automation.

    Since July 2024, broad match has become the default for new Search campaigns, signaling a shift in how we ought to think about it.

    If you’re stuck in the mindset of broad match being the “loosest match type,” you’re stuck in 2016, and that’s where problems like CPC inflation and irrelevant leads arise.

    Today’s broad match works within a system, collaborating with query matching, Smart Bidding, conversion signals, and optional tools like audiences and negatives.

    Google leverages broad match as a growth mechanism for Smart Bidding campaigns rather than a solitary reach tactic.

    In this article, I explore the changes, Google’s motivations behind them, and safe practices to maintain standards while using broad match.

    The real risk with broad match isn’t relevance, it’s direction

    Broad match tends to drift rather than fail completely.

    With shallow optimization goals, broad match coupled with Smart Bidding can find quick ways to meet them, sometimes resulting in:

    • Queries that trigger cheap forms without real sales potential.
    • Users who convert but never purchase.
    • Leads that look good in Google Ads but don’t end up profitable.

    Even when everything seems fine in the interface, the account might drift away from commercial intent.

    This illustrates why understanding broad match’s current behavior is crucial.

    What broad match actually is now

    Broad match no longer stands alone as a keyword setting but works within a larger optimization system.

    It’s built to work with Smart Bidding

    Google specifies that broad match is intended to run with Smart Bidding, as bidding decisions are now made during auctions using signals like:

    • Device
    • Location
    • Time of day
    • Query context
    • User behavior

    Broad match increases eligible queries. Smart Bidding evaluates which ones merit investment.

    Running broad match without Smart Bidding deviates from its intended design.

    Google has materially improved broad match matching

    Google claims that recent AI enhancements have uplifted broad match campaigns using Smart Bidding by 10%.

    This doesn’t imply broad match is inherently safe, but Google feels its matching layer justifies broader use.

    It’s no longer positioned as optional

    Starting July 2024, new Search campaigns activate broad match by default.

    The campaign-level setting enforces broad match when conversion-based Smart Bidding is active, marking a significant paradigm shift.

    Why Google wants advertisers to adopt broad match

    Google’s rationale is straightforward:

    • Search behavior is increasingly unpredictable and long-tail.
    • Manual keyword lists fail to keep up with language and intent shifts.
    • Machine learning can interpret intent at auction time better than rigid logic.

    Google positions broad match as a growth tool for Smart Bidding campaigns, providing algorithms with more opportunities to optimize for conversions.

    You might not agree with this philosophy, but when advertising on Google Search, you’re part of this system.


    A framework for using broad match without losing control

    Broad match expands your reach. Maintaining control requires thoughtful constraints.

    Conversion goals that reflect quality, not convenience

    Smart Bidding optimizes based on defined conversion actions and values.

    If your primary conversions are low-intent, broad match will scale this low intent.

    Successful setups often include:

    • Optimizing for deeper conversion actions.
    • Applying conversion values to identify lead quality tiers.
    • Importing offline conversions, like qualifying leads or revenue.

    This tackles the issue of associating cheap volume with success.

    Intent filters through audience signals

    Broad match identifies queries. Audience signals dictate ad visibility for those queries.

    Audiences should provide context, not just report data:

    • Customer lists favor known buyers.
    • Remarketing lists for measured expansion.
    • Audience insights to recognize quality-segment correlations.

    Even in observation mode, these signals help verify if broad match growth benefits the right areas.

    Negative keyword structures that scale

    With broad match, negative keywords transform from mere cleanup to structural elements.

    Effective accounts often include:

    • Account-level shared negative lists for terms like jobs, free, definition.
    • Campaign-level exclusions aligned with intent boundaries.
    • Regular search term reviews, crucial early on.

    Broad match naturally explores, while negatives determine its limits.

    Brand controls to protect intent

    Google’s brand controls can substantially reduce unwanted behavior in broad match.

    These controls include:

    These controls are handy when broad match starts overlapping with competitor intent or misaligned searches.

    How broad match succeeds and where it breaks

    A sensible rollout usually includes:

    • Choosing a campaign with effective tracking and enough conversion volume.
    • Aligning Smart Bidding with meaningful outcomes.
    • Launching with predetermined negative keywords.
    • Frequent search terms reviews in the initial month.
    • Verifying lead quality outside Google Ads before scaling.

    Broad match has potential and is beneficial if used wisely. However, it isn’t a simple fix.

    Failures often occur due to three common mistakes:

    • Choosing the wrong conversion to optimize: The algorithm follows your instructions meticulously.
    • Lack of a negative keyword system: Unchecked exploration becomes costly.
    • Judging success solely by platform metrics: CPC and CPA can look good, while revenue declines.

    Broad match is a system, not a setting

    Google favors a systemized approach to Search, moving from simple keyword management to a broader strategy.

    Control isn’t lost, but shifted.

    Successful broad match campaigns are defined by:

    • Clear quality definitions.
    • Deliberate intent constraints.
    • Success measured beyond the interface.

    If used judiciously, broad match can reveal new demand opportunities. Casual use, however, might lead you astray.


    Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.


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  • EU’s Google Probe: Impact on SEO, AI, and Content Rights

    EU’s Google Probe: Impact on SEO, AI, and Content Rights

    I’ve been following the significant regulatory move in which the European Commission launched a formal antitrust investigation into Google.

    At the heart of this issue is Google’s use of publisher content to develop AI Overviews and other generative AI features, potentially diverting traffic from original publishers.

    As someone involved in SEO or content strategy, I’m immediately affected by these developments.

    The question I’m pondering is whether Google is overstepping by using publisher content for AI answers, or if it’s just part of being in an open web environment.

    With regulators stepping in, I’m seeing the industry reevaluate how we use, manage, and value machine-readable content. It raises questions about the cost to brands, publishers, and agencies if regulation doesn’t catch up with innovation.

    Here’s what’s going on, why it’s significant, and how the industry is already responding.

    What’s Actually Happening: Core Allegations in the Complaint

    This move from the EU is unfolding alongside other legal challenges, like those from publishers taking a stand against OpenAI and Penske Media’s recent antitrust suite targeting Google’s AI offerings.

    Many publishers see Google’s actions as a no-choice situation: allow the use of their content for AI, or face losing vital search traffic.

    At the same time, I notice how technical tools like robots.txt, Google-Extended, and new noai/nopreview conventions are reflecting an industry that’s striving to reclaim control.

    The crux of the issue is whether AI training and answer generation stretch the bounds of traditional indexing and require licensing or proper attribution.

    Dig deeper: New web standards could redefine how AI models use your content

    What Does the Complaint Target

    Publishers have seen their traffic drop by 20–50% on informational queries. The complaint highlights three practices:

    • Google’s scraping of publisher content to enhance models like Gemini.
    • A lack of meaningful opt-out options that still preserve search visibility.
    • AI summaries capturing user attention above organic links, thus reducing clicks to the original content.

    Regulators are called to explore three key questions:

    • How Google uses publisher content in model training and grounding.
    • If publishers can meaningfully opt out without losing their search visibility.
    • If AI Overviews enhance Google’s dominance by retaining users within their interface.

    Zero-Click Search Evolution: Is the Market Ready?

    I see this probe as the onset of a post-click era for SEO, shifting the visibility battle from the SERP to the LLM context window.

    The key question on my mind is whether Google is prepared for this transition.

    The zero-click search experience often gets talked about, but for it to be successful for everyone involved, a few things need to happen:

    • Users must find what they need directly on the SERP, within AI Overviews or AI Mode.
    • Google needs to integrate various content types into a coherent experience.
    • Publishers must receive fair compensation for participating in this ecosystem.

    Although Google is moving towards a zero-click model, they’re not yet able to fully support it:

    • Users still face outdated or incorrect answers.
    • Assistive chats remain fragmented and can’t deliver full experiences.
    • Publishers are unsure about compensation for quoted content.

    What is the Opt-Out Version, and How Effective is It?

    Google defends its content repurposing by offering opt-out mechanisms like Google-Extended in robots.txt.

    While Google-Extended can prevent Gemini training, it doesn’t block AI-generated answers from using live data from publisher websites.

    However, opting out of LLM training has its drawbacks:

    • Content may still appear in AI Overviews if it’s already indexed.
    • The process is opt-out rather than opt-in, requiring awareness and action from publishers.
    • No granular control allows for selective blocking between snippets and LLM training.

    Why Opting Out May Be a Bad Idea

    Many publishers are considering opting out of having their content crawled for AI-generated answers.

    Still, as AI answers evolve to become default, relying solely on direct or organic traffic is risky.

    In reality, it creates a lose-lose situation.

    Blocking usage may protect IP but hurts visibility, while staying open compromises control.

    Without regulations, publishers largely have to adapt to the current system.

    Dig deeper: How AI answers are disrupting publisher revenue and advertising


    The Big Debate: ‘Google Doesn’t Owe You’ vs. ‘It’s Not Their Content’

    I often see the assumption that control of web content lies in our hands.

    Yet, without search engines, their reach is quite limited.

    This tension fuels an ongoing debate dividing SEO perspectives.

    On one side is the belief that ‘Google doesn’t owe you anything’.

    • Many argue that the web is open, allowing search engines to crawl freely grants implicit permission for content use.
    • Google facilitates discovery, but clicks or backlinks aren’t guaranteed.

    On the flip side, there’s the perspective that ‘It’s not their content’.

    • Publishers argue against unlicensed use of content for LLM training and AI responses.
    • They see generation without attribution or compensation as disruptive.

    This debate is active across social media and discussion forums.

    Some suggest focusing on generative engine optimization, or GEO, replacing traditional rankings with AI quotes.

    Nonetheless, that approach keeps publishers reliant on Google’s linking decisions.

    In practice, there’s validity to both arguments.

    Yet, the broader trend reveals the trajectory.

    Even if Google faces consequences, search is unlikely to return solely to blue links.

    The zero-click conversion is advancing.

    The Dark Future of a Web Without Unique Content

    Before diving into potential outcomes of the complaint, consider the impact on information itself.

    As creators feel their work is reused without reward, the drive for original content wanes.

    Simultaneously, AI-generated content is growing, often with minimal human input.

    Entire sites now rely heavily on generative systems for content.

    This often involves reworking existing text, with occasional inaccuracies.

    As this cycle continues, the risk is declining informational quality due to a lack of truly fresh inputs.

    The debate over AI training isn’t just about traffic or monetization.

    It questions how the web can sustain unique knowledge creation and why protecting publishers is crucial to prevent information quality degradation.

    What Can Happen if Google Loses

    The traditional Google-publisher agreement was straightforward: “I let you crawl, you give me clicks.”

    Generative AI disrupted this balance.

    If the EU finds Google’s actions anticompetitive, we could witness major shifts:

    • Mandatory opt-out mechanisms: Effective changes could enforce a granular system that protects against AI summaries without sacrificing rankings.
    • The licensing economy: Following the music industry model, licensing could become compulsory, splitting organic search into free and premium sectors.
    • AEO formalization: Attribution could be legally required, turning source citations into a ranking factor.

    Ads and the Shifting Economics of Visibility

    While this primarily concerns AI and content rights, ads still significantly impact SERP dynamics.

    As organic space shrinks due to AI summaries, paid ads remain a strong visibility tool.

    Even if EU pressures curb AI answers, the space for blue links is unlikely to grow.

    The landscape will continue to favor revenue-driven Google products.

    If AI Overviews reduce organic visibility, CPCs could rise, affecting ad positions.

    Whatever the AI outcome, one truth is apparent: the cost of visibility is on the rise.

    How to Adapt Your SEO and Content Strategy

    Before any EU decision, I see top teams already shifting their strategies from merely ranking for keywords to ensuring they are the main entity answer wherever an AI model scans.

    This involves several key actions:

    • Enhancing entity clarity with schema and consistent data for accurate AI association.
    • Auditing brand representation in AI Overviews and tracking emerging visibility KPIs.
    • Reconsidering robots.txt strategies to manage IP protection versus AI visibility.
    • Educating leadership that visibility extends beyond traffic, incorporating citation and AI source value.

    The strategic goal is remaining readable and rights-conscious while ensuring brand presence where AI answers are most trusted.

    Dig deeper: How to build an effective content strategy for 2026


    Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.


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  • Boost Visibility in AI Search with GEO Strategies

    Boost Visibility in AI Search with GEO Strategies

    Ever felt like your organic traffic is dwindling? I assure you, it’s not just in your head. AI Overviews and answer engines are nudging traditional SEO results off the stage.

    For brands to maintain visibility, swift adaptation is key.

    The upside? You don’t have to overhaul your entire SEO strategy. With some intelligent adjustments, you can transition from SEO to GEO, reclaiming your visibility in the AI era.

    GEO, or generative engine optimization, emphasizes entities—like your brand, products, and experts—over mere pages. By amplifying these signals, you boost your chances of appearing in AI-generated answers and conversational search results.

    This switch to GEO is crucial because AI search tools diverge from traditional search engines. Instead of just presenting a list of links, AI delivers comprehensive answers that predict follow-up inquiries and provide context. Users benefit from swift insights, while brands may observe a drop in clicks.

    The demand for organic search remains, though traffic is shifting. As clicks wane, your presence in AI-generated responses becomes increasingly vital.

    What you need to do now

    Moving from SEO to GEO doesn’t mean starting from scratch. Instead, it builds on existing principles, placing more emphasis on structure, clarity, and consistency.

    1. Prioritize E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness)

    AI engines favor content that’s authoritative and signals genuine expertise. Aligning your content with these quality guidelines ensures its likelihood of appearing in AI-generated answers.

    2. Make your content easy for AI crawlers to read

    While Googlebot processes JavaScript efficiently, other AI crawlers might not. Ensure your content is in fully rendered HTML with a clean structure to facilitate easy referencing by AI systems.

    3. Invest in structured data

    Using schema markup, complete metadata, and detailed alt text helps AI models understand and connect your content to the right entities, improving visibility in AI-generated interactions.

    4. Rethink measurement

    Shifting our focus away from traffic as the primary metric, we should now emphasize conversions, deeper funnel impacts, sentiment, and brand visibility within generative search results.

    Want to go deeper?

    Ready to confidently pivot from SEO to GEO? Check out proven best practices, frameworks, and real-world examples on Contentful’s GEO Hub. It’s your essential resource for understanding the shift and staying ahead.


    Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.


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  • Discover the Top Brands Shaping AI Search Visibility

    Discover the Top Brands Shaping AI Search Visibility

    I’m excited to share that Semrush has launched the new AI Visibility Awards, highlighting which brands are excelling in AI-generated search results.

    As AI chatbots increasingly become our go-to for travel plans and product recommendations, I often wonder how we can ensure our brands feature prominently in their answers.

    Semrush seems to have found the solution and has introduced this award program to celebrate the trailblazers in this field.

    The AI Visibility Awards honor brands frequently mentioned and recommended in AI-generated responses, assessed using Semrush’s AI Visibility Index—a dataset crafted from over 2,500 real prompts processed through ChatGPT and Google’s AI Mode.

    Andrew Warden, Semrush’s CMO, notes:

    • “This year marks a turning point in how visibility is achieved. It’s driven by actual user behavior rather than submissions or panels. These awards spotlight those marketers who have mastered AI interaction and earned significant trust inside the answers.”

    What the AI Visibility Awards Measure

    The awards recognize three performer types within four major industries:

    • Category Leaders: Brands with the biggest presence in AI searches
    • Growth Engines: Brands rapidly gaining visibility
    • Challengers: Emerging brands gaining AI traction

    To illustrate, Google tops the Business & Professional Services category, while Rippling stands out as a Challenger. In Consumer Electronics, Samsung leads, with Logitech and Nothing Technology recognized as a Growth Engine and Challenger, respectively.

    Other notable winners include:

    • Microsoft, named Category Leader for Digital Tech & Software
    • UNIQLO as a Growth Engine in Fashion & Apparel
    • Anthropic as a Challenger in Digital Tech & Software

    The award insights reveal some emerging truths about AI-powered discovery:

    • Stability among leaders: Top brands display less than 20% monthly volatility in AI share-of-voice, suggesting AI platforms tend to “lock in” trusted names.
    • Niches break through: Brands with niche relevance—like Patagonia in ethical fashion or Logitech in gaming accessories—prove advantageously positioned.
    • Challengers can compete: Newer players, like Nuuly and Anthropic, gain traction with robust positioning and strategic momentum.
    • Verticals behave differently: While some sectors, such as Business & Professional Services, stay fiercely competitive, others benefit from consistency or unique specialization.

    These awards highlight a significant message for marketers: gaining AI visibility is turning into a crucial part of the competitive landscape. For certain brands, it’s already reshaping strategies.


    Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.


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  • Boost Your Google Citations with AI Fan-Out Strategy

    Boost Your Google Citations with AI Fan-Out Strategy

    Upon evaluating a whopping 10,000 keywords, I’ve discovered an intriguing insight: pages that successfully rank for Google AI Overview ‘fan-out’ queries are significantly more likely to be cited. In fact, they account for more than half of all citations on these platforms.

    From my analysis, it’s clear that pages leveraging these queries dramatically increase their chances of being referenced. As data from Surfer SEO suggests, these pages offer more citation opportunities compared to those focusing solely on the main search query.

    An analysis of these 10,000 keywords revealed a strong correlation—precisely, a Spearman of 0.77—between the volume of fan-out queries a page ranks for and its likelihood of citation in Google’s AI Overviews.

    Diving into the numbers. I found that pages ranking for fan-out queries are 161% more likely to be cited than those ranking exclusively for the main query. Consider this:

    • 76% of the keywords evaluated triggered AI Overviews.
    • Through Gemini, I extracted 33,000 fan-out queries.
    • Pages ranking for both the main query and at least one fan-out constituted 51% of AI Overview citations.
    • In contrast, pages ranking solely for the main query accounted for just under 20%.

    Fan-outs outshine the main query. Recognizing the power of ranking for fan-out queries, I noticed such rankings were 49% more likely to earn citations than merely ranking for the main term. When the AI Overviews chose to reference organic results, here’s what stood out:

    • Approximately 20% of cited pages ranked only for the main query.
    • Conversely, around 30% ranked exclusively for fan-out queries.

    Most AI citations skip top ranks. Fascinatingly, about 68% of cited pages didn’t appear among Google’s top 10 results for either their main or fan-out queries. However, for the top three most prominent citations, this figure dropped to roughly 46%.

    But there’s more. It’s crucial to understand that correlation doesn’t equate to causation. Additionally:

    • Achieving a ranking for fan-out queries alone won’t guarantee an AI Overview citation.
    • User context and personalization affect fan-outs, with only about 27% remaining constant across test runs.
    • Normal SEO practices don’t fully determine citation selection.

    Why this matters to us. If your goal is to be cited in AI Overviews, striving for broader topic authority might be the answer. Surfer SEO advises crafting extensive topical content around core subjects, creating content that naturally responds to a variety of related questions, and allowing AI Overviews to recognize your pertinence across different fan-outs.

    Dive deeper with the report. For more in-depth analysis, check out the full study on Ranking for Multiple Fan-Out Queries Dramatically Increases Your Chances of Getting Cited in AIOs (173,902 URLs Studied).



    Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.


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  • Enhance SEO with AI: Aligning Search Intent Effectively

    Enhance SEO with AI: Aligning Search Intent Effectively

    When I think about improving my website’s visibility, AI comes to mind as a crucial tool. It serves as a second pair of eyes, helping me evaluate intent signals, compare top results, and refocus pages that aren’t performing well.

    Despite having well-written content, excellent layout, and robust backlinks, pages can still underperform in rankings. A frequent culprit is misaligned search intent, which can be more elusive than it seems.

    Focusing on content optimization and usability sometimes makes it easy to overlook or misjudge intent. This is where AI shines as a reviewing tool, effectively steering things back on course.

    Whether I’m working on a new page or revising an existing one, returning to the basics of search intent always sets me up for success.

    Starting with a simple AI prompt to outline likely search intents for a keyword offers a solid framework for content creation or optimization.

    This comprehensive list isn’t something I strive to cover completely on a single page. Instead, it highlights diverse user types, shifts in intent, and needs I might not have initially considered.

    By considering these factors, I aim to create a more useful, well-rounded page that genuinely satisfies user needs.

    Dig deeper: There are more than 4 types of search intent

    Getting the intent right can be challenging. AI tools help me understand what’s already successful by examining top-ranking pages and what they excel at.

    I utilize AI tools for a swift overview of a page’s primary intent. By evaluating this at scale, I can see if top-ranking pages meet the same intent.

    It’s crucial to assess the intent of my page with the same rigor, be it a fresh draft or a page I’m optimizing. If the primary intent aligns with what’s succeeding, it’s a strong starting point. If not, it provides clear direction for improvement.

    Again, consulting AI tools for improvement suggestions can yield valuable insights into refining intent. Key areas to focus on include:

    The language I use can either reinforce or contradict the intended message. For commercial intent, persuasive wording is necessary, while for informational pages, clear and descriptive language is preferred.

    The format of a page can also convey intent. For instance, in a sales page, details like product placement and accompanying information matter greatly. Similarly, guides need clear step-by-step labeling and possibly visual aids.

    Clearly defined calls to action are essential. They align the user’s actions with the page’s intent, enhancing both engagement and ranking potential. Unclear or generalized calls to action dilute this effect.

    Dig deeper: How to master user intent with SEO personas

    Listing accurate pricing, VAT elements, and currency signals is vital in conveying commercial intent. They guide users accurately at critical decision points.

    Availability of support is another crucial factor. I make sure that pre- or post-sale queries can be easily addressed by ensuring my contact details and support options are clearly visible.

    Trust signals, like product guarantees, return policies, and customer reviews, make a big difference in user decisions. Including these details serves to strengthen user trust.

    When clear comparisons are needed, laying out products side by side can assist users in their decision-making process, moving them closer to making a purchase.

    In my experience with working pages centered around user intent, I’ve seen that excess information can sometimes bloat a page.

    Previously, this depth might have worked, but now clarity and a focus on intent are what truly resonate.

    I’ve learned to reassess where content performs best within the user journey, often seeking AI’s guidance to refocus content structure wisely.

    For instance, if I notice my sales page for internal French doors isn’t performing, I consult AI, along with competitor analysis, to uncover key insights.

    Competitors might be focusing on selling first, while my page addresses user concerns, which means I need to reposition my content priorities.

    By reordering sales-driven content and addressing pain points concisely, I better align with user intent, letting supporting pages deal with detailed post-sale information.

    AI isn’t here to replace expertise but to guide my strategic intent, enhancing my understanding of user behavior for better conversion.


    Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.


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  • AI Bots Boom, But Googlebot Still Reigns Supreme in 2025

    AI Bots Boom, But Googlebot Still Reigns Supreme in 2025

    In 2025, Googlebot once again led the charge in generating more web traffic than any other crawler, as revealed in a new report by Cloudflare. Google continued its tireless web crawling for both search indexing and AI training, proving its dominance over other search and AI bots.

    According to the numbers from Cloudflare, Googlebot was responsible for more than 25% of all Verified Bot traffic. In fact, Googlebot alone accounted for 4.5% of all HTML request traffic, which is more than all other AI bots combined at 4.2%.

    The surge in AI “user action” crawling, which is when bots simulate human behavior, saw an impressive 15x increase year over year. Despite the rise in AI crawlers, Googlebot still had a crawl volume that eclipsed every other AI bot, including those from OpenAI, Anthropic, and Meta.

    In the world of AI crawlers, they were the most frequently disallowed in robots.txt files. Moreover, Anthropic notably had the highest crawl-to-refer ratio among major AI and search platforms, crawling much more content than it returned as traffic. Early in the year, this ratio hit ~500,000:1, before settling between ~25,000:1 and ~100,000:1 after May, as compared to OpenAI’s peak at ~3,700:1 in March and Perplexity’s lowest among major platforms.

    Diverse search platforms exhibited different behaviors. Microsoft’s ratio oscillated between ~50:1 and ~70:1, with a notable weekly cycle. Google’s ratio climbed from just over ~3:1 to ~30:1 by April, dropped to ~3:1 by mid-July, then gradually increased again. Meanwhile, DuckDuckGo stayed below 1:1 until jumping to ~1.5:1 in mid-October.

    Despite these changes, Google maintained its monopoly in search, delivering almost 90% of search engine referral traffic. Bing, Yandex, Baidu, and DuckDuckGo completed the top five, but their shares were significantly smaller.

    Throughout the year, very little shift occurred; Google remained dominant as Yandex’s share dipped from 2.5% to 1.5%, and Baidu experienced a modest rise from 0.9% to 1.6%.

    I found the full report quite insightful. If you’re interested in exploring it yourself, you can check out The 2025 Cloudflare Radar Year in Review for comprehensive insights on AI, post-quantum advancements, and notable DDoS attack trends.


    Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.


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  • Experience AI Revolution: Google Unveils Gemini 3 Flash in Search

    Experience AI Revolution: Google Unveils Gemini 3 Flash in Search

    I’ve just learned that Google is rolling out the new Gemini 3 Flash as the default AI Mode in Search globally, and I couldn’t be more intrigued. This update promises to supercharge our search experience with faster and smarter answers, elevating the way we approach complex questions and planning tasks.

    The significance of this update lies in Google’s shift towards an AI-first approach in search. By integrating AI Mode more deeply, it’s possible that we’ll see more direct answers to our queries, potentially diminishing reliance on traditional search result listings. The enhanced reasoning capabilities mean I can expect this new AI Mode to tackle tasks involving comparisons and multi-step inquiries even more efficiently.

    So, what’s exactly changing? Google has now equipped AI Mode in Search globally with the power of Gemini 3 Flash, phasing out older Flash-class models. This transition results in AI Mode responses that offer Gemini 3-level reasoning, improved speed, and lower latency.

    Here’s what AI Mode actually does according to Google’s announcement:

    – It breaks complex queries into manageable parts.

    – Real-time information and links are effortlessly pulled from across the web.

    – Answers are presented in a visually organized and structured manner.

    – It handles multi-step tasks efficiently, like trip planning or learning intricate topics.

    Tulsee Doshi, Google’s senior director of product management, mentioned in a blog post how Gemini 3 Flash leverages enhancements in reasoning capabilities. By considering each facet of our queries, it’s designed to deliver thoughtful and comprehensive responses that integrate real-time and local insights. For someone like me aiming to plan a last-minute getaway or delving into complex learning objectives, this is especially compelling.

    If you’re curious about the full announcement, here’s the link to Google’s blog post: Gemini 3 Flash: frontier intelligence built for speed


    Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.


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