Blog IMA Europe

Search is changing. What shall we do about it?

If your content strategy is still built around Google and TOFU metrics, it could be time for a rethink. Traditionally, success was measured by how many views you could pull in. Traffic, impressions, leads.

But the way people find information has changed completely. AI is sweeping up the TOFU queries with its handy ‘Overviews’ feature (although as last year’s news showed, it did suggest users run with scissors, cook with glue and eat rocks. We all get growing pains…) YouTube is testing AI Overviews in its search results and ChatGPT is rolling out realtime product picks, reviews, and prices inside chat, with ‘buy now’ links to merchant websites and recommendations based on your history. Microsoft has already started advertising in Copilot chats.

This changes a lot for marketing. Does search matter as much as brand reputation? Is position one in the search results even that great anymore? How do we get into those AI searches? (My job is certainly keeping me on my toes!)

Search today: what we know

Let’s look at search for now. Here’s what we know. When Ahrefs looked at over 300,000 keywords, they found that click-through rates for top organic searches go down by a HUGE 34.5% when there’s a Google AI overview in place.

That’s today. As these overviews get even better, it’s not just less clicks you may get to your site, but less scrolls and therefore even less eyeballs. Many buyers do of course go beyond the Overview to research and self-educate, but now they are leaving search engines to do it. Over 2 in 5 Americans use TikTok as a search engine, according to Rise at Seven stats, and nearly 1 in 10 Gen Zers are more likely to rely on TikTok than Google as a search engine.

They’re asking questions in forums, group chats and comment sections. So what are the businesses I’m working with doing about it?

How brands are adapting

A global multi-billion-pound brand is investing in making structured, evergreen knowledge hubs so they can be a trusted source.
A mid-sized HR and legal brand has banned any AI content and is doubling down on 100 percent expert-created content to build serious credibility.
A tech-focused company is replacing TOFU short-form blog content with native video content for social feeds.
A smaller business is creating content directly informed by Reddit threads and TikTok searches to improve relevance, ignoring their old keyword research. They are putting a large investment into getting more newsletter subscribers.

The short-term reality

The results you’re likely to see in the short term? Less traffic, probably, even to those previously well-loved and optimised pages. Boo. But, with a better spread of placements, enhanced brand positioning and more people finding your BOFU (bottom of funnel) content there’s the promise of higher quality visits from buyers who are closer to a decision.

My takeaway

My takeaway? Task your content writer(s) to spend more time on chunky and unique content, start creating a gpt trained to write and think like you, get rethinking your event collateral, your sales automation emails and your multichannel marketing approach.

Try and own platforms as much as possible and create assets. I have created calculators and matrixes that still get demos and leads YEARS later. An investment now is going to set you up for success during this period where the only constant is change!