The search landscape is shifting faster than ever. If you’ve noticed your website traffic dip recently, you’re not alone. Between Google’s AI Overviews, the rise of zero-click searches, and users flocking to platforms like TikTok, Reddit, and Perplexity, the way people discover brands has fundamentally changed.
For small and local businesses, this isn’t just a tech trend—it’s a direct impact on how customers find you, evaluate you, and ultimately choose you. At Black Kite Marketing, we’ve been watching these changes closely. The takeaway is clear: the old playbook of “rank high on Google and wait for traffic” no longer works on its own. To stay visible, you need a broader strategy that blends AI visibility, paid campaigns, and distributed content.
Let’s break down what’s changing, why it matters, and how your business can adapt.
The AI-First Search Experience
Google’s AI Overviews (AIOs) sit at the very top of the search results page, answering questions directly and pushing traditional links further down. Instead of a user clicking through to multiple websites, they now see summarized answers pulled from across the web.
For example, if someone searches “best affordable Thai near me for a date”, Google doesn’t just show a map pack. Instead, it combines information about nearby restaurants, reviews, and even “date night vibes” into a single AI-generated summary.
That means fewer clicks for businesses—even if you’re ranking.
What this means for you:
- Traditional SEO alone isn’t enough. Optimized websites and map listings matter, but they’re not always surfaced in AI summaries.
- Content credibility drives visibility. Google looks for trustworthy, structured, and helpful content to cite in AI Overviews. If your content answers customer questions in a clear Q&A format and aligns with E-E-A-T (Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness), you’re more likely to be included.
- Local precision still counts. AI is smart, but the Google Maps Pack still dominates “near me” and transactional searches. That makes your Google Business Profile, reviews, and local landing pages critical.
The Rise of Zero-Click Searches
Here’s the harsh reality: nearly 60% of Google searches ended without a click in 2024.
Users are getting their answers straight from:
- AI Overviews
- Featured snippets
- Knowledge panels
- People Also Ask (PAA) boxes
This is called the zero-click phenomenon, and it creates what marketers call the awareness gap: your business may be mentioned in these answers, but you don’t see that reflected in clicks, traffic, or time on site.
Why this matters:
- You could be influencing potential customers without realizing it.
- Your brand might be present, but traditional analytics won’t capture that visibility.
- Early touchpoints—the ones that shape perception—are slipping away.
Think of it this way: your brand could be seen in an AI Overview, but unless someone clicks through, you never know they found you.
Distributed Search: Beyond Google
Another big shift? Users aren’t just searching on Google anymore.
- Perplexity AI is gaining traction with millions of monthly users, pulling local results from integrations with Yelp and OpenTable.
- Reddit is booming as a source for recommendations, especially among Gen Z and Millennials, where authentic community conversations feel more trustworthy than brand websites.
- TikTok has become a full-blown search engine for Gen Z—nearly 64% of them use it to find everything from restaurants to how-to advice.
If your brand isn’t showing up across these channels, you’re missing opportunities to be discovered.
Action steps:
- Create short-form video content for TikTok, Reels, and YouTube Shorts.
- Engage authentically in local Reddit communities (e.g., r/QueensNYC).
- Maintain accurate business data across platforms—AI engines and apps increasingly rely on structured information to cite and display businesses.
Paid Campaigns: The Insurance Policy Against Invisibility
In a zero-click world, organic visibility is harder to measure and less reliable. That’s where paid advertising becomes your safety net.
Search and display ads:
- Sit above AI Overviews.
- Guarantee your brand is seen, even if no one clicks.
- Reinforce recall—seeing your name repeatedly builds familiarity that pays off later.
The smartest move? Pair your organic visibility with paid campaigns. If your business already shows up in a snippet or knowledge panel, support it with a targeted ad on the same page. That overlap creates a “halo effect,” making your brand feel both authoritative and omnipresent.
Rethinking Metrics: From Clicks to Presence
For years, marketers measured success by traffic. But in 2025, presence matters more than clicks.
Instead of focusing only on website visits, pay attention to:
- Branded search volume: Are more people searching for your business name directly? That shows recall.
- Visibility share: How often do you appear in AI Overviews, snippets, or map packs?
- Impressions: Even without clicks, ad and organic impressions build brand memory.
- Engagement on unowned channels: Social platforms, Reddit discussions, and community forums may not drive site traffic, but they shape perception.
This shift requires reframing the conversation with business owners and leadership. A drop in clicks isn’t a failure—it’s a sign that customers are interacting with your brand differently.
Preparing for the Agentic Future of Search
The next wave of AI isn’t just answering questions—it’s acting on behalf of users.
Google’s experimental “Call with AI” feature allows users to let an AI assistant call local businesses for them. That means:
- Price competition may intensify (AI compares deals instantly).
- Emotional factors like “vibes” or branding matter less to the algorithm.
- Small businesses can compete more evenly with big brands, as AI strips away human bias.
To prepare, businesses need to:
- Publish machine-readable pricing and service details.
- Ensure phones are answered quickly (AI agents won’t wait).
- Think about long-term infrastructure for bot-to-bot negotiation (e.g., scheduling).
How Local Businesses Can Stay Visible
Bringing this all together, here’s a practical playbook for local small businesses in 2025:
- Optimize for AI Overviews: Create structured, educational, question-answer content that showcases your expertise.
- Double down on local SEO: Keep your Google Business Profile updated, encourage reviews, and build local backlinks.
- Expand your footprint: Publish content on TikTok, Reddit, YouTube, and other channels where your audience spends time.
- Use paid ads strategically: Treat advertising as insurance for visibility, not just clicks.
- Measure presence, not just traffic: Track branded search growth, impressions, and visibility share across platforms.
- Prepare for agentic search: Structure your data for machines, not just humans.
Final Thoughts
AI isn’t killing search—it’s transforming it. For small and local businesses, the shift may feel overwhelming, but it’s also an opportunity. While big brands lose the advantage of name recognition, local businesses that adapt quickly can compete on equal footing in AI-driven environments.
At Black Kite Marketing, our mission is to help local businesses thrive in this new digital ecosystem. By combining smart SEO, multi-channel content strategies, and awareness-driven ad campaigns, we ensure that your business doesn’t just survive these changes—it grows through them.
The search journey may look different in 2025, but one thing hasn’t changed: customers are still looking for solutions. The question is, will they find you?