Key findings on the ongoing Google Core Update and the increasing importance of SEO vs. GEO – Image: Xpert.Digital
How Google is redefining quality and uniqueness in the content universe
Key findings on the ongoing Google Core Update and its increasing significance
1. The June/July core update significantly sharpens Google's quality criteria once again.
Initial data shows strong fluctuations in visibility (“Yo-Yo effect”) and clear losses for thin or purely AI-generated content, while original, professionally sound pages are gaining ground.
2. Classic SEO remains a basic requirement, but measurably loses click potential to Google's generative answers.
AI Overviews now appear in over 13% of all US desktop searches (January: 6%) and reduce the CTR of position 1 by an average of 34.5%.
3. Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) thus becomes an indispensable second pillar.
GEO methods (e.g., quotes, statistics, clear structure) can increase the visibility of a source in AI responses by up to 40% and compensate for some of the lost clicks.
What the June/July core update has achieved so far
The June/July 2025 core update is already showing interesting developments in search engine rankings. The rollout began on June 30th and is expected to be completed in about three weeks. The most significant ranking movements were observed between July 2nd and 4th, with the short-term fluctuations typical of such updates (the "yo-yo effect").
Large, established domains like RND.de and Shopify are emerging as the winners of the update, especially sites with a unique perspective and a high EEAT score. Conversely, niche portals, generic affiliate websites, masses of AI-generated texts without added value, and thin forum threads are losing visibility.
Google is once again emphasizing the importance of uniqueness and experience. Content creators must ensure that their content demonstrably reflects human expertise. Interestingly, domains that suffered losses in the 2023/2024 Helpful Content Update can now partially regain their visibility.
- Practical tip: Avoid panic measures during the rollout – collect data, check page quality, and only optimize specifically after completion.
Why Zero-Click & AI Reviews Reduce SEO Traffic
The impact of zero-click and AI overviews on SEO traffic is becoming increasingly clear. Current data for 2024 and 2025 shows a significant decline in external clicks for search queries. For news keywords, the share of search queries without an external click rises from 56% to a remarkable 69%. The effect on click-through rates (CTRs) is particularly pronounced: when an AI overview appears, the average CTR for the first position drops by 34.5%. A comprehensive analysis of 700,000 keywords across five industries revealed an overall CTR decline of 15.5%.
In the US, a clear trend was already evident in the first quarter of 2025: traditional searches accounted for only 10.55% of website visits, while AI tools made up a mere 0.55%. According to a forecast by Gartner's model, organic website visits are expected to decline by 25% by 2026. This development presents companies and SEO experts with significant challenges and necessitates a fundamental adjustment of digital marketing strategies.
- Classic SEO still delivers the lion's share of traffic, but the absolute visitor flow is shrinking because answers are increasingly staying directly on the SERP.
SEO vs. GEO – a structured comparison
In the digital marketing landscape, SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) are evolving into two strategically distinct approaches to maximizing visibility and reach. While traditional SEO primarily aims for top rankings in search engine results and organic website clicks, GEO increasingly focuses on being cited and prominently featured in generative AI responses.
The content focus also differs significantly: Classic SEO relies on keyword depth, on-page optimization, and backlink building, whereas GEO emphasizes fact-filled, concise paragraphs, structured data, and citable sources. Technically, SEO utilizes aspects such as crawling and page speed, while GEO focuses on clean schema markup and unambiguous author attribution.
The user journey is fundamentally changing: Instead of the classic "click → read page → take action" model, answers appear directly in GEO, and further clicks only occur when proven added value is demonstrated. For 2025, it is becoming clear that while SEO will remain a core discipline, it will struggle with declining click-through rates, while GEO will gain significant importance through AI-powered interviews and chatbots.
- SEO remains the foundation. GEO complements it where searchers no longer click. Those who combine both disciplines remain visible and citable.
Recommendations for the coming months
1. Content audit with EEAT lens
- Emphasize real experience, author bios, current statistics – use AI texts only as rough drafts, refine them with human input.
2. Enrich structure & data (GEO-Ready)
- Clear subheadings, FAQ blocks, tables, lists.
- Schema.org markup (FAQ, HowTo, Product, Author).
3. Increase citability
- Concise definitions, linking to primary sources, citing figures, providing verifiable evidence – strategies that can bring GEO tests up to 40% more visibility.
4. Strengthening Entities & Context
- Consistent mention of brand, personal, and product names increases the likelihood of inclusion in LLM responses.
5. Expand SERP monitoring
- In addition to rank trackers, use AI overview alerts (e.g., Semrush, Sistrix Beta) to detect citation losses early.
6. Long-term hybrid KPIs
- Evaluate clicks and citation impressions together to make the value of zero-click presence visible.
Those who expand their strategy now to include GEO principles will secure brand presence in both worlds.
The first few days of the core update confirm the trend: Google rewards unique, trustworthy content and reduces traffic for anything that seems interchangeable. At the same time, the proportion of generative search results is growing rapidly – clicking is becoming a luxury.
Traditional SEO remains essential, while GEO is becoming an optional extra that is rapidly gaining importance. Crucially, an integrated content architecture is needed that understands both spiders and language models – and delivers real added value to users.
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