AI OptimisationSEO

Introduction

September 2025 continues the rapid evolution of AI in search. Google’s AI Mode has expanded to over 180 countries with key model upgrades, AI Overviews are now core to how users experience results, and AI-driven local SEO tools are shaping real-world visibility. Digital marketers, SEO professionals, and local businesses need new strategies to thrive as AI changes behaviour and expectations in every search journey.

Google AI Mode: Upgraded for STEM, Faster Answers, Global Rollout

Google AI Mode’s latest upgrades give users tighter, more concise answers, especially for complex STEM questions—just in time for the start of the school year. The improved model handles multipart and technical queries with clearer, scannable results, helping users get key information faster and up front before additional details. SEO teams should audit educational, technical, and FAQ content for clarity and structure. AI Mode is now available in 180 countries, signalling Google’s focus on global reach. (Search Engine Land)

AI Overviews: Informational Queries Dominate, Impacting Clicks and Authority

Semrush’s latest study finds that over 13% of Google searches now trigger AI Overviews, with a heavy bias toward informational queries (88%). Industries most affected include Science, Health, Society, and Law/Government. AI Overviews often appear above organic listings, shifting user attention and cannibalizing traffic. Zero-click rates are rising, prompting a shift in SEO focus from classic rankings to being featured and cited in AI answers. Refreshing content and adding FAQ/schema can help brands earn visibility. Get practical tips for AI optimisation and understand the new rules of earning “answer engine” authority. (Semrush)

AI-Powered Local SEO: Smarter Agents and GBP Optimisation

AI agents like Localo can now audit Google Business Profiles (GBP), surface gaps against competitors, and automate action plans for improved local rankings. The latest tools integrate real-time data, review sentiment, keyword tracking, and visibility hotspots from Google Maps and organic local results. Businesses get weekly recommendations and automated task lists to stay up-to-date and competitive. Local SEO work is now about automation, continuous improvement, and aligning GBP content and imagery to AI-powered expectations. (SearchAtlas)

Strategic Shifts: GEO, Content Structure & Real-World Search Behaviour

Move from Rankings to Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)

AI search and LLM-based models reward structure, clarity, and expertise. SEO today is about building modular content blocks, updating evergreen material, and winning placement in zero-click overlays and AI answers. Content strategies now require quarterly refreshes, schema, FAQ, and user-focused UX for each resource. A solid SEO audit should prioritise visibility in both organic and AI overlays.

User Journeys Are Changing

September’s behaviour trends show people jumping from Google to AI agents and back, seeking both direct answers and deeper research. Clicks may drop, but cited authority and featured answers are the new path to brand awareness and engagement.

Real-World Scenarios

  • Education Content Lead: Restructures science and math guides with short summaries and updated schemas. Increased citation in Google AI Mode and Overviews.
  • Local Retailer: Uses automated AI agent audit to fix missing GBP content, reviews, and photos. Sees a jump in Maps visibility and more direct bookings from knowledge panel actions.
  • SEO Consultant: Quarterly refreshes and new topic clusters boost appearance in AI-generated summary cards and increase branded mentions in answers.

Recommendations for September 2025

For SEO & Content Teams

  • Prioritise short summaries, modular content sections, and schema for every key page.
  • Target informational, evergreen topics for AI Overview visibility, update quarterly.
  • Monitor which pages are cited by AI Mode and zero-click overlays using specialist tracking tools.

For Local Businesses

  • Audit GBP and Maps listings weekly with an AI-powered agent, fix any missing fields, update images, and track reviews for sentiment.
  • Use action lists from AI tools to automate responses and content improvements.

For Marketers

  • Monitor the impact of zero-click/AI overlays on web traffic and brand authority, and invest in featured answer strategies.
  • Embrace GEO principles, modular content, and seamless local user journeys.

Risks and Trends

AI continues to reshape search visibility. Rapid model upgrades mean page-one positions and featured answers will shift weekly. Content that isn’t structured or refreshed risks losing ground to competitors in answers, overlays, and citation engines. Local SEO automation and user journey analysis are both essential—don’t wait for another feature drop to catch up.

Conclusion & Call to Action

This month proves AI responses and overlays are dominating the search landscape. Visibility now depends on being the cited authority in zero-click answers, summaries, and local knowledge panels. Audit your content, GBP, and schema today–then track, refresh, and automate as AI sets the rules.

  • Audit and update content, schema, and GBP weekly.
  • Monitor AI Overviews, zero-click answers, and agent citations.
  • Adopt automation and GEO strategies for long-term visibility.

Sources

This post was created with the assistance of AI tools.

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