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Welcome to Part 2 of our deep dive into the most revealing SEO and UX research of 2025.
In this episode of the Near Memo podcast, Greg Sterling, Kevin Indig, and Eric Van Buskirk break down how users actually interact with AI Overviews on Google—and what that means for your SEO strategy moving forward.

00:55 – “Trust over Traffic: The SEO Paradigm Shift”
02:10 – “SEO as Traffic Cop, Not Traffic Driver”
03:33 – “Reddit, YouTube & Beyond: Tactical SEO Musts”
07:20 – “Google Killed the Small Guys”
09:05 – “Google’s Fear-Driven Strategy”
11:14 – “Redefining SEO Inside the Org”
12:03 – “Click Recession and the Future of Metrics”
13:31 – “Pitching the New SEO to Leadership”
17:17 – “People Don’t Know LSAs Are Ads”
20:22 – “Gen Z, TikTok, and the Platform Migration”
22:23 – “ChatGPT Is the Train—You’re the Station”



▶️ Missed Part 1? Watch it here → https://youtu.be/pjE3MwOLYcg

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🔥 What’s Inside This Episode:

In this second installment, we focus on the tactical and organizational implications of new user behavior patterns revealed through a qualitative usability study. The study recorded and analyzed nearly 30 hours of real-world search behavior, and the findings are reshaping how smart marketers think about organic search, AI, and branding.

From “click stagflation” to platform diversification, this episode delivers hard truths and actionable insights.

🧠 Top Insights You’ll Take Away:
• SEO isn’t dead—it’s evolved. Traditional traffic metrics are no longer reliable indicators of success.
• Trust is now the first filter. Users skim, scroll, and click based on what (and who) they recognize and believe in.
• Clicks ≠ Conversions. Welcome to the era of “click stagflation”—less traffic, but stable (or growing) business results.
• Google is reacting, not leading. The rise of Reddit, YouTube, and AI Overviews is a defensive move to hold onto users.
• Local trust signals matter more than ever. LSAs win clicks because users don’t realize they’re ads—they just trust the stars.
• Brand awareness is the new SEO moat. If users don’t know or trust you before they search, you likely won’t earn their click.
• SEO must align with social, content, and UX. It’s time for cross-functional “growth teams” that reflect real user journeys.

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🔗 Links & Resources:

📄 Full transcript of Part 2 →
📄 Part 1: Study methodology + foundational insights → https://youtu.be/pjE3MwOLYcg
🧪 Read the study by Kevin Indig and Eric Van Buskirk → https://www.growth-memo.com/p/the-first-ever-ux-study-of-googles?ref=nearmedia.co
🎙️ More from Near Memo →https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmqwyOgNILWrALQo5FVdB6zlaEJiVyKS_

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💬 What do YOU think?
Are you still measuring SEO success with clicks? Have you updated your strategy for AI Overviews and multi-platform journeys? Drop your thoughts or questions below—let’s talk.

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👍 Like, 💬 Comment, and 🔔 Subscribe to get more straight talk on search, SEO, and local marketing every week.

#SEO #AIOverviews #DigitalMarketing #SearchTrends #ContentStrategy #GoogleSearch #UserExperience #NearMemo #KevinIndig #EricVanBuskirk #GregSterling #UXResearch #ChatGPT #TikTokSearch #TrustEconomy

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