🔥 Google I/O 2025 & AI vs. SEO: Who Wins?


May 29, 2025

This issue of the newsletter is sponsored by those amazing SEO tools: Ahrefs, SE Ranking, and Cora SEO Tool

Hey everyone,

I just got back from Google I/O 2025 – and what an experience!

Besides all the official announcements, I was also invited for an informal chat about Google Search in the mysterious Google 43 building.

I will share more about that shortly. 😎

Overall, the event felt like a wake-up call for us SEOs.

AI isn't just on the horizon; it's here and already reshaping how Google Search works.

It's a lot to take in, but I’m looking at this as a huge opportunity to grow and rethink our SEO approaches.

I've just published my super detailed notes from Google I/O 2025 with regards to SEO and what SEOs should know and do post-Google I/O.

If you just want the key takeaways, here are a few things from I/O that really stood out to me and what they mean for us:

  • AI Mode → This is a big one. It’s using Gemini 2.5 to break down queries and construct answers. The takeaway? Your content needs to be super clear, well-structured, and easy for AI to quote. If it’s not, you risk getting skipped.
  • Deep Search → Think of this as AI Mode on steroids. It can conduct hundreds of searches to build really long-form answers. What does this demand from us? Content that screams E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness). It has to be credible, detailed, and well-sourced.
  • Personal Results → This is a game-changer. Google will be looking to use data from Gmail, Drive, and Maps to personalize search. The old one-size-fits-all SERP is fading. Your content now needs to speak to specific people, not just a general audience.
  • Agentic Search → This is where Google starts doing things – booking appointments, buying tickets. For your site to play in this space, clean APIs, structured data, and simple user flows are non-negotiable.
  • Search Live and Astra → We’re talking voice and visuals coming together. Point your camera, ask a question, get an answer. This means your image SEO, including real alt text, good filenames, and metadata for product photos, just became even more critical.
  • AI Shopping→ Features like virtual try-ons are coming. If your product feeds and visuals are a mess, you’re not going to be part of the AI-driven shopping answer.

To name just a few!

Yes, clicks might be dropping in some areas, and expectations are definitely shifting.

My job is already feeling different. It's less about just rankings and traffic and more about creating clear, reliable content for real people, not just search engines. 😭

Using schema where it makes sense and ensuring AI can actually read and trust what’s on your page is key. And please, don't block Google from what it needs to access!

I know changes like these can feel unsettling. But I honestly don’t see this as a threat to SEO.

I’m approaching this whole shift with a lot of curiosity and, yes, cautious optimism.

SEO isn't dead; it's evolving, and frankly, it might finally get the serious strategic respect it deserves.

We need to focus on making our websites deeply understood by Google’s systems.

That means structured content, clear entities, clean data flows, and content that genuinely helps people.

No more SEO tricks (or less of them 😁) or recycled fluff.

I'd love to hear how you're thinking about these changes. This is a learning curve for all of us, and sharing insights will be more important than ever.

Stay positive, stay curious! Because...

Regular roundup of SEO news and awesome content from other SEOs will be available next week.

Now check what I have for you below.

Brand Radar from Ahrefs [Sponsor]

AI search is on the rise—is your brand keeping up?

Ahrefs’ Brand Radar helps you:

✅ See how AI presents your brand in search results
✅ Compare your brand’s visibility against competitors
✅ Identify key topics driving AI search traffic to your site

Google Discover in 2025 (+ 117-Step Checklist)

In case you missed it, here is my deep-dive on Google Discover SEO in 2025.

In my new guide, I break down:
→ what Google Discover is and why it matters
→ SEO for Google Discover—technical, content, E-E-A-T, images, video
step-by-step tactics on how to appear in Google Discover on mobile and the new desktop tests
→ a free, ultra-detailed checklist (117+ checks) you can swipe today

Or download the checklist.

One month of SE Ranking for FREE 😱

My newsletter subscribers can get one month of SE Ranking free—full access to its insanely powerful SEO toolset.

It’s stacked, it’s easy to use, and yes… you’ll be seriously impressed.

Personal updates from Olga Zarr

I've had to put a lot of things on hold lately due to personal matters, including the loss of my brother. It’s been a rough time. My trip to Mountain View came at the right moment—it gave me clarity, energy, and a much-needed reset.I’ll be fully back in action starting June. If you’re waiting on a reply from me, it’s coming. I’m almost through my inbox and catching up.

→ My SEO Audit Mastery course will officially open (and will be finalized) in the second half of June. My newsletter subscribers can still get inside 75% OFF lifetime while the course is being finalized.

→ If you are interested in sponsoring my newsletter, feel free to reply to this e-mail. More information about my newsletter and stats are here.

That's all I have for you today!

See you in the next episode!

Best,

P.S. Do you want me to share a specific article or resource in the newsletter? Do you want me to give a shout-out to some SEO? Let me know by replying to this e-mail!

Quality Assurance (QA)

Every issue of this newsletter passes a strict quality and helpfulness inspection by my pigeon SEO assistant, Gerard. If you have feedback, Gerard and I are all ears (and feathers). Just hit reply!

(No pigeons were harmed during the making of this newsletter. Many treats were consumed.)

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SEO Newsletter by Olga Zarr

Hi, I’m Olga Zarr. I’m a professional SEO consultant with over a decade of experience. SEO isn’t just my career—it’s also my biggest passion and hobby. .

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