The New SEO Reality After the June 2025 Update

2025 is a time of dynamic changes in the world of SEO. The June Google algorithm update—though not officially confirmed as a core update—has caused significant volatility and new challenges for specialists. Data from tools like SEMrush Sensor and Mozcast recorded strong fluctuations in rankings, especially between June 16 and 18. This is not just another adjustment, but a clear signal that Google is continuing its transformation into an “answer engine,” where artificial intelligence (AI) plays an increasingly dominant role.

Websites have seen traffic drops from 20% to 50%, while AI Overviews now appear in 57% of search results—an increase from 25% in August 2024. The system currently serves 1.5 billion users per month in over 200 countries, fundamentally changing how users interact with search results.

In this article, we will look at the key problems that have emerged after the June 2025 update, with a special focus on the impact of AI Overviews and zero-click behavior. We will also present concrete strategies to help your site not only survive but thrive in the new era of AI-driven search.

1. Key Changes and Reported Issues After the June 2025 Update

1.1. Ranking Volatility and Traffic Decline Despite Stable Positions

One of the most frustrating problems is the decline in organic traffic despite maintaining ranking positions. Companies like Ahrefs have reported traffic drops of up to 35% due to AI Overviews. In Google Search Console, you can see impressions, but no one is clicking—so-called zero-click searches, caused directly by Google’s generative answers.

Dramatic impact on CTR: an Ahrefs study showed a 34.5% drop in CTR for the first position when AI Overviews are present. Mail Online reported 56.1% lower CTR on desktop and 48.2% on mobile. Some specialized publications have seen traffic drops of up to 41%.

Zero-click searches have increased to about 60% of all Google queries in 2025, compared to 50% in 2019. On mobile devices, 75-77% of searches end without a site visit.

1.2. Impact on Mobile Search and Local SEO

Many business owners have noticed their local listings disappearing from Google Maps, only to reappear later. E-commerce sites experienced reduced visibility—especially on mobile devices—and products were pushed below the “People also ask” section or AI Overviews. This shows the growing importance of local SEO and mobile optimization.

Particularly affected sectors: Only 4% of e-commerce queries now display AI Overviews—a drop from the initial 29%, while local businesses have experienced repeated changes in Google 3-Pack results.

1.3. Increased Importance of Core Web Vitals and Site Structure

Sites with poor internal structure or outdated schema have seen their positions drop. In contrast, sites optimized for Core Web Vitals (fast loading, stable layout, good INP) have maintained their visibility. Technical SEO is becoming a key element of success.

New technical requirements for 2025:

  • Interaction to Next Paint (INP) has officially replaced First Input Delay (FID) with a requirement of below 200 milliseconds
  • Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): must occur within 2.5 seconds
  • Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): a score below 0.1

1.4. Decline in Spam and Low-Quality Content

AI filters have removed many spam results, allowing quality content to gain visibility. Google is becoming increasingly effective at eliminating manipulative links and deceptive SEO tactics.

New spam categories introduced in 2025:

  • Expired domain abuse: reusing domains with low-value content
  • Site reputation abuse: publishing third-party content for ranking benefits
  • Scaled content abuse: mass production of content with little effort

2. AI Overviews and the Impact on Publishers

AI Overviews now appear in 57% of SERPs, fundamentally changing the search landscape. Media publishers have been hit the hardest, reporting traffic drops of 20% to 50% within two weeks.

The most cited sources in AI Overviews are:

  • Reddit (4.8% share)
  • Quora (4%)
  • NIH.gov (1.8%)
  • WebMD (1.5%)
  • YouTube with a growing share of video content

Accuracy issues with AI Overviews include dangerous advice, historical misinformation, and problems interpreting context from satirical sites without proper distinction.

3.1. Improving Internal Linking and Content Layout

Google better understands semantic connections—it’s worth updating your internal linking, connecting older and newer posts, and organizing the structure of headings and paragraphs.

Specific actions:

  • Link older posts with newer ones using appropriate anchor text
  • Optimize site layout with clear H2 headings
  • Group related topics for better thematic flow

3.2. Updating Headings and Meta Titles

Headings should contain trigger words for featured snippets and AI Overviews. More on heading strategy in the article: Featured Snippets.

3.3. Implementing and Updating Structured Data (Schema)

Structured data is the “language of AI.” It is particularly important to update FAQ data, which facilitates visibility in generated answers.

Schema Markup Updates in 2025:

  • New certification markup replacing EnergyConsumptionDetails
  • Improved Product markup with support for 3D models
  • Deprecation of 7 structured data types from eligibility for rich results

3.4. Optimizing Local SEO Assets

Ensure data consistency in Google Business Profile. You can find details in the article: Google Reviews and Local SEO.

4. Deep Dive: The Role of AI in the Update

4.1. AI-Powered Content Evaluation

AI algorithms prioritize content that is useful, authoritative, and substantive. The key is quality, not the number of keywords.

The January 23, 2025 update to the Quality Rater Guidelines introduced significant changes in the evaluation of AI-generated content. A new section 2.1 contains explicit guidelines for rating AI-generated content.

4.2. Strengthening E-E-A-T

The principles of E-E-A-T are essential. AI needs content from credible sources, so it’s worth having author bios and verified information.

Authorship requirements for YMYL content have become more stringent, requiring mandatory expert authorship for health, financial, and legal content.

4.3. Transition to an “Answer Engine”

Google is becoming an “answer engine,” competing with AI tools like ChatGPT. Content should be designed for human readability and machine understanding.

ChatGPT has reached 800 million active weekly users—an 8x increase from October 2023 to April 2025, which shows the scale of the competition.

5. Long-Term Strategy for the AI Era

5.1. Beyond Clicks: New Metrics for Success

Metrics such as the number of impressions in AI Overviews, presence in PAA sections, and brand mentions are becoming more important than classic CTR.

New success metrics for SEO in the AI era:

  • Brand mentions in AI results
  • Citation frequency on AI platforms
  • Quality of residual traffic (engagement, conversions)
  • Growth in direct traffic
  • Brand visibility across different platforms

5.2. Content Optimization for AI (AEO)

SEO remains the foundation of AEO—optimization for AI requires the same principles as classic SEO. More on this in the articles:

Content strategies for AI systems:

  • Create “What is” and “How to” content with jargon-free explanations
  • Structure content for easy AI parsing
  • Provide complete, context-rich answers

5.3. Building an Update-Proof SEO Strategy

It is worth building a strategy resistant to algorithm changes, which relies on quality, structure, and technical performance.

Traffic diversification is becoming key:

  • Developing a presence on social platforms (Reddit has seen a 126% increase in traffic)
  • Building industry communities
  • Email and newsletter strategies for owned media

6. Practical Implementation Recommendations

6.1. Immediate Actions (1-3 Months)

  1. Performance Analysis: compare pre-update results (before June 30) with post-update results (after July 17)
  2. Content Audit through the E-E-A-T framework
  3. Technical Review: assess Core Web Vitals and mobile performance
  4. User Experience Optimization: focus on site speed, navigation, and mobile usability

6.2. Medium-Term Goals (4-6 Months)

  1. Content Strategy Evolution: an AI-optimized workflow
  2. Voice Search Optimization
  3. Implementation of vector embeddings for semantic content matching
  4. Strengthening author expertise with clear credentials

6.3. Long-Term Strategy (7-12 Months)

  1. Advanced Optimization: vector embedding, new platform strategies
  2. Building a unified authority recognized by algorithms across different platforms
  3. Creating original research to establish domain expertise
  4. Securing media mentions in trusted publications

6.4. Monitoring and Maintenance

  • Monthly monitoring of Core Web Vitals
  • Quarterly audits of schema markup
  • Regular detection of broken links and optimization of internal linking
  • Continuous testing of mobile experience

Summary: Adaptation is the Key to Success

The June 2025 Google update confirms: the era of AI in search is already here. For your site, this means you need to:

  • Prioritize quality and authority (E-E-A-T)
  • Optimize for AI Overviews and zero-click
  • Maintain the technical health of your site
  • Monitor new success metrics

SEO in 2025 is not just about SERP position, but above all about trust, technique, and readability for artificial intelligence. Success requires a long-term commitment to creating user-focused content instead of quick algorithmic fixes.

Często zadawane pytania

What are the most important steps to recover traffic after the update?

Key steps include: improving internal linking, updating headings and meta titles for intent and snippets, implementing structured data (especially FAQ schema), and optimizing local SEO assets. It is also important to focus on high-quality content that complies with E-E-A-T.

Was e-commerce particularly affected by this update?

Yes, e-commerce sites, especially on mobile devices, experienced reduced visibility. Product pages were often pushed down below AI summaries or "People also ask" sections, leading to a drop in product reach. Only 4% of e-commerce queries now display AI Overviews—a decrease from the initial 29%.

How does AI affect Google's evaluation of content quality?

AI increasingly influences the evaluation of content quality, prioritizing materials that are "truly useful and authoritative." AI algorithms can more effectively detect low-quality, spammy, or superficial content, which reinforces the importance of the E-E-A-T principles. New guidelines from January 2025 introduce detailed evaluation of AI-generated content.

What are the new Core Web Vitals requirements in 2025?

INP (Interaction to Next Paint) has replaced FID with a requirement of below 200ms, LCP must occur within 2.5s, and CLS below 0.1. New optimization techniques have been introduced with the LoAF API, fetchpriority for LCP images, and DOM size reduction as a fundamental INP optimization technique.

How to prepare for future changes in search?

Key actions include: diversifying traffic sources (especially social media - Reddit saw a 126% increase), building brand authority, optimizing for voice search, investing in original research, and creating valuable content for users. A phased strategy is also important: 1-3 months for fundamentals, 4-6 months for content evolution, and 7-12 months for advanced optimization.

Sources

  1. Search Engine Land – Google June 2025 core update rollout is now complete
    https://searchengineland.com/google-june-2025-core-update-rollout-is-now-complete-458617

  2. Search Engine Journal – Google’s June 2025 Core Update Rollout Complete
    https://www.searchenginejournal.com/google-rolls-out-june-2025-core-update/550161/

  3. PPC Land – Google’s June 2025 core update brings dramatic ranking changes
    https://ppc.land/googles-june-2025-core-update-brings-dramatic-ranking-changes-in-16-days/

  4. GSQI – The June 2025 Google Core Update: Analysis and Findings
    https://www.gsqi.com/marketing-blog/june-2025-google-core-update/

  5. WordStream – 34 AI Overviews Stats & Facts [2025]
    https://www.wordstream.com/blog/google-ai-overviews-statistics

  6. Google Developers – Creating Helpful, Reliable, People-First Content
    https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/creating-helpful-content

  7. Search Engine Land – Google quality raters now assess whether content is AI-generated
    https://searchengineland.com/google-quality-raters-content-ai-generated-454161

  8. Google Developers – Understanding Core Web Vitals and Google search results
    https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/core-web-vitals

  9. Exchange4Media – Google update: Digital publishers call for greater transparency
    https://www.exchange4media.com/digital-news/google-update-digital-publishers-call-for-transparency-accountability-from-google-145425.html

  10. Conductor – 2025 AI Search Trends: The Future of SEO & Content Marketing
    https://www.conductor.com/academy/seo-content-predictions/