Google has rolled out several significant updates in 2025, including the March and June core updates and the growing dominance of AI Overviews in search results. These changes have shaken up organic rankings, altered click-through rates (CTR), and forced SEOs and webmasters to reevaluate their strategies.
If you've seen traffic fluctuations—or worse, drops—here's a detailed action plan to recover, adapt, and thrive. This guide breaks down each area of focus to help your site align with Google's latest algorithmic priorities.
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1. Evaluate Impact on Your Traffic via Google Search Console (GSC)
Begin with a traffic audit using Google Search Console to identify:
Traffic drop periods: Correlate with known update dates (March 13–27 and June 30 onwards).
Pages with highest drop-offs: Analyze by URL to spot thin or outdated content.
Queries with reduced impressions or clicks: These may be targeted by AI Overviews or have lost SERP position.
SEO Tip:
Use the GSC "Compare date ranges" function to analyze traffic pre- and post-update.
Sort by "difference in clicks" to find biggest traffic losers.
2. Improve Core Web Vitals, Especially INP, LCP, and CLS on Mobile
As of 2025, Interaction to Next Paint (INP) has replaced FID as a Core Web Vital. Combined with LCP (Largest Contentful Paint) and CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift), these metrics now directly influence rankings.
Optimization Tips:
INP: Reduce JavaScript blocking time. Defer non-critical scripts. Use performance budgets.
LCP: Optimize hero images with WebP or AVIF formats. Use a fast CDN. Prioritize above-the-fold content.
CLS: Set size attributes for media. Avoid layout shifts from late-loading ads or fonts.
Tools: PageSpeed Insights, Lighthouse, WebPageTest
3. Enhance E-E-A-T Signals: Author Bios, Expert Quotes, and Sourcing
Google’s focus on Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T) has intensified. Content with vague authorship or no source credibility is likely to lose visibility.
What to Implement:
Add detailed author bios with credentials, certifications, or past work.
Cite reputable sources (research papers, government sites, brand websites).
Use expert quotes in health, finance, or YMYL content.
Link to LinkedIn profiles or social proof to build trust.
SEO Tip: Add author and organization structured data to boost E-E-A-T signal for Google.
4. Rewrite Low-Engagement Content: Add Depth, Visuals, Interactive Elements
Pages with low average session duration, high bounce rate, or minimal engagement are being de-prioritized.
How to Revive Them:
Turn short posts into in-depth guides with actionable advice.
Include images, charts, infographics, or embedded videos.
Add interactive elements like calculators, quizzes, or comparison tables.
Use internal linking to distribute authority and keep users on-site.
SEO Tip: Avoid reindexing stale content. Rewrite and re-publish under the same URL to preserve authority.
5. Add or Update Schema Markup for Rich Results
With AI Overviews and other SERP enhancements, structured data has never been more important. Schema markup helps Google interpret and display your content effectively.
Must-Have Schemas:
FAQPage: For FAQ sections to earn collapsible results.HowTo: For step-by-step guides with images.Product: Show reviews, price, availability.Review: Enhance credibility with aggregate ratings.Author,Organization: Boost trust and transparency.
Use Schema Markup Validator to test implementation.
6. Monitor AI Overviews and Optimize for Inclusion
Google’s AI Overviews now appear in a growing number of queries, especially in travel, health, entertainment, and shopping.
How to Optimize:
Use concise, direct answers within content (ideal for snippet pickup).
Structure content with clear subheadings (H2s/H3s).
Include original data or unique perspectives.
Maintain a factual, neutral tone. Avoid fluff.
Tip: Monitor keywords in GSC where impressions have risen but clicks have dropped—AI Overviews may be absorbing visibility.
7. Track Review Count Display Changes and Adjust Schema Accordingly
Google has reduced review star displays in some verticals, prioritizing product pages over service or blog content.
What to Do:
Audit current schema: Remove review markup from non-product content.
Focus stars only on product or eCommerce listings.
Stay updated on Search Central Blog for schema policy changes.
Final Thoughts
Adapting to Google's evolving SEO landscape in 2025 requires a combination of technical excellence, content quality, and user trust. With AI features becoming more prevalent and core updates reshaping rankings, it's critical to audit your site holistically—from speed and structure to expertise and engagement.
Follow this checklist to stay ahead:
Audit via GSC
Optimize Core Web Vitals
Strengthen E-E-A-T signals
Upgrade underperforming content
Implement structured data
Monitor AI SERP impact
Align schema to current best practices
SEO isn’t about gaming the algorithm—it’s about building a website that users (and search engines) trust.
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