Organic visibility didn’t disappear in 2025—it splintered. As Google’s AI Overviews (AIO) and AI Mode reshape the results page, brands are adapting to win impressions, brand recall, and qualified clicks across many more surfaces than “10 blue links.” Google says people are using Search more often with AI Overviews in the mix, which means there’s more discovery happening—but the pathways are different than a year or two ago.

A grounded strategy this year blends classic SEO discipline with new growth tactics purpose-built for AI-infused SERPs and zero-click behaviors. High-signal links still matter, and many teams are either building in-house digital PR or partnering with Top link building services to earn authoritative, relevant mentions that align with Google’s tightened spam policies. The key is to pursue editorially given links from real audiences—not shortcuts.

Below are the tactics leading brands are using right now.

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1) Optimize for AI Overviews & AI Mode (without chasing the “answer” box)

AIO shows up more often than it did at the start of the year. Independent studies report growth: Semrush found 13.14% of queries triggered an AI Overview in March 2025 (up from 6.49% in January), and Ahrefs reported a 116% increase in AIO appearances post–March core update. Practically, informational queries are likeliest to trigger AIOs. Your play is to be cited—not to “beat” the overview. That means producing concise, fact-checked summaries, using schema, and demonstrating clear topical authority. Google’s own guidance emphasizes creating content that is easy for AI experiences to surface and link to.

2) Build for a zero-click world: win the SERP, then win the follow-up

Zero-click behaviors continue to rise, reducing the percentage of queries that result in a traditional organic click. Search Engine Land reported further declines in organic CTRs through March 2025 across US and EU/UK datasets, and multiple analyses show AIO can depress clicks on non-branded, informational terms. The growth play: design SERP assets (FAQs, images, video, product panels, forums coverage) that earn impressions and soft conversions (brand searches, social follows, newsletter subs), then capture the click later via brand familiarity. Measure assisted and post-view outcomes, not just same-session clicks.

3) Double down on evidence, experience, and E-E-A-T

Google’s quality paradigm favors first-hand experience, citations, and clear provenance. Treat every important page like a mini white paper: name real authors, include original data or images, cite external sources, and show your review history. This isn’t just theory; it’s reflected in Google’s rater guidance and modern E-E-A-T best practices—signals that correlate with visibility in both traditional results and AI experiences.

4) Modern link acquisition: digital PR that survives the 2024–2025 crackdowns

Google’s March 2024 updates targeted site reputation abuse, expired domain abuse, and scaled content abuse. That raised the bar on link value and risk. What’s working now looks like PR, not “placements”: newsworthy studies, data journalism, founder commentary on emerging topics, and partnerships that produce genuinely useful resources. If you work with an external partner, ensure they pitch story ideas (not prewritten guest posts), prioritize topical relevance, and earn followed links from publications with real readership.

5) Treat video as an SEO surface (especially YouTube & Shorts)

Search journeys increasingly involve video—both natively on Google (video packs) and inside YouTube, which continues to surge in usage. In 2025 YouTube rolled out easier promotion for Shorts directly in Studio, and the platform’s audience scale makes it a discovery engine in its own right. Translate your flagship guides into: a 60–90s Short (question → proof → CTA), a 6–10 minute walkthrough with chapters, and a supporting article embedded with the video to win across SERP types.

6) Win “search everywhere”: TikTok, Reddit, and communities that now rank

Gen Z increasingly searches beyond Google. Credible summaries show large shares of Gen Z using TikTok for discovery and even search, which shifts where brands seed content and how they structure it (e.g., on-screen text for query phrases, chaptered captions, cited sources). Meanwhile, Reddit content shows up prominently in Google—so an honest, value-first approach to subreddit participation can meaningfully lift brand visibility, even when your site isn’t ranking yet.

7) Prepare for privacy-driven measurement changes and build first-party audiences

Chrome’s third-party cookie plans have evolved under regulatory scrutiny, but the direction is clear: more privacy, more reliance on first-party data and Privacy Sandbox signals. For organic, that means shifting success metrics toward owned audience growth (email/SMS, community signups) and branded search lift. Always tie SEO campaigns to a value exchange (download, early access, calculator) so zero-click exposure still grows your owned channels.

A 90-day execution plan you can start tomorrow

  • Map AIO intent: Identify top informational queries where AIO appears; add a 100–150-word expert summary, unique data points, and schema to target citation. Track whether your pages appear among AIO sources.
  • Design for zero-click: Add FAQs, how-to steps, and images to priority pages; publish a matching Short + long-form video; measure assisted conversions from brand search and email growth.
  • Run a PR sprint for links: Commission a quick survey or analyze internal usage data; publish a visual report and pitch three angles to journalists. If you need external help, vet partners like you would a PR firm (strategy, media list, past stories)—that’s how Top link building services deliver durable results.
  • Invest in communities: Ship a monthly TikTok/Shorts series answering real questions; share credible contributions on relevant subreddits (no astroturfing).
  • Harden E-E-A-T: Add bylines, credentials, and citations to your top 50 pages; include original screenshots and results wherever possible.

Conclusion

Organic growth in 2025 is about surface area and signal. You earn attention by being the best cited source in AI experiences, the most useful brand in zero-click SERPs, the clearest voice on YouTube and Reddit, and the team that turns those touches into owned relationships. Keep the old foundations (crawlability, speed, information architecture) while leveling up your content evidence and digital PR. Do that consistently, and you won’t just protect organic visibility—you’ll compound it.