SEO & Google Ads Help: 2025 Updates You Need to Know

Digital marketing is evolving faster than ever — and staying on top of the latest trends is crucial if you want to stay visible, competitive, and profitable. If you’ve been relying on the same SEO tactics you were using a year ago, or if you’re hesitant to dive into Google Ads, it’s time for a refresh. Below, we’re breaking down three essential updates and shifts you need to know right now to keep your brand ahead of the curve.

SEO Alone Is Not Enough

Gone are the days when organic SEO could carry your business on its own. If you’re not investing in Google Ads, you’re giving your competitors an easy opportunity to swoop in — even on your own branded search terms. That means when someone searches for your business name, a competitor’s ad might show up above your organic listing.

Even a modest budget can make a difference. We recommend starting with as little as $20 per day to begin capturing valuable traffic, especially for your top keywords and branded search terms. This small but mighty investment can improve your visibility, help you control the narrative around your brand in search results, and stop potential customers from clicking on the competition.

AI Overview Is Queen

Google’s search results page has a new top-tier resident: the AI Overview. This AI-generated summary appears at the very top of organic search results (but below paid ads), pulling snippets of information from across the web to answer user queries directly on the search page.

Why should you care? Because being included in the AI Overview gives your content prime visibility. To improve your chances:

• Focus on creating clear, well-structured, and informative content that answers common user questions in your industry.

• Use concise headings, bullet points, and summaries to make your content easily scannable by AI.

• Ensure your website’s technical SEO is dialed in, so Google can easily crawl and interpret your pages.

The AI Overview is quickly becoming one of the most coveted spots in search results — don’t miss the opportunity to get your brand featured.

Performance Max Campaigns Are Causing Spam Conversions

While Google Ads Performance Max (PMAX) campaigns offer an enticing promise of simplified, AI-driven advertising across all of Google’s properties, there’s a growing downside: spam conversions.

Over the past several months, we’ve observed an uptick in fake form submissions and irrelevant leads coming from PMAX campaigns across multiple client accounts. These spammy conversions can drain your internal resources, skew your data, and leave your team chasing down empty leads.

If you’re running PMAX campaigns:

• Regularly review your lead quality and conversion sources.

• Set up form validation tools or CAPTCHA on your site to reduce spam.

• Consider layering in audience signals and exclusions to improve targeting.

• Set up an ad schedule that pauses ads between high-spam time frames of midnight to 4 am

• Monitor your campaign’s asset groups and performance insights to spot issues early.

Video Campaigns Are Out, Demand Gen Is In

If you’ve been leaning heavily on YouTube Video campaigns in Google Ads, it's time to rethink your strategy. Google is gradually phasing out standalone video campaigns in favor of Demand Gen campaigns — a more comprehensive, AI-powered campaign type designed to reach users across YouTube, Discover, Gmail, and the Google Display Network.

Why does this matter? Demand Gen campaigns offer:

• Smarter audience targeting using intent signals and lookalike audiences.

• Multi-format creative options (not just video, but also carousel and image ads).

• Enhanced reporting and conversion tracking for a clearer view of what’s driving results.

In short, Demand Gen gives advertisers a more dynamic way to generate leads and awareness — not just through passive video views, but through interactive, multi-channel experiences that guide users toward action.

Final Thoughts

The digital marketing landscape is shifting — and quickly. While SEO remains foundational, it no longer works as a standalone strategy. Paid search, AI integrations, and smarter ad management are now essential pieces of the puzzle.

Staying proactive with these updates ensures you’re not just keeping up with your competitors, but outpacing them. Need help adjusting your strategy? We’d be happy to chat.