It appears there is a general agreement within the SEO community that AI Overviews (AIO) and other AI-powered content may lead to a decrease in traffic directed to external sites.

Even Google openly acknowledges that AIO aims to keep users engaged on the SERP for longer periods, meaning more time spent with Google and less with your business.

Regardless of how robust your SEO strategy might be, you're probably facing (or already dealing with) a reduction in traffic that's beyond your control.

That's unfortunate. Plain and simple.

Alright, moving on. Let's discuss how to adapt.

We're guiding our clients towards four main strategies:

• Digital PR and content distribution.
• Incorporating trust indicators in the SERP.
• Experimenting with influencers.
• Focusing on CRO.

Here's how we're tackling each.

1. Digital PR and content distribution

For numerous brands, Google serves as the main channel for distributing their content.

If this applies to you – and even if you're diligently reposting your content on platforms like LinkedIn and YouTube – it's time to get more strategic with your distribution efforts.

If you have a PR team or vendor, that's excellent. They should already be adept at placing your experts' insights and articles in third-party platforms.

Even without one, there are grassroots methods to utilize digital PR to gain visibility among key publications and outlets in your industry.

To begin, compile a list of the outlets, influencers, journalists, etc., you wish to form relationships with.

I'm certain you already have a shortlist of resources, but you can enhance it by setting up alerts for mentions of competing brands and identifying who's writing or discussing them.

Google prioritizes high-quality content based on its E-E-A-T guidelines, which include:

• Proprietary research and reports.
• Expert viewpoints.
• In-depth technical analyses.

These types of content should also be the kind that can capture a journalist's interest.

Just ensure any outreach focuses on how your content can engage their audience rather than promoting your brand or service.

Even if what you're offering isn't what a journalist is seeking, it's crucial to establish rapport; building relationships should be seen as a long-term strategy.

Ultimately, effective approaches can lead to mentions, backlinks, social media endorsements, and earned placements – all potent ways to strengthen your brand.

One final tip: don't overlook your readers and the role they can play in grassroots brand-building.

Ensure your content is both shareable and easy to share – right down to visible social media icons and prompts encouraging reader engagement.

Read More: How to use digital PR to drive backlinks and business growth

2. Adding trust signals in the SERP

Given we're discussing reduced visibility (or less prominent visibility) in the SERP, one way to maximize your presence is to rely on social proof and trust indicators to persuade users to click on your link instead of your competitors'.

This could involve testing terms like "top," "best," "trusted," etc., in your metadata and claiming and optimizing your brand's knowledge panel, among other initiatives.

You should be implementing these best practices anyway, but since we're competing for fewer clicks, optimizing your opportunities is vital.

Read More: Top 10 SEO benefits of building a brand that people trust

3. Testing influencers

If you've ever wondered about trying influencer marketing, now is an ideal time to get serious.

The more individuals in your field speaking positively about your brand, the more traffic you'll attract from non-Google sources, the larger brand halo you'll create, and the more material you'll provide Google for brand-related AIOs.

Influencers need to be considered when shaping and safeguarding your brand's reputation in the SERP.

Read More: How to ensure influencers help your SEO campaigns

4. Leaning into CRO

Effective SEO is about business outcomes, not just engagement (impressions, clicks, rankings).

That means introducing people to your brand and directing them to your site is only part of the task.

Alongside using conversion rate optimization (CRO) tools, heatmaps, etc., consider initiatives like testing various options and calls-to-action to see if any influence results.

Ensure your recommended next steps align with the user's intent. Don't ask them to sign up for a demo if they just encountered you through a top-of-funnel query.

Once you start collecting data for deeper-funnel metrics, you can pinpoint high-converting and high-traffic, low-converting pages.

For the former, attempt to replicate the conversion formula on other similar pages and explore opportunities to optimize that page further.

Even if it just gains you a few more clicks in the new SERP. For the latter, prioritize tests and adjustments that can boost the impact of the traffic you're already receiving.

Read More: Driving traffic but not leads? How to succeed with SEO and CRO

Thriving despite AI-induced traffic drops

Only time will reveal how AI will affect search traffic.

You can either wait and see what unfolds, or you can act proactively and implement measures to reinforce the overall effectiveness of your SEO campaigns.

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