By Vicky Sidler | Published 8 June 2025 at 12:00 GMT

Picture a gloomy funeral parlor. The casket reads “SEO—2001 to 2025.” A somber marketer steps up, wipes away a tear, and pronounces, “Long live AI search!”

Well, Morningscore's latest webinar slammed that lid shut, wheeled the coffin back out, and proved there’s still plenty of life in search engine optimization. Below is a deeper dive into the data, the trends, and—most importantly—how small businesses can thrive.

Why the “SEO Is Dead” Meme Refuses to Die:

• Search volume is still climbing. Google logged a record number of queries in 2024.

• AI engines own a sliver of the pie. ChatGPT, Perplexity, and friends combined control <1.5 % of global search traffic.

• Google has cash—and history—on its side. For every dollar Microsoft and Apple spend on AI research, Google spends ten.

According to Morningscore, AI overviews aren’t a revolution; they’re an evolution. Google has been teaching machines with billions of searches for decades. That head start matters.

What AI Overviews Really Mean for Your Rankings:

Morningscore’s team analyzed hundreds of AI overview boxes. And yes, Google’s new AI summaries answer basic how-to questions instantly. But the underlying ranking logic hasn’t changed:

1. Authority still wins. Long-tail keywords, clear structure, and topical depth keep content in the game—AI or not.

2. Sources still matter. Users (and Google) distrust orphaned facts. Verified expertise beats recycled fluff.

3. User experience still rules. Fast load times, mobile friendliness, and logical navigation remain table stakes.

According to Morningscore, if your content already follows best-practice SEO guidelines, you’re 80 percent GEO-ready (Generative-Engine Optimization).

Three Practical Moves to Stay Visible in 2025:

Let’s skip the “ask your provider” loop-de-loop and focus on actions you control:

1️⃣ Audit Your Authority Gaps:

List the questions your audience asks most. For each topic, rate your existing content: thorough, thin, or missing. Fill the gaps with clear, well-sourced articles (and include supporting video or FAQs).

2️⃣ Test Your Content in AI Overviews:

Type key queries into Google’s AI preview and ChatGPT. Do you appear? If not, study the pages that do. Look for shared traits—length, subheadings, schema markup—then upgrade your own content accordingly.

3️⃣ Tie Every Page to a Simple Funnel:

Faster search results mean visitors bounce quicker if they can’t see the next step. Add one obvious call-to-action per page—ebook, demo, or contact form—and track it.

When the SEO mourners realize your content still ranks—and converts—they’ll close the casket lid, shrug, and ask the band to play something cheerier.

Ready to Future-Proof Your Message?

SEO, GEO, alphabet soup—whatever we call it, clarity sells. Grab my free 5-Minute Marketing Fix to craft one sentence that tells prospects what you do and why it matters. Faster than you can say “resurrection.”

👉Download it here.