5 minutes
AI: reaper or revolutionary for search?
Does AI spell the end of “Googling” as we know it?
In early 2023, I wrote a blog titled ChatGPT: Writers, Don’t Fear the Reaper. In it, I confidently stated that AI wouldn’t have a significant impact on search. Back then, only 13% of businesses were using AI for marketing, and the idea of ChatGPT or other tools replacing Google felt more like sci-fi than reality.
Fast forward to today, and, well I’m eating my words.
By 2024, nearly half of businesses (48%) had integrated AI into their strategies. And now, in 2025, we’re witnessing AI transform not only how businesses operate, but how consumers search, decide and interact online. The impact of this on the buyers journey, is, well, revolutionary.
My blog was only written two years ago, but in some ways, it could’ve been twenty.
And yet, despite having front-row seats to this monumental change, some marketers are still clinging to outdated practices, mapping keywords to pages like it’s 2010. Old habits die hard, I guess.
But some habits are dying faster than ever.
The changing landscape of search
For more than two decades, Google has been the undisputed leader in search. It’s been so dominant and ingrained in popular culture that “Google” was listed as a verb in the dictionary, synonymous with searching the web. For years, it seemed untouchable, the be-all and end-all of finding information, and we—the simple marketers and business owners of the world—were beholden to its every algorithm update.
But things change. Fast.
From “Google it” to “ask ChatGPT”
This isn’t another algorithm update. This is a change in how people are choosing to search for information in the first place. A fundamental shift in behaviour. Consumers aren’t starting their queries on Google like they used to – they’re skipping straight to AI platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity and others.
I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve recently caught myself telling friends to “ask ChatGPT” instead of Google. It’s faster, more direct, and skips the frustrating step of sifting through the algorithm-optimised content that doesn’t always answer your question.
And while Google isn’t dead – and certainly won’t go down without a fight – adding Gemini to the top of the SERPs is a clear sign they’re aware of the shift and are trying to adapt.
Not just informational queries
Returning to my outdated blog for a moment – at one point, I qualified my opinion: Sure, maybe informational queries will take a hit thanks to AI, but that’s it surely. Searches with commercial intent will definitely be safe, right?
Right?
Well, if my conversation with ChatGPT yesterday is anything to go by, this view was shortsighted too. I asked ChatGPT to help me find a new handbag that fit a long list of criteria, and it gave me options – ones I didn’t need to dig through pages of Google search or Google Shopping to find. Ones that had never appeared when I had spent time scrolling through the search results before giving up.
Of course, this trend isn’t just limited to AI. It’s already well-documented how Gen Z favours TikTok search over Google. The platform has also recently integrated shopping, so users never need to leave the app.
What does this mean for marketing?
For businesses and marketers, this shift means that the platforms are consolidating even more of the end user’s attention. Instead of navigating to individual websites, users are relying on these platforms for end-to-end answers (and more frequently, complete buying experiences) – something that’s redefining the customer journey.
For businesses, this evolution is both a challenge and an opportunity. The challenge lies in staying visible in an increasingly crowded and fragmented digital space. But the opportunity? It’s in adapting to these changes, understanding how your audience searches, and crafting content that resonates – no matter where they find you.
The question should never have been how to rank on Google – it should always have been how to provide real value to your audience.
HubSpot: The great organic debate of 2025
When a company as influential as HubSpot experiences a dramatic shift, the marketing world takes notice. Recently, Ahrefs released data showing a significant dip in HubSpot’s organic traffic, sparking what can only be described as The Great Organic Traffic Debate of 2025 on LinkedIn. And trust me, it’s been divisive.
Two sides of the same story
Depending on who you follow, the debate has been split into two clear camps:
- The Critics
- The Defenders
This group argues that HubSpot’s strategy relied too heavily on vanity metrics – chasing high-volume, low-value keywords to inflate their traffic numbers. According to them, shifts in search behaviour and consequential Google algorithm updates have finally caught up with HubSpot: punishing shallow content while rewarding depth and quality.
On the other hand, some argue that while HubSpot’s organic traffic has dipped, their stock price tells a different story – soaring to its highest point since 2022. The takeaway? HubSpot isn’t losing; they’re evolving. Instead of focusing on sheer traffic volume, they’re doubling down on meaningful content that drives engagement and conversions.
What’s fascinating is that both sides seem to agree on one core principle: writing for the user is the only sustainable strategy.
What the data really tells us
Whether you’re Team Critic or Team Defender, the HubSpot story offers valuable lessons for marketers and business owners alike.
For marketers, it’s a wake-up call to abandon outdated SEO tactics. The era of pumping out keyword-optimised content to dominate SERPs is officially over. After years of slowly dying, the message is finally clear: today’s most successful content prioritises helping users solve problems, make decisions, or learn something new.
For businesses, it’s a reminder that the best source of content ideas isn’t keyword tools like Ahrefs or Semrush – it’s your audience. The goldmine of insight lies in conversations with your customers, your sales team and your customer service team. What questions are people asking? What problems do they need solved? What do they care about? This is where meaningful content begins.
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About the author
With a decade of experience in marketing, Cass helps brands craft content that builds familiarity, credibility, and emotional pull – so when it’s time to buy, you’re already top of mind.
And a quick checklist to verify whether you should.
Cass Whitaker