SEO 101 Episode 506: AI Overviews Eroding Web Traffic, Google's Update Volatility, and CSS for SEO

Release Date: July 24, 2025
Hosts: Ross Dunn and Scott Vanak
Platform: WMR.FM

Introduction

In Episode 506 of SEO 101, hosts Ross Dunn and Scott Vanak delve into several pivotal topics affecting the search engine optimization landscape. From recent Google core updates and their impact on various industries to the evolving role of AI in search results, the episode offers actionable insights for both beginners and seasoned SEO practitioners. Additionally, the hosts explore technical aspects of CSS in relation to SEO, providing listeners with a comprehensive understanding of current trends and best practices.

1. Google’s June Core Update: Volatility and Industry Impact

[01:03] Ross Dunn: "The June core update has officially completed."

Scott Vanak elaborates on the nuances of this update, noting its initial volatility and the sectors most affected. The June Core Update, despite its name, began rolling out around June 30th, leading some to refer to it as the July Core Update. According to Scott, there has been some recovery for those impacted by previous updates in March and September 2023.

Notable Insights:

• Industry Impact: The health industry experienced significant fluctuations, while the finance sector saw slightly less volatility.
• Client Experiences: Ross shares that his clients have observed mixed results—some rankings improved, while others declined, but no client was severely affected.

[02:10] Scott Vanak: "Nobody seems to be hit really hard as an individual, which is great."

Expert Opinions:

• Glenn Gabe: Described the update as a "red hot broad core algorithm update causing a lot of volatility across verticals and countries" ([02:30]).
• Marie Haynes: Highlighted a shift in Google’s ranking signals towards AI, which is expected to be beneficial ([03:00]).
• Alita Solis: Noted that brands are seeing visibility improvements for their branded terms due to fewer shopping packs and carousels above the first position ([03:30]).

2. Local SEO Developments

Ross touches upon the ongoing discussion about how the June 2025 Google update affects local search impressions. While some anecdotal evidence suggests minimal improvement, the consensus remains inconclusive.

[05:10] Ross Dunn: "We have to say that it wasn't part of that update or it's just a long tail after some sort of after effects."

3. AI Overviews and Their Impact on Web Traffic

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to discussing a Pew Research study revealing that AI-generated overviews in search results are diminishing web traffic.

Key Findings:

• Reduction in Click-Through Rates (CTR): AI summaries led to only 8% of users clicking on any links, compared to 15% without AI overviews.
• Drop in Citations: Only 1% of AI-linked citations directed users to sources like Wikipedia, YouTube, and Reddit.
• Increase in Zero Click Searches: Nearly 66% of searches with AI overviews resulted in no clicks, indicating users are satisfied with the AI-generated answers.

[06:39] Scott Vanak: "Pew Research confirms Google AI Overviews are eroding the web ecosystem."

Ross’s Commentary: Ross expresses concern for the web publishing industry, emphasizing the importance of maintaining visibility despite Google's AI advancements. He references an Ars Technica article that underscores the tension between Google's profitability and the challenges faced by content creators.

[09:49] Scott Vanak: "Google's use of AI is changing the way people gather information and interact with search results."

4. OpenAI’s LLMs.txt and Google’s Stance

The hosts explore the controversy surrounding OpenAI’s crawling of LLMs.txt files and Google's official position on this matter.

Key Points:

• Google’s Official Stance: John Mueller from Google stated that Google does not support LLMs.txt and has no plans to do so ([12:34]).
• Reality Check: Despite Google's claims, evidence suggests that OpenAI is actively crawling these files, as reported by Ray Martinez from Search Engine Land ([13:15]).
• Technical Implications: Scott and Ross discuss the potential impact of LLMs.txt files being crawled, including concerns about these files appearing in search results and how to mitigate such issues using noindex tags.

Notable Quote: Scott Vanak: "John Mueller noted that no AI system is currently using LLMs.txt file officially. [...] It might make sense to no index the LLMs.txt file" ([14:00]).

5. CSS and SEO: Best Practices

A detailed discussion on the relationship between CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) and SEO, featuring insights from John Mueller and Martin Split.

Key Topics:

• CSS File Sizes: While CSS files have grown over the years, it's crucial to manage their size to avoid performance issues. An extreme example cited was a 78 MB CSS file.

  [17:02] Scott Vanak: "CSS defines the fonts, colors, spacings, margins—the aesthetics of the site."

• Class Names: Google does not consider CSS class names for SEO. Attempting to insert keywords into class names is ineffective.

  [17:25] Scott Vanak: "Use whatever makes the most sense and makes it easy for you to figure out what that class does."

• Pseudo Elements: These should solely be used for decorative purposes and not contain meaningful content, as Google does not index them.

• Images in CSS:

  • Decorative Images: Using background-image for non-essential visuals does not convey content to Google.
  • Content Images: Essential images should use standard HTML <img> tags to ensure proper indexing.

  [19:36] Ross Dunn: "Putting critical content within CSS hinders a search engine's understanding and accessibility for that image."

• Tables: For tabular data, use HTML table elements instead of CSS-created tables to ensure better accessibility and indexing by search engines.

  [20:36] Scott Vanak: "Creating tables in some CMSs is a nightmare with CSS, so using HTML is preferred."

Conclusion: Proper use of CSS is vital for maintaining both website aesthetics and SEO performance. Misuse can lead to poor indexing and reduced visibility.

6. SEO in the Age of AI: Evolution, Not Extinction

Addressing the recurring question, "Is SEO dead?" the hosts emphasize that SEO is not only alive but evolving in response to AI advancements.

[24:05] Ross Dunn: "Is SEO dead? No, it's evolving."

Key Takeaways:

• Fundamental Principles: The core tenets of SEO—creating helpful and reliable content—remain crucial for appearing in AI-powered search features.

• Opportunities for Creators: Despite challenges, new technologies are creating avenues for content creators to enhance their reach and engagement.

  [24:23] Scott Vanak: "The fundamental principles of SEO are more important than ever for appearing in new AI-powered features."

Ross expresses skepticism about the sustainability of traditional SEO practices in a landscape increasingly dominated by AI, suggesting that while opportunities exist, the playing field is shifting.

7. Google's AI Reshaping the Search Experience

Gary Ish highlights the transformative impact of AI on search, detailing how it alters user behavior and expectations.

Highlights:

• Growth in Search Usage: Gen Z remains the most active searchers, countering the belief that younger generations prefer alternative information sources.

  [21:52] Gary Ish: "Gen Z users issue more search queries than any other age group."

• Visual and Interactive Search: Tools like Google Lens are experiencing significant growth, with 65% year-over-year increase and over 100 billion visual searches conducted annually.

  [22:30] Scott Vanak: "I took a picture of it and just showed it on Google Lens—it was amazing."

• AI Mode for Complex Queries: Introduced to handle multi-step reasoning and in-depth research needs, enhancing the search experience for more intricate queries.

[26:30] Gary Ish: "AI overviews are one of the most significant changes to search in 20 years."

Discussion: While AI enhances user satisfaction for straightforward queries, Ross and Scott acknowledge potential drawbacks, such as the limitations of AI-generated answers in nuanced searches and the risk of misinformation.

8. Handling Product Pricing Variations by State

Addressing the challenge of displaying different product prices based on the user’s state, the hosts relay John Mueller’s advice.

Solutions Provided:

1. Using the Tax Field: Adjust the product price dynamically by incorporating state-specific taxes, ensuring the final amount reflects regional pricing.

   [29:01] Scott Vanak: "Alternatively, you might have users select their state before the price changes."

2. Separate Product Pages: Create individual pages for each state using hreflang tags to specify regional variations.

   [30:16] Scott Vanak: "You could have a page for California and a page for New York with hreflang referencing one another."

Considerations:

• Scalability: Managing multiple product pages can become cumbersome for businesses with extensive regional variations.
• SEO Impact: Proper implementation using hreflang is essential to avoid duplicate content issues and ensure search engines correctly index regional pages.

9. Managing Expired Event Pages

The final segment covers strategies for handling URLs dedicated to past events, ensuring minimal negative impact on SEO.

John Mueller’s Recommendations:

• Long-Term References: Keep pages for unique or highly sought-after events to serve as long-term references.
• Temporary Relevance: Allow some time for interest to wane before removing pages, depending on the event's uniqueness and demand.
• Redirects vs. 404s:
  • 301 Redirects: Redirect to the most relevant higher-level page if the expired event has related content.
  • 404/410 Status Codes: Use when the page no longer holds value or relevance, especially if maintaining redirects is impractical.

[32:13] Scott Vanak: "If the page has any value, redirect it to a suitable replacement to retain any SEO value."

Ross’s Input: Ross suggests centralizing event information on main category pages to streamline management and improve user navigation.

Conclusion and Call to Action

Ross and Scott wrap up the episode by inviting listeners facing challenges in adapting their SEO strategies amidst AI advancements to reach out for free strategy calls. They emphasize their ongoing efforts to stay updated with the latest SEO trends and provide tailored solutions to their audience.

[35:08] Ross Dunn: "If you want to have a chat at the very least, book one of our free strategy calls on our website."

Listeners are encouraged to subscribe to the Show Notes newsletter at seo101radio.com for more insights and updates.

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Key Takeaways

• Stay Updated with Core Updates: Understanding the impact of Google's algorithm changes is crucial for maintaining and improving search rankings.
• Adapt to AI’s Growing Role: Embrace AI tools like Google Lens while being mindful of their limitations and effects on web traffic.
• Optimize Technical SEO: Proper use of CSS and HTML elements significantly influences SEO performance and accessibility.
• Strategize Content Management: Effective handling of regional pricing and expired event pages can preserve SEO value and enhance user experience.
• SEO is Evolving, Not Dying: Fundamental SEO principles remain vital, but adapting to new technologies and user behaviors is essential for continued success.

By integrating these insights, listeners can better navigate the ever-changing SEO landscape, leveraging both traditional strategies and emerging technologies to enhance their online presence.