Podcast Summary: Voices of Search

Episode: Integration of SEO and CRO departments into a single "search experience" team
Date: August 23, 2025
Host: Jordan Cooney
Guest: Sean (Apollo)

Episode Overview

This episode of the Voices of Search podcast explores the evolving relationship between SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and CRO (Conversion Rate Optimization), particularly in the context of merging these departments into a unified "search experience" team. The episode zeroes in on how this integration is crucial in a world where AI-driven changes are rapidly transforming Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs). The featured segment focuses on the debate around impression and click trends as AI continues to reshape user behavior and Google’s strategies.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Lightning Round Question: Trend or Trash?

[00:43]

• Question Posed: Will impressions continue to increase while clicks stay flat in the new AI search experience world?
  • Trend: The pattern remains.
  • Trash: The direction changes.

2. Sean’s Take: Rejecting the Status Quo as “Trash”

[01:06-03:18]

• Sean’s Bold Prediction

  • Sean firmly calls the perception that impressions will keep climbing while clicks remain flat as "trash."
  • He backs this up by highlighting Google's history of constantly experimenting with SERPs and user interaction.

• Historical Perspective

  • Sean references the past evolution of Google features:
    • "Remember Google My Business, Google Maps, remember Google Plus? Uh, remember Google Buzz? ... Carousel, rich snippets, people also ask, you name it..." (Sean, 01:12-01:22)
  • This demonstrates Google's willingness to test, break, and rebuild the SERP for both business goals and user experience.

• AI as an Extension, Not a Revolution

  • "Why don't we just incorporate [AI] with the thing that we've already been doing? Okay, yeah, that makes sense." (Sean, 01:27-01:30)
  • AI overviews, VO3, and new features reflect iterative rather than revolutionary change.

• Pessimism Before Optimism

  • Sean predicts the situation "might get a little worse and then it'll get better" (Sean, 01:41), suggesting further experimentation before stabilization.

• Market and User Response Will Drive Change

  • Google’s direction will depend on what users—not just SEOs—prefer:
    • "Either everybody hates the experience and they are forced to change it... or they come up with something better than the AIO and they say like, you know what? We need publishers..." (Sean, 01:47-02:08)
  • This could result in: more engaging formats, improved AI overviews, new click incentives, or deeper content integration.

• Outlook for Brands, Publishers, and SEOs

  • Sean is optimistic about future opportunities for publishers and companies that care about visibility, even in an AI-dominated environment.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Google’s Constant Experimentation:

  • "We have seen a ton of Google SERP AB testing and CRO, how to extract value from their users and provide a better user experience, but also make more money. Let's be real."
    — Sean (01:20)

• On the Potential for Change:

  • "I think they're going to try and get as much as they can and then something will happen where...they find that GPT or LLMs or something in the market is better than the current AI overview user experience."
    — Sean (01:43-01:55)

• On the Future for Publishers:

  • “We need publishers and we need companies that actually give a shit about showing up in SERPs that aren’t just going to donk off spend in AdWords. How can we do this? Well, we could give them an AI overview carousel. We could change who pops up for AI overviews. We could embed site content and say click here for more of this answer.”
    — Sean (02:09-02:25)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:43] — Lightning round: Trend or trash?
• [01:06] — Sean declares "trash" and details his argument
• [01:12-01:40] — Review of historical changes in the SERP/Google’s evolution
• [01:41-02:08] — Pessimism before optimism: it may get worse, but improvement will follow
• [02:09-02:25] — Possible future experimentations and encouragement for publishers
• [03:18] — Episode close and acknowledgments

Episode Mood & Tone

• The conversation is candid, speculative, and a bit irreverent—Sean’s optimism is balanced by frank acknowledgment of Google’s business motives and the unpredictability of search innovation.
• The episode encourages SEOs and marketers to stay nimble and embrace experimentation, underscoring that nothing in search is permanent and adaptability is key.

Summary Takeaway

Even as AI dramatically alters the search landscape, expecting current trends to persist unchallenged is shortsighted. Google’s history of perpetual adjustment and user-centric testing means more upheaval is inevitable. For those in SEO, CRO, and content marketing, the mandate is clear: integrate efforts, keep experimenting, and watch for the next round of changes driven by both AI capabilities and the real-world user (and publisher) response.