Organic Search News Round Up - March 2025

We’ve compiled the essential updates from Google and the broader world of search from March – keeping you up to date with everything you need to know.

Covering:

• What Content Works Well in LLMs?
• Google vs ChatGPT Usage: A Reality Check?
• The Role of Social Media and Brand in Modern SEO
• The INMA AI Report & What It Means for Digital PR in 2025
• Google’s New AI Mode
• The Rise of Publisher-Led Studies – and Why It Matters for PR
• Easier Google Review Links with QR Codes
• Reddit’s New AI-Generated Content: The /klp/ Subfolder
• March 2025 Core Update – Completed
• The Changing Face of E-commerce SERPs – and Why Video Matters
• AI Overviews Now Live in Parts of Europe
• Stay Ahead in SEO with Distinctly

What Content Works Well in LLMs?

Recent research by Kevin Indig delves into the types of content that receive citations and mentions from AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Perplexity. The study analysed over 7,000 citations across 1,600 URLs to identify patterns in content that LLMs favour.​

Key findings:

• Depth and comprehensiveness: LLMs prefer content that is in-depth and comprehensive. The analysis revealed that factors such as word count, sentence count, and readability significantly influence the likelihood of content being cited by AI chatbots. For instance, the top 10% of cited pages had notably higher word and sentence counts compared to the bottom 90%.
  
• Classic SEO metrics are less relevant: Traditional SEO metrics like domain rating and backlink profiles were found to have minimal impact on LLM citations. This is interesting as this is the first study I have seen which suggests this; most seem to find positive correlations between these metrics and AI visibility.
• Brand popularity matters: The study also found a correlation between brand search volume and the frequency of brand mentions in AI chatbot responses. Popular brands with higher search volumes are more likely to be referenced by LLMs, indicating that brand awareness plays a role in AI visibility. This leads us to question how we can influence this more as digital marketers; by amplifying key brand content and people to sources where their customers hang out.

Implications for content strategy:

Focus on comprehensive content: To increase the likelihood of being cited by LLMs, content creators should aim to produce thorough and well-researched articles that cover topics in detail.

The following examples all demonstrate those qualities, according to Kevin:

• https://www.byrdie.com/digital-prescription-services-dermatologist-5179537
• https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/best-weight-loss-programs
  https://www.verywellmind.com/we-tried-online-therapy-com-these-were-our-experiences-8780086
  

For me, it’s simple: offer something different to what already exists, and make sure your own opinion and expertise come through. Standing out is no longer optional – every brand needs a clear point of difference.

As AI continues to shape search and content consumption, understanding these dynamics can help marketers and content creators adapt their strategies to maintain and strengthen their online presence.

Google vs ChatGPT Usage: A Reality Check?

There’s been no shortage of hype around AI tools (including from this monthly blog), and usage is certainly growing fast. But it’s important to put that growth into perspective before completely rethinking search strategies.

Really interesting new data from SparkToro was published last month and reveals just how vast the gap still is between traditional search engines and AI tools when it comes to volume and market share. There are lots of caveats and guestimations, but, in 2024:

• Google handled 14 billion searches per day
• And grew 20% year on year
• ChatGPT managed around 37.5 million ‘search equivalents’ daily
• Google Search receives ~373x as many searches than Chan GPT
• Bing, Yahoo, and DuckDuckGo also far outpace LLM usage
  

Even when combining all major AI tools, their total estimated share of the search market sits under 2%. Google, meanwhile, commands over 93% of global search activity based on this data.

So what does this mean for marketers?

Simply, don’t put all your eggs in the AI basket at the expense of Google. There are clear and obvious benefits to being referenced by ChatGPT and other LLMs – brand visibility, recognition, and customer attribution being the key three – and we absolutely want our clients to be featured there. But AI Chat is still a small part of the overall search landscape.

If you want to grow visibility, ranking on Google remains the priority. That means continuing to invest in technical SEO, quality, unique and expert-led, experience-driven content, and brand-building that supports your presence across all the digital touchpoints LLMs and users alike draw from. While ChatGPT gets the attention, Google still gets the clicks.

However, if you do all of that well, you’ll give yourself a great chance of being featured in LLM platforms too.

I liked this from Rand Fishkin below:

Today in Search, being a recognisable and trusted brand has never been more important. Whether it’s a consumer scanning the SERPs or an AI model deciding what to surface, known entities win.

People are more likely to buy from businesses they’re aware of – and if they aren’t already familiar, they need clear signs that the business is legitimate and trustworthy. That’s where social media plays a vital role.

An active and engaged presence across platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube doesn’t just boost visibility – it signals authenticity. Social channels give you space to show how you interact with customers, respond to feedback and handle service. They’re also a great way to amplify:

• Reviews and testimonials
• PR coverage or thought leadership
• Results and case studies

These signals matter to potential customers – and they’re not lost on Google or AI systems either.

In 2025, search doesn’t live in just one place. People are “searching” on LinkedIn, Reddit, TikTok, YouTube and AI tools like ChatGPT – and they’re acting on what they find there. Visibility now goes well beyond your website.

That’s why at Distinctly, we’ve started rolling out Social Performance Audits for our clients, helping them understand:

• How they’re performing on each channel
• What platforms are sending the most traffic
• Where competitors are investing in paid and organic social
• Which content formats drive the highest engagement
• Where the untapped opportunities lie
  

If you’re only focusing on Google rankings, you’re missing part of the picture. Brand visibility now depends on showing up across all the places your audience already spends time.

From this, a tailored strategy can take shape – aligning your SEO, content, brand and social goals to maximise visibility and trust across every digital touchpoint.

Distinctly client? Your Account Manager will be speaking with you about this soon.
Not a client but like the sound of this? Reach out – we’d love to chat.

The INMA AI Report & What It Means for Digital PR in 2025

In March, the International News Media Association (INMA) released its latest report: How News Organisations Should Work With AI Companies. While focused on publishers, it contains plenty for digital PRs to pay attention to.

The report explores how AI is reshaping journalism, from content creation to editorial workflows – and the implications are clear: the lines between media, AI and PR are getting blurrier.

Key takeaways:

• Nearly 40% of publishers are now using AI to support writing, research and data analysis
• Stories backed by solid data and clear sources are more likely to be picked up, used by AI models, or even surfaced in AI-generated summaries
• Digital PR campaigns should factor in format as well as content – structured data, concise summaries, and clear expert commentary will help your story be understood and surfaced

In short, it’s not just about landing coverage anymore – it’s about making sure your content is recognisable and reusable in an AI-driven media landscape.

Google’s New AI Mode

Google is currently testing a new feature called AI Mode – and while it’s not available in the UK yet, it’s worth understanding what it is and how it differs from what we’re already seeing.

So, what’s the difference between AI Overviews and AI Mode?

• AI Overviews are already live in the UK and many other markets. They appear at the top of some results and provide AI-generated summaries in addition to traditional links.
  
• AI Mode, on the other hand, is being tested in the US only (for now), and it’s a