Will Google’s AI Mode Become Default?

E855: New data reveals that 57% of all Google searches are zero-click.

SVP of Marketing at Datos, Belinda Conde, joins the show to reveal that more than half of users now get the information they need directly from Google - whether through AI Overviews, featured snippets, or other Google-owned properties - instead of clicking through to a website.

We explore what this means for SEO, AI search, and the future of user behavior. Using large-scale clickstream data from the State of Search Q3 2025 Report, we break down how AI results, zero-click behavior, and platforms like Reddit are reshaping the search landscape.

Despite the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini, the data shows that Google still dominates 95% of all search traffic. Traditional search and SEO remain critical - but how people interact with search results is changing fast.

In this episode: - Why 57% of Google searches result in zero external clicks - How AI Overviews are changing search behavior - Why Google still controls 95% of global search traffic - The slowdown in AI tool growth and usage trends - Reddit as a top traffic source from Google - What zero-click behavior means for SEO strategy - How marketers can adapt to AI-driven search results - Why solving problems beats feature selling in modern marketing

⭐️ Belinda Conde on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/belinda-conde/ ⭐️ State of Search Q3 2025: Behaviors, Trends, and Clicks Across the US & Europe - https://datos.live/report/state-of-search-q3-2025/ ⭐️ Receive Datos reports 24 hours before public releases - https://datos.live/newsletter/

💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/

00:00 Introduction to Search Behavior 01:01 Guest Introduction: Belinda Conde 08:22 Understanding Clickstream Data 12:35 Regional Differences in Search Behavior 17:31 Zero-Click Search Strategy 19:11 Feature Selling vs. Problem Solving 28:44 Reddit's Rise in Search Traffic 31:43 Navigating Reddit for Marketers 32:23 The Importance of Customer Experience 34:15 Social Listening and Brand Mentions 36:39 Google's Dominance in Search 38:43 The Future of AI in Search 45:05 Adapting to Changing Traffic Sources 49:46 The Power of Optimism in Marketing 53:51 Upcoming Reports and Insights 56:24 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/

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