In this engaging discussion, Kevin Indig, a growth advisor and SEO strategist, delves into his groundbreaking UX study on Google's AI Overviews. He reveals how AI is reshaping user behavior and why brand trust now drives conversions over traditional click metrics. The conversation highlights the importance of trust signals, the varying effectiveness of SEO across industries, and how younger users embrace AI more than older ones. Kevin also emphasizes the need for interactive content and underscores that mediocre AI-generated material won't cut it in the future.
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insights INSIGHT
Trust Over Relevance in SEO
Trust is the primary filter users apply before judging relevance in search results.
Brand familiarity strongly influences user clicks and engagement beyond just content relevance.
insights INSIGHT
Brand Bonus Shapes SEO Outcomes
Traffic trends vary widely by industry, with some brands seeing revenue rise despite lower traffic.
Big brands often benefit from a 'brand bonus' that affects SEO outcomes differently than mid-market firms.
insights INSIGHT
Mobile Users Click More Often
Mobile users click and scroll more due to smaller screen constraints.
Desktop users feel less need to scroll as their screen shows more content at once.
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Ross sits down with Kevin Indig, growth advisor and SEO strategist, to break down his groundbreaking UX study on Google’s AI Overviews—and what it reveals about the fast-changing landscape of search. From disappearing clicks to trust-first decision-making, Kevin shares how the rise of AI is reshaping everything from user behavior to what actually drives conversions.
They dig into why CTR is no longer the north star metric, how age and device impact search habits, and why today’s SEO teams need to think far beyond blue links. Whether it’s surfacing trust signals, building brand awareness across platforms, or adapting to zero-click journeys, this conversation is packed with practical takeaways for future-proofing your organic strategy.
Plus: the rise of interactive content, the power of review mining, and why mediocre AI content won’t cut it in 2025.
Show Notes:
0:07 – Welcoming Kevin back and discussing the shift to AI Overview dominance
1:18 – Top 3 takeaways from Kevin’s study
4:42 – Why younger users love AIOs—and older users don’t trust them
5:37 – How brand strength is driving revenue despite declining CTRs
7:42 – Why results vary dramatically by industry (SaaS, e-comm, publishers)
9:20 – Mobile users scroll more—what that means for engagement
13:00 – Trust signals that matter: bylines, bios, disclosures & authority
16:14 – Riskier queries = higher skepticism. Assigning a “risk score” to search terms
19:18 – Why your SEO strategy must include Reddit, YouTube & non-Google channels
23:27 – New team structures: why SEOs must align with social, paid & brand
28:08 – Creating a brand health dashboard: tracking reach beyond Google
31:27 – Leveraging your existing customer base to create high-converting content
34:45 – How review mining and transcripts unlock real user needs
38:09 – AI-generated content: when it works, when it fails, and why “mediocre is invisible”
40:09 – Turning blog content into interactive tools for higher ROI and defensibility
43:34 – Mission statement generator: the surprising success story
46:43 – Final advice for SEOs in 2025: speed, adaptability, and user-first everything
Show Links:
Kevin’s UX Study on Google’s AI Overviews: [https://www.growth-memo.com/p/the-first-ever-ux-study-of-googles]
Ramp’s Mission Statement Generator: [https://www.ramp.com/mission-statement-generator](https://www.ramp.com/mission-statement-generator)
Optiversal – Turning reviews into content: [https://www.optiversal.com](https://www.optiversal.com)Subscribe today for weekly tips: https://bit.ly/3dBM61f Listen on
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Twitter: http://twitter.com/rosshudgens Directed by Cara Brown:
https://twitter.com/cararbrown Email Ross: ross@siegemedia.com #seo |
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Content and Conversation: Organic Growth Insights from Siege Media 