PIVOT! �How to Leverage AI for SEM, SEO and a Changing Search Landscape

RICHARD TRAYLOR AND EMILY CLARK

December 11, 2025

Richard Traylor

Emily Clark

SEO Manager

Manager, Multiplatform Marketing

What's New in Search

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LET’S ASK CHATGPT

Let's ask RichardGPT

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Google AI Overviews

• AI summaries generated by Google Gemini that appear on both mobile and desktop devices.

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• Overviews link to relevant web pages used to generate the summary.

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• Most commonly appear at the top of search results.

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CHATGPT

GOOGLE GEMINI

OTHERS

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• DEEPSEEK

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• GROK

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• CLAUDE

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• … AND MORE

SEARCHES GOOGLE AND GENERATES ANSWERS

LINKS TO SITES REFERENCED IN THE AI RESPONSE

GOOGLE AI MODE

VIDEO SOURCE: HTTPS://BLOG.GOOGLE/PRODUCTS/SEARCH/AI-MODE-SEARCH/

About AI Overviews

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• AI Overviews have the most (immediate) impact on search visibility and engagement.

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• Both paid & organic search click-through rates have decreased since AI Overviews appeared.

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• AI Overviews are likely to increase zero click searches.

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Average word count

Of AI Overviews linked to articles on pbs.org

95%

3-6

 words

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• AI Overviews appear on primarily informational queries.

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• Example: "What is the biggest tsunami ever recorded"

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• Impact: organic search traffic may decline, but this is unlikely to impact streaming & core engagement KPIs.

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AI Overviews & PBS.org

Data is from an internal analysis of pbs.org AI Overview rankings conducted in March 2025

Enter Prompt Here _______

CREATE MEANINGFUL PAID SEARCH ADS WITH MINIMAL BUDGET

Ads appear with AI Overviews 87% of the time. ​

-68%

25% of non-branded searches show an AI overview

25%

In 84% of tested queries, AI section covered more than half the page

68% drop when AI summaries are shown above ads

84%

SOURCE

SOURCE

SOURCE

WHEN ARE AI OVERVIEWS GENERATED VERSUS SEARCH ADS?

With so much competition, when is the best time to use search ads?

• Branded queries (ex. pbs big cats 24/7)
• Local queries (ex. local dc tv)
• Navigational queries (ex. download the pbs app)

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PBS Share of Voice

Bidding on paid keywords and ranking for organic keywords keeps your site at the top.

Three AI Tools to Optimize Your Search Ads

Data - Powered Targeting

AI Max Expansion

Generative AI for Ads

MAXIMIZE RESULTS, MINIMIZE YOUR WORK

Show more relevant messaging to the right people

Rely simply on your website to find broad-match keywords and customize landing pages with minimum input

Create optimized search copy and images from one website link

Data Powered Targeting

Import Google Analytics 4 key events to increase conversions

How Does AI-Generated Creative in Search Ads Work?

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Reads your landing page URL

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Finds keywords based on your page's optimization

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Writes headlines and descriptions based on web page copy

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Provides images from your page for your ad

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Generates a preview of what your ad looks like

KEYWORDS, COPY, AND IMAGES

AI GENERATED

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CREATIVE

Lastly…AI Max Optimizations

1. Use broad match logic to find new search queries beyond explicit keywords

3. Sends users to most relevant page on your website

2. Leverages Google’s AI to automatically generate and optimize copy

An AI enhancement you toggle on within existing search campaigns

But, always monitor AI ads!

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Lions, Tigers and AI, Oh My!

HOW TO MAXIMIZE YOUR SEARCH PRESENCE IN AN AI ORGANIC SEARCH LANDSCAPE

How to Rank in �AI Overviews

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• Rank highly on Google organic search.
• 80% of pages linked in AI Overviews also ranked on page 1 of Google search. ^[source]

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• Create content that is readable.

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• Ensure your website is responsive and text content is crawlable.

When to Target �AI Overviews

• The content is specific to your brand.

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• You can provide a deeper answer to a complicated question.

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• You want to be seen as an expert on a given topic.

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• Internal data indicates AI Overviews meet your business goals.

How to Track �AI Overviews

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• You cannot track AI Overviews directly in Google Analytics or Google Search Console.
• However, you can track where AI Overviews appear using paid SEO tools.
• Ahrefs
• Semrush
• Moz Pro

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SEO Tactics That Work

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Conducting Keyword Research

• Branded keywords aid existing audiences with findability.

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• Non-branded keywords help new audiences with discoverability.

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• Aim for high search volume & high relevance.

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• Match your page experience with the user’s search intent.

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Branded Keyword Example

Non-Branded Keyword Example

Identifying Search Intent

Informational

Navigational

Commercial

Transactional

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“American Revolution premiere date”

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“Passport login”

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“Donate to PBS”

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4 MAIN TYPES OF SEARCH INTENT & EXAMPLES

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“Stream Leonardo da Vinci”

Maximizing Engagement

• Maximize organic search traffic by optimizing for conversions.

• Embed short-form video content into blogs and articles.

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• Incorporate other features like newsletter CTAs, Passport messaging and links to related content.

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• Site engagement is a ranking factor.

Where Do We Go�From Here?

RESOURCES & PREDICTIONS ON AI & THE SEARCH LANDSCAPE

5 Predictions for AI & Search

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1. Ads begin to appear more frequently in AI Overviews
2. Google begins sharing engagement data on AI Overviews in Google Ads
3. Google integrates AI into other SERP features
4. Continued proliferation of zero click searches
5. Google's search market share decreases

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THANK YOU!

Resources & Takeaways

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• Paid search can maximize performance with minimal effort when you use Google AI tools to build campaigns.

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• Search marketing has a high ROI if you optimize for conversions & user intent.

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