Artificial intelligence (AI) is constantly reshaping the digital world, and its impact on organic search is undeniable. During the most recent Global Marketing Meeting, Principal Digital Marketing Specialist John Mosier (@JohnMosier) shared valuable insights into these changes and how JMP is adapting its search engine optimization (SEO) strategy to thrive in this evolving landscape.
The shifting sands of search
Mosier says the past 12 to 18 months have witnessed a significant transformation in organic search, with the last six months marking the most substantial disruption in years. Google's integration of AI into search results, primarily through AI Overviews, is fundamentally altering how users find and consume information.
AI Overviews synthesize vast amounts of online content to directly answer user queries within the search results page. This means that the traditional path of users clicking through to websites, even those holding the coveted top positions, is being disrupted.
Mosier says data from our own experiences with the Statistics Knowledge Portal (SKP) clearly illustrates this trend.
In his presentation, Mosier shared web traffic data related to searches of ‘two-sample t-test’ that showed a 40% page view reduction between YTD 2024 and YTD 2025 -- despite our SKP page consistently ranking at the top of search results. Informational searches like these have seen significant click-through rate drops, leading to a decline in organic search traffic.
Google is also experimenting with AI Mode, which allows users to have conversational follow-ups directly within the search results. This could further reduce the need for users to click through to websites for more information. In addition, while Google remains the dominant search engine across much of the world, AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity are having a growing impact on searchers’ behavior.
JMP's SEO strategy
Despite these challenges, it's crucial to understand that SEO remains an important tactic for JMP’s marketing strategy. While the landscape is changing, we are proactively adapting our approach, focusing on key areas to maintain and grow our online presence. Here is how the Digital Marketing team is approaching this shift:
- Creating content that reflects authentic experience and deep knowledge will be a key differentiator for JMP. We are actively planning content initiatives that leverage our internal experts, featuring their names and bylines to build authoritativeness. Functional data analysis is one such initial topic we're in the process of developing in this manner.
- Recognizing that AI Overviews are currently superficial and primarily text-based, we are focusing on developing richer, more in-depth content in various formats. This includes video, animations, and interactive tools that can capture user attention and provide value beyond a simple text summary. The depth of our content continues to drive valuable traffic from users seeking more than a quick answer.
- Having a strong brand is proving to be the key to resilience in the face of AI disruption. Our data shows that branded searches (like "JMP DOE") have remained unaffected by AI Overviews, with consistently high click-through rates. Mosier says we are actively focusing on strengthening the JMP brand across all channels and touchpoints. This not only drives direct branded searches but also signals trust and authority to both users and AI algorithms, potentially increasing our chances of being cited in AI-generated answers.
- With potentially lower overall organic traffic, it becomes even more critical to ensure our website provides an exceptional user experience and effectively converts visitors into leads. By optimizing conversion paths and ensuring users enjoy their interactions with our site, we can still generate leads even with fewer organic visits.
Mosier says SEO is still critical to JMP’s marketing strategy, and while the full implications of the integration of AI into search are still unfolding, he is confident that JMP can successfully adapt.
It's important for all JMP employees to understand these shifts and the strategic direction we are taking. By collectively contributing to high-quality content creation and brand building, we can ensure JMP remains a trusted and authoritative voice in the world of statistical discovery.
