Artificial intelligence isn’t just influencing search – it’s fundamentally reshaping how users discover information and how search engines deliver results.
This evolution presents extraordinary opportunities while adding more complexity for enterprise SEO organizations.
How Enterprise SEO Has Changed
Organizations are grappling with an environment where AI doesn’t just assist with search – it fundamentally shapes how every marketing function performs.
To accommodate so many new search developments and the integration of AI applications, almost every enterprise organization will, at some point, have to elevate, restructure, and integrate their SEO departments deeper within their marketing, creative, and branding teams.
Enterprise SEO is now pivotal to multiple channels and markets. Its integration with generative AI markets alone (not to mention content markets) means its total addressable market (TAM) grows.
The Evolution Of AI-First Search
The rapid progression of AI is redefining how organizations approach SEO.
Its integration into Google AI Overviews and the rise of new AI-first entrants like Perplexity and OpenAI’s ChatGPT Search have fundamentally shifted approaches from basic keyword matching to prioritizing user intent and delivering conversational, synthesized responses.
While Google remains dominant with 92% market share, new entrants are growing at a rapid rate, which is expected to accelerate in 2025 and potentially impact market share.
Image from BrightEdge, November 2024
1. Understanding New Search Behaviors: Information And Assistance
The way users interact with search has fundamentally transformed this year.
We’ve moved beyond simple keyword queries to complex, contextual interactions that span multiple formats and devices.
AI chatbots and generative AI are starting to impact search behavior as users expect search engines to understand their intent rather than just their words.
People are using AI chatbots to find answers to questions while others – like Generation Z – look to social platforms to search.
They are looking for conversations and new ways to interact in search.
Critical Changes In Search Patterns
Modern users are approaching search differently than ever before:
Conversational Queries: Natural language searches have increased dramatically.
Multi-Step Journeys: Users often conduct multiple related searches to achieve their goals.
Cross-Device Behavior: The average user switches between three devices during a single search journey.
Format Flexibility: Users freely mix text, voice, and visual search methods.
In addition, shifts from Google and AI engines will mean organizations have to pivot for some major changes ahead:
Multiple platforms, from traditional search to AI-first answer engines and more.
Multiple search formats (text, voice, visual).
The integration of search and AI and video into multiple device types.
Different user journey stages and journeys between engines and AI chatbots.
New personalization requirements by engine, user preference, and use case.
2. The Expanding AI & Search Landscape: Shaping Enterprise SEO’s Future
We’re witnessing a fundamental shift from traditional keyword-based search to AI-powered discovery systems that understand and anticipate user needs.
Unlike traditional search engines, AI-driven platforms provide holistic interpretations of user queries, offering detailed answers and anticipating potential follow-up questions.
They are doing this in three ways:
Generative Search Results: Search engines now routinely generate custom responses rather than just linking to existing content. This means enterprises need to optimize not just for visibility but for click value.
Multimodal Search Integration: The ability to search using text, images, voice, and even video simultaneously is becoming standard. Enterprises must ensure their content is optimized for all these formats.
Real-Time Content Analysis: AI engines can now analyze and understand content in real time, making freshness and authenticity more important than ever.
These shifts require enterprise SEO marketers to become more involved in creating authoritative, informative, and well-structured content to be found and cited by AI engines.
This also expands to entrants like You.com, Brave as a privacy engine, and Anthropic’s Claude.
And do not forget: social media platforms.
Many platforms, such as Meta, are building AI-powered search engines. In Meta’s case, it is building a search index to complement its Meta AI chatbot and rely less on Google.
As demographic understanding and targeting become essential, platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Snap are prime for Gen Z searches and sources of information.
Learn More: The Rise Of TikTok As A Search Engine
Devices
Worldwide, wearable device shipments will reach 537.9 million units by the end of the year. This is another rapidly developing market for enterprise SEO professionals to consider.
The key to AR/VR, AI glasses, pins, and smart device success lies in consumer comfortability.
The AI and wearable trend is not just about the device or gadget. It’s about creating a symbiotic relationship between humans and new AI technology – another consideration for 2025.
Wider Big Tech Ecosystem Relationships
And let’s not forget that, while there is competition in search, there are also partnerships that enterprise SEO marketers need to keep an eye on.
Apple Intelligence and ChatGPT will be something to watch as AI and search reach more mobile devices.
Amazon and Anthropic are making strides, catering to enterprises with their computer-to-computer autonomous digital agent.
3. Understanding Different Engines And Different Use Cases
Marketers will face a diverse ecosystem where multiple AI-powered platforms serve different user needs and search intentions.
AI-driven engines like Google AIO, ChatGPT, and Perplexity have introduced diverse ways of searching for and consuming information.