If you’ve been reading headlines about ChatGPT ads, AI overviews, or Google’s Gemini, you might be wondering: Is this the end of SEO? The short answer: no – but the landscape is evolving, and how people discover information is changing faster than ever.

ChatGPT Ads aren’t going to kill SEO

First, let’s talk about ChatGPT ads, as that was the inspiration for this blog post when a client emailed me to ask if they were going to be the final nail in the SEO coffin. While they’re an exciting new channel, I really don’t think they’re the end of SEO any more than the launch of ChatGPT itself. Here’s why:

  • Discovery vs. verification: Many people start their research in ChatGPT, but they still turn to Google for deeper verification, price comparisons, reviews, and transactional queries.

  • Search behavior is complementary: Data shows that nearly 95% of ChatGPT users still visit Google, while only a small percentage of Google users actively use ChatGPT. In fact, some studies even show that Google searches increase slightly among active ChatGPT users.

  • Ads in ChatGPT are a new path, not a replacement: Think of these ads as signposts along a new discovery pathway. They can boost visibility and awareness, but they don’t replace the need for organic content that ranks on Google.

In short: SEO remains critical. Ads in ChatGPT are a new tool – not a replacement for the fundamentals of content authority and discoverability.

Google Search and Gemini: A New Layer of Discovery

Now, let’s look at Google’s AI, Gemini. As that’s where I think the decline in SEO could come from. Gemini powers AI Overviews in search results, giving users concise answers right at the top of the page. This has changed user behavior in a few key ways:

  1. Many users stop at the AI overview: Studies show that when an AI-generated summary appears, click-through rates to traditional links drop significantly – roughly 8% of users click compared to 15% without an AI summary. Users often get the information they need right from the overview.
  2. But deeper research still happens: For transactional or complex queries, like product comparisons, pricing, or detailed reviews, users often scroll past the AI summary and click through to multiple sites. In these cases, SEO still drives traffic, conversions, and revenue.
  3. Zero-click doesn’t mean zero impact: Even if users don’t click through, having your content cited in AI summaries boosts brand authority. Being visible here can influence decisions indirectly, much like a billboard influences awareness without a direct click. The problem is that fewer sites get mentioned in this AI overviews so someone who might previously have been on the first page of Google now doesn’t get a look in if they’re not in the summary.

The kicker is going to come when Google let you pay to be in Gemini’s summary and move it above the sponsored ads – or do away with their traditional Adwords sponsored ads completely.

But we mustn’t forget Adsense – the platform Google uses to place ads on websites across the web. If Google stop sending traffic to so many websites, they won’t get their revenue from people clicking on those ads. So they need to be careful and keep a tight reign on Gemini so that they don’t destroy some key revenue earners for them, whilst also trying to play catch up to OpenAI (ChatGPT).

How ChatGPT, Google, and Gemini fit together at the moment

Ignoring my fears about Gemini and my curiosity over how that will evolve, at the moment, this is the state of play:

  • ChatGPT: Great for summarising, pointing users in the right direction, and exposing them to brands via ads or conversational suggestions.

  • Gemini/Google AI Overviews: A quick-answer engine – users may take the answer at face value for simple queries but often dig deeper for major decisions.

  • Traditional Google SEO: The library – critical for users who want more depth, verification, and choice before buying or acting.

These channels are complementary. AI discovery often starts the journey, but users still rely on Google and traditional content for in-depth research.

What this means for marketers

  1. SEO is evolving, not dead. Focus on high-quality content that ranks on Google AND is structured so it can feed AI summaries.
  2. New discovery paths matter. ChatGPT ads and Gemini AI results are early opportunities for brand exposure and awareness.
  3. Content visibility is key. Being cited in AI Overviews builds authority and can influence zero-click user decisions.
  4. Transactional intent still drives clicks. For major purchase decisions, users still click through and interact with your content – so SEO still directly contributes to conversions and you still need a great user experience on your website.

AI is changing the starting point for search, not the end point. ChatGPT (ads or organic), Gemini answers, and traditional SEO now work together: AI tools guide discovery, summaries reduce friction for simple questions, and deep content still drives research and conversions.

In short: SEO isn’t dead. It’s evolving – and marketers who integrate AI-aware content strategies early will have a huge advantage. If you haven’t read it already, grab my free guide on how to get found by AI here.