Google June 2025 Core Update Explained: AI Overviews, Zero-Click Searches & SEO Strategies
The June 2025 Google Core Update has sent shockwaves through the SEO world, introducing unprecedented ranking volatility, a surge in AI Overviews, and a dramatic rise in zero-click searches. For digital marketers, business owners, and SEO professionals, understanding the mechanics and impact of this update is essential for survival and growth in the new search landscape.
This in-depth guide unpacks the June 2025 Core Update, explains the rise of AI Overviews and zero-click searches, and provides actionable SEO strategies to help you adapt and thrive.
What Is the Google June 2025 Core Update?
Google’s core updates are broad, sweeping changes to its search algorithm, designed to improve the quality and relevance of search results. The June 2025 Core Update stands out for several reasons:
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Three-Week Rollout: Unlike previous updates, this one spanned three weeks, causing extended ranking volatility.
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AI Integration: A major focus on integrating AI Overviews into search results, fundamentally changing how users interact with Google.
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Content Quality Emphasis: Renewed prioritization of Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trust (E-E-A-T).
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User Experience: Technical SEO and site health are more important than ever.
Key takeaway: This update is not a minor tweak—it’s a paradigm shift in how Google evaluates and presents content.
AI Overviews: The New Face of Google Search
What Are AI Overviews?
AI Overviews are Google’s AI-generated summaries that appear at the top of search results, providing direct answers to user queries. They are the evolution of featured snippets, powered by generative AI, and are now a central part of the search experience.
Impact of AI Overviews – Google June 2025 Core Update
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Visibility Surge: The percentage of search results featuring AI Overviews jumped overnight—up to 10.97% on mobile and 15% on desktop in key markets like the US and UK.
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User Behavior Shift: Users are increasingly getting answers directly from the SERP, reducing the need to click through to websites.
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Content Sourcing: AI Overviews often pull from high-authority, well-structured content, making it crucial for sites to optimize for AI readability.
Why It Matters
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Zero-Click Environment: As AI Overviews become more prevalent, the number of searches resulting in a website visit is dropping.
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Content Summarization: Informational sites are seeing traffic declines as their content is summarized and displayed directly in the SERP.
Zero-Click Searches: The New Normal
What Are Zero-Click Searches?
A zero-click search occurs when a user’s query is answered directly on the search results page, eliminating the need to visit a website.
The Data
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Zero-Click Growth: Since the launch of AI Overviews, zero-click searches have increased from 56% to 69%.
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Traffic Impact: News publishers and informational sites are experiencing significant drops in organic traffic as a result.
Why This Is Happening
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AI Overviews and Video Carousels: Google is surfacing more AI-generated answers and YouTube videos, further reducing organic clicks.
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SERP Real Estate: With more space dedicated to AI and video, traditional organic listings are pushed further down the page.
Who Was Most Affected?
Geographic Impact
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US and UK: Highest volatility, especially on mobile (where 65% of web traffic originates).
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Europe: Relatively stable, with less ranking turbulence.
Industry Impact
| Sector | Volatility Level | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Arts & Entertainment | High | Major ranking swings |
| Hobbies & Leisure | High | Significant position changes |
| Home & Garden | High | Notable drops and gains |
| Internet & Telecom | High | Substantial volatility |
| Health | Low | Surprisingly stable for a YMYL sector |
| Education | Low | Minimal impact |
| Real Estate | Low | Less affected than expected |
| Finance | High | Scrutiny on content quality and trust |
YMYL Sectors: Finance saw high volatility, while Health was less affected than in previous updates.
Why Rankings Dropped: Key Factors
1. Thin or Low-Value Content
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AI-Generated or Unrefined Content: Pages lacking depth, originality, or human oversight performed poorly.
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Outdated Information: Stale content was deprioritized in favor of fresh, accurate information.
2. Weak E-E-A-T
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Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trust: Sites that failed to demonstrate these qualities, especially in YMYL niches, saw declines.
3. Technical SEO Issues
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Site Speed: Slow-loading pages were penalized.
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Mobile Optimization: Non-responsive sites lost ground.
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Crawlability: Technical debt and poor site health hurt rankings.
4. Low-Quality Backlinks
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Toxic Link Profiles: Links from low-quality or poorly optimized sites negatively impacted rankings.
5. Informational Site Vulnerability
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Content Summarization: Informational publishers lost traffic as Google’s AI summarized their content in Overviews, reducing the need for clicks.
SEO Survival Strategies for 2025
1. Optimize for AI Overviews
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Direct Answers: Structure content to answer questions clearly and concisely.
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Schema Markup: Use FAQ, HowTo, and QAPage schema to help Google understand your content.
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Authority Signals: Cite credible sources, include expert quotes, and use up-to-date statistics.
2. Double Down on E-E-A-T
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Showcase Expertise: Highlight author credentials and experience.
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Build Trust: Use testimonials, case studies, and transparent sourcing.
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Update Content Regularly: Keep information fresh and relevant.
3. Enhance Technical SEO
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Improve Site Speed: Optimize images, leverage caching, and minimize code.
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Mobile-First Design: Ensure seamless experiences across all devices.
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Fix Crawl Errors: Use tools like Google Search Console to identify and resolve issues.
4. Focus on Content Depth and Originality
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Comprehensive Guides: Go beyond surface-level answers—provide unique insights and actionable advice.
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Multimedia Integration: Add videos, infographics, and interactive elements to increase engagement.
5. Monitor and Prune Content
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Content Audits: Identify and update or remove outdated, underperforming pages.
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Merge Similar Content: Consolidate thin articles into authoritative resources.
6. Build High-Quality Backlinks
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Outreach to Authoritative Sites: Prioritize quality over quantity.
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Avoid Toxic Links: Regularly audit your backlink profile.
7. Track SERP Features and Zero-Click Trends
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Monitor AI Overview Appearances: Use tools to track when your content is featured.
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Adapt to Video and Visual SERPs: Optimize for YouTube and other video platforms.
Action Plan: What To Do Next
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Don’t Panic: Expect volatility during the rollout. Avoid knee-jerk changes.
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Monitor Analytics: Track which pages gain or lose traffic.
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Assess Content Objectively: Does each page deserve to rank? Is it up to date?
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Document Observations: Make notes on potential improvements, but wait until the update stabilizes before acting.
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Prioritize Quality: Focus on E-E-A-T, technical health, and user experience.
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Stay Informed: Follow industry updates and adapt your strategy as Google’s AI integration evolves.
FAQs - Google June 2025 Core Update
The update emphasizes content quality, E-E-A-T, technical SEO, and the integration of AI Overviews, leading to more zero-click searches.
Structure content for direct answers, use schema markup, and build authority with credible sources and expert input.
Possible reasons include thin or outdated content, weak E-E-A-T, technical issues, or low-quality backlinks.
No. Monitor performance, document issues, and wait until the update rollout is complete before making significant changes.
Focus on brand visibility, optimize for featured snippets and AI Overviews, and diversify traffic sources beyond organic search.
Conclusion - June 2025 Google Core Update
The Google June 2025 Core Update marks a turning point in search, with AI Overviews and zero-click searches reshaping the SEO landscape. Success now depends on delivering high-quality, authoritative content, maintaining technical excellence, and adapting to the realities of AI-driven search. By following the strategies outlined above, you can not only survive but thrive in this new era of SEO.