Is Google AI Stealing Your Leads? Time to Boost SEO/SEM Efforts

Gone are the days when your company would be the top search result on Google. Instead, Google now decides when a generative artificial intelligence result, called an “AI Overview,” appears as the top result.

Google’s introduction of AI-powered search results marks a seismic shift in how users interact with search engines. Agriculture, energy, and rural-facing marketers must invest in targeted paid search campaigns (SEM) and craft high-quality, conversational content (SEO) to remain visible and competitive in the AI-driven search landscape.

The Problem: Google’s AI-Driven Single Result

In its quest to deliver instant answers, Google now prominently features AI-generated single results at the top of search pages, often bypassing the need for users to visit external websites. While this improves user convenience, it spells trouble for organic traffic. Studies suggest organic traffic could drop by 18-64% as fewer users click through to websites. The challenge for marketers? Staying visible and relevant in an ecosystem dominated by AI-curated content.

What Marketers Should Do About It

To counter the implications of AI-driven search results, marketers need a dual approach, combining paid and organic strategies.

Focus on Branding

In an increasingly competitive digital landscape, branding is more than a nice-to-have—it’s your gateway to standing out in search results. A paid media strategy for awareness (or even lead generation) helps reinforce a brand. We know that owning a branded search term is significantly more effective and efficient than competing for generic, non-branded terms.

1. Invest in Content: Create brand-centered content, such as blog posts, videos, or FAQs, that strengthens your position as an authority in your industry.

2. Develop a Unique Value Proposition: At Paulsen, we talk about finding what makes you “unique, compelling and believable.” Highlight what sets your brand apart to make your branded terms even more impactful.

Owning branded search terms isn’t just a tactic; it’s a strategy that supports long-term growth by combining stronger SEO performance with cost-effective SEM campaigns. It positions your brand as the go-to authority in your field.

Paid Search: Offensive and Defensive Tactics

We believe paid search is no longer optional; it’s essential. Marketers must allocate budgets wisely, adopting offensive and defensive strategies:

1. Aggressively target competitors' keywords to capture their traffic: We target the right audiences with a mix of tactics, including targeting strategic keywords in your search, to create impactful campaigns around promotions and seasonal opportunities.

2. Focus on Audience Intent: Combine data-driven ad placements with content-rich landing pages to guide prospects through a clear customer journey.

3. Set Clear KPIs: Define what success looks like—whether it’s lead volume, cost per lead, or conversion rates—and measure campaign performance regularly.

Each strategy is important and should be tailored to your goals, whether expanding your reach or maintaining a stronghold in your market​​.

How Much Should I Invest in Paid SEM?

It depends. When setting your SEM budget, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer. We recommend setting your budget based on your business goals, industry, and competition. The more common your product or service is, the more likely your campaign will cost more.

Here are three key considerations to guide your investment:

1. Understand the Auction System

   1. Platforms like Google Ads use a bidding system.

   2. The cost of a keyword (CPC) rises with competition.

   3. Popular keywords in competitive sectors, such as agriculture or health, often demand higher bids.

2. Leverage Keyword Quality Score

   1. A higher Quality Score (based on ad relevance, landing page quality, and click-through rate) lowers costs and improves ad placement.

   2. Ensure your ads and landing pages align closely with target keywords to maximize efficiency. We cannot stress enough that a clearly mapped customer journey to a content-rich landing page is critical to your SEM success.

3. Account for Seasonal and Event-Driven Variability

   1. Costs can spike during relevant periods like crop tours or ethanol promotion seasons.

   2. Plan your spending to match high-impact times for your industry.

A cost-effective option can be a long-tail keyword phrase. "Impact of E15 fuel tax credit on South Dakota ethanol prices" is an example of a uniquely specific search phrase, targeting a niche audience. Long-tail phrases like this are less competitive than broader terms (e.g., "ethanol prices") but attract users with clear intent, making them valuable for targeted SEM campaigns​.

Organic Search: Back to Basics with Quality Content

Organic strategies hinge on quality and relevance. To compete for AI’s attention and improve your search ranking, focus on:

1. Conversational Content: Write for natural language queries with “long-tail keywords” that reflect how users search.

2. Strong Backlinks: Build authority through reputable, relevant links to your site.

3. Technical SEO: Ensure metadata, page structure (H1, H2 tags), and schema.org markup are optimized for clarity and context.

4. Content Richness: Again, use bullet points, FAQs, and data-driven insights to create value-packed pages that AI prioritizes.