Content budgets that once flowed almost automatically into “S-C-O” (spend-click-optimize) are now being diverted to social video because Google’s new Search Generative Experience (SGE) answers many queries without a click. As AI collapses the middle of the funnel, real discovery is happening in short-form feeds—TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts—where branded yet genuinely useful clips introduce people to products before they even think to type a search. The marketers who shift dollars and skills from blue-link ranking to thumb-stopping content will own tomorrow’s top of funnel. So, is video the new SEO?
1. Google’s AI shift is eroding traditional search traffic
SGE positions an AI-written snapshot above the familiar list of links, summarising information so effectively that users often skip the click-through entirely. Early adopters already see declines in organic sessions for informational keywords, confirming analysts’ warnings that the classic SEO playbook is losing potency.The Times As Google doubles down on generative answers, every incremental improvement in the model subtracts a slice of available traffic, squeezing publishers and advertisers alike.
2. Discovery has migrated to social feeds
Where do those clicks go? Increasingly to platforms engineered for exploration rather than intention. Two in five Americans now treat TikTok as a search engine, and nearly one in ten Gen Z users prefer it over Google for certain queries.Rise at Seven Pew Research finds 39 % of U.S. adults under 30 regularly get news on TikTok, illustrating its reach beyond dance trends.Pew Research Center Instagram reports that 36 % of users actively look for products inside the app, with 54 % purchasing after encountering them in Reels or Shopping tabs.cropink.com Meanwhile YouTube Shorts has surpassed two billion monthly viewers and serves 70 billion daily views, giving brands YouTube-scale awareness in 60-second bites.DemandSage
3. Short-form video now dominates the awareness stage
Nine out of ten businesses already use video and 95 % of marketers say it is integral to strategy —an all-time high.Wyzowl Short clips excel at demonstrating value quickly and algorithmic feeds reward high engagement, letting unknown brands punch above their weight. Tutorials, side-by-side comparisons, and creator-led reviews all perform well because they double as utility content, not just ads. Embedding subtle brand elements—logos, sonic IDs, distinctive colour palettes—turns every swipe into a micro-impression that compounds over time.
4. Re-allocating the “SCO” line item
Gartner’s 2025 CMO Spend Survey shows budget pressure across the board, forcing leaders to redeploy dollars toward channels with provable reach.gartner.com Forward-looking teams are already shifting a slice of formerly ring-fenced search spend into creator partnerships, in-house editing talent, and AI-enabled repurposing tools. HubSpot notes that only 47 % of marketers plan to raise traditional SEO investment, while a larger share is prioritising content formats such as video and podcasts.hubspot.com The goal is not to abandon Google entirely, but to treat it as a conversion and support layer rather than the primary discovery engine.
5. Action plan for 2025 marketers
- Audit intent gaps: Map top-funnel keywords likely to be answered by SGE and flag traffic at risk.
- Prototype vertical video: Produce a test batch of 10–12 Shorts/Reels, each delivering one clear takeaway in <60 s.
- Brand the utility: Add light visual identity (logo corner bug, colour accents) so helpful clips also drive recall.
- Cross-publish fast: Use scheduling tools to syndicate the same asset across TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and even LinkedIn.
- Measure beyond clicks: Track discovers, saves, and view-through conversions to capture value that AI-search reporting no longer shows.
The age of ranking for ten blue links is closing; the age of being discovered in ten seconds of vertical video is here. Those who migrate budget and mindset from “search optimisation” to “scroll optimisation” will win the next wave of digital attention.
