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Have Businesses Had Enough of Google?
A Deep Dive into the Shift in Search, the Helpful Content Update, and What’s Next for Local SEO
Is Google Still Helping Local Businesses — Or Hurting Them?
Why was it that as of 25 years ago, Google was seen as the saviour of the then REALLY expensive Yellow pages, and in 2025, everybody is wondering why Google seemingly no longer seems to care about online businesses. With the average SEO budget between 3k-6K per month , that alone is more expensive now than what the Yellow pages ever was.
With algorithm after algorithm, it appears that Google is even punishing businesses that attempt to do the right thing. Somehow, the Yellow pages seemed simpler. You paid and you were guaranteed 100% advertising. No gimmicks with algorithms or updates. You got what you paid for. Suddenly, the Yellow pages doesn’t seem that expensive.
25 years on, we are basically having an algorithm update practically every month, yet none of these updates appear to be impacting Paid ads. Jeez, I wonder why Google is hitting the organics exceptionally hard? With digital marketing in 2025 and beyond, the biggest question we’re hearing from businesses is this:
“We’re ranking high on Google… so why aren’t we getting any calls?”
It’s a growing frustration. Business owners across Australia — and worldwide — are finding that even when they do everything right for SEO, the phone stays quiet.
So what changed? Why has the phone stopped ringing?
Let’s break it down — conversationally, honestly, and backed with real sources.
What’s This “Helpful Content” Update Everyone’s Talking About?
I have been providing SEO services for small business for well over 20 years to date and I can honestly say that in my opinion, none have hit businesses as hard as this one. In late 2022, Google rolled out its Helpful Content Update (HCU). It was meant to reward websites that write for humans, not search engines.
Sounds great, right?
Well… sort of.
In theory, it should have rewarded authentic businesses who create valuable content….but it doesn’t is the sad fact.
In reality? Many genuine businesses were hit hard. Their rankings dropped. Their traffic fell. And in some cases — the calls stopped altogether. Some were ranking and not receiving calls.
Real-World Impact:
A study by Mediavine found that 5.8% of all sites were negatively impacted — some with a 30–50% drop in traffic overnight.
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So, Why Are Rankings Up But Clicks and Calls Down?
This is the reality. AI and featured snippets are starting to dominate the top of Google. When users search for a service like “ SEO specialist,” they used to get local business results front and centre.
Now?
They get:
An AI-generated answer explaining what an SEO specialist is. Pretty useless for someone who needs to find an SEO specialist.
A few “People Also Ask” boxes with educational questions.
Maybe some Reddit threads or forums.
A local map.
Then finally… maybe, just maybe… your website.
That’s 5–7 distractions before they even see your listing.
Take a close look at the image to the right here where the first SEO specialist you may be searching on is. It is under maps at the bottom of the page. Not the top. Someone who is searching for an SEO specialist is not necessarily searching for what an SEO specialist is.
The majority of people typing into Google for an SEO specialist are not necessarily looking for information but rather shopping around to see who is out there as SEO specialists. Whether it is for checking the competition or searching for SEO services, I do not believe it is someone searching to find out what and SEO specialist is. This would apply to many varied industry sectors, not just SEO.
Should I also mention that there are also no ads in this image or forum recommendations.
As you can clearly see, with Google giving priority to these types of content sources, it is looking to answer more questions and provide more answers than direct anyone towards a trade or service of some type.
It is actually astounding that from just some run of the mill checks that we have done online, not many businesses have even begun to adjust to this algorithm, and they are wondering why their phones have just dried up from enquiries.
Looking At This Image Alone -That’s 5 minimum distractions before they even see your listing.
📊 The Reality: Organic Is Pushed Down
| SERP Feature | Appears Before Organic Results? |
|---|---|
| Google Ads | ✅ Yes |
| AI-Generated Snippets | ✅ Yes |
| People Also Ask | ✅ Yes |
| YouTube/Videos | ✅ Yes |
| Reddit/Quora Links | ✅ Yes |
| Organic Business Websites | ❌ No – pushed lower |
Source: Search Engine Journal
Is It Crazy That Yellow Pages Might Actually Be More Effective Again?
Let’s be honest — Yellow Pages was once the most reliable way to get local leads.. It is strange that it was so outdated, yet in comparison provided less headache advertising and you knew that you were being advertised, not smashed off your advertising every six months. To give you an example, if you needed a plumber after hours for a blocked or overflowing toilet, you only needed one keyword under the alphabet…..” Plumber”…Not whole sentences, not whole voice search queries.
And now? Some businesses are saying:
“At least with Yellow Pages, people looking for a plumber would see my ad.”
That’s a wild thing to say in 2025… but here’s the kicker:
Yellow Pages didn’t bury your ad behind 5 blocks of AI and 10 paid ads.
With Google, despite having the entire internet at your fingertips, many users can’t even find a decent local business listing anymore.
Wait... Is Google Prioritising Ads Over Businesses Now?
In a word — yes.
And now it’s mixing ads into the organic results to look like regular listings, making it even harder for users to distinguish what’s genuine.
Not only are you fighting to rank — now you’re fighting just to be seen.
According to Search Engine Journal, Google is now:
Integrating ads into the new “AI Overviews”.
Testing ad placement inside what used to be pure organic areas.
That’s why so many business owners feel like they’re being forced to run Google Ads just to get noticed. Even Neil Patel explains some of these changes with organic SEO and everybody needs to adapt or die.
Philipp Schindler, SVP & Chief Business Officer at Google, said out loud what Googlers normally don’t when he said that…” the purpose of search results is to show advertising “ So does this feel like a kick in the teeth considering what we all spend millions on SEO for organics? I guess it does.
Is Traditional Organic SEO Dead?
No, not quite dead — but it’s not what it used to be. Traditional SEO for the organics has drastically changed because of Google’s relentless push to force everybody to take up advertising, without losing the end user.
Now we need to do SEO to appear more for AI responses and featured snippets more so than the organics.
AI responses still look out for trust and experience signals from the organics and this is why we say that although organic results do not make that much of a difference, you still require highly effective SEO for AI responses.
Organic SEO alone is no longer a reliable driver of leads or calls. Not because it’s wrong, but because Google’s format has changed.
Today’s SEO must be supported by:
Diversification (Bing, YouTube, local directories, etc.)
Branding (users Googling your business by name)
Content that converts, not just ranks
Multi-channel presence (yes, even social media)
And yes — you heard right…
So, What Are Businesses Supposed To Do?
Google, now owned by Alphabet Inc is no longer headed by Larry Page or Sergey Brin, who resigned from their roles and are now employees and shareholders instead. Is it any wonder why it has gone in the direction it has? As much as I hate to say it, we can no longer solely rely on organic reach ALONE. With organic reach being pushed to the bottom, 60 percent less clicks, more AI responses, the time has come to broaden our scope and understand that we now have to look further than just organics.
It’s time to now get smart — and spread your bets.
✅ Diversify Your Search Strategy:
Bing SEO – especially since it’s integrated with ChatGPT.
Bing Places – not just Google Business Profile.
Apple Maps & Yelp – especially for iPhone users.
YouTube Shorts – answer local questions in 30 seconds.
Niche directories – Plumbers, Lawyers, Tradies — they’re still relevant.
✅ Focus On Brand-Based SEO:
Make sure people search for you by name.
Promote your brand on social, in newsletters, and even offline.
✅ Accept That Ads Are Now More than Likely Part of the Game:
Run local Google Ads strategically if you have to — don’t fight the machine, use it wisely but ensure the guys you hire are doing their jobs accordingly.
Final Thoughts: Is There An Exodus from Google?
Not yet — but there’s growing distrust daily with Google’s deceiving games.
Many users now search with terms like “plumber near me Reddit” or “best lawyer site:facebook.com” just to avoid Google’s clutter.
And tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity.ai, and DuckDuckGo are gaining traction.
The tide is slowly turning. But until the mass exodus happens, you need to play both sides:
✔ Optimise for Google — but don’t depend on it.
✔ Build your brand — so people come looking for you.
✔ Spread your visibility — across platforms that still deliver.
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PK SEO has been providing search engine optimisation services as Sydney SEO specialists for small and enterprise businesses across Australia for over two decades, consistently writing about the latest SEO trends and strategies shaping the digital landscape. For further assistance, contact PK SEO at 0418 118 998 or email us at pkseotoday@gmail.com.