Google’s Algorithm Changes in 2025: Updates for Small Businesses
Welcome to my ongoing resource hub for small business owners navigating the ever-changing digital marketing landscape. This blog is aimed to be a helpful resource, breaking down Google’s algorithm updates in 2025 and related tools in a way that actually makes sense—and actually helps.
View the table of contents below to skip to the most recent update.
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Why does this matter? Because your website isn’t just your digital storefront—it’s often your main growth engine. And when Google changes how it ranks content (which it does, a lot), your visibility, traffic, and leads can shift overnight. Staying current gives you the insight you need to adapt smartly and sustainably.
Understanding Google’s Algorithm Updates and Why They Matter
Google’s algorithm is like the master recipe that decides which websites show up first (and which get buried). It’s updated regularly to improve search results, but these changes can create a lot of movement—good and bad—for website rankings.
Take the March 2025 core update: some sites saw huge gains, others took a hit. It’s not always clear why, which is why it’s so important to monitor your site’s traffic and visibility consistently. Not every dip means disaster, and not every spike is forever—but you’ll want to know when either one happens and why.
Keeping up with these updates lets you:
Understand the “why” behind traffic changes
Troubleshoot issues before they snowball
Double down on what’s already working
And that’s why I decided to make this an ongoing resource for you, updated with the information I think it most relevant for small business owners.
If you’ve heard about an update and you don’t see information about it here, feel free to ask me your questions and I’ll address it in this blog post!
AI Overviews and the Evolving Role of SEO
Ad expected, Google continues to lean into AI-driven search experiences, most notably through AI Overviews—summarized answers that appear at the top of search results. A recent update (in April 2025) introduced direct links within these AI Overviews, some of which are pointing users to related Google search results rather than to third-party (your) websites.
While this might seem like a UX improvement by helping users refine searches more quickly, it also reflects a growing challenge for small businesses and content creators who rely on organic traffic. If Google keeps users within its ecosystem, fewer clicks may reach your website, even if your content is informing the overview. This has discouraged many small businesses, as they have seen a drop in overall website traffic with this update.
So, does SEO still matter? Absolutely. In fact, it matters more.
If your content is referenced and linked in an AI Overview, that’s a strong signal that Google views your site as authoritative and relevant. This visibility, especially for high-intent search queries, can drive meaningful engagement and conversions. Plus, AI Overviews are not the only place SEO counts. Organic listings, featured snippets, and local results still play a crucial role in driving traffic.
The key takeaway? Don’t underestimate the power of high-quality, SEO-optimized content. A strong SEO foundation helps your business stay discoverable, regardless of how search features evolve.
April 2025 Update: New Generated Insights in Google Analytics 4
This month, we’re spotlighting a new tool inside GA4 called Generated Insights. It’s not a search algorithm update, but it is a powerful way to stay ahead of site changes.
Generated Insights uses machine learning to surface meaningful shifts in your data—things like sudden traffic drops to key pages or a spike in engagement from a new audience segment. It’s essentially an early warning system for your website.
First things first, if you haven’t set up your Google Analytics 4 account, I highly suggest either setting it up yourself or investing in having someone else do it for you (it should take less than an hour).
If you already have GA4 set up, you can see any generative insights available by going to Reports —> Engagement —> Events.
Here’s an example of what generative insights look like in GA4:
Instead of combing through every metric, this feature does the legwork and lets you know when something important is happening—good or bad.
Seeing a page suddenly drop in visits? Generated Insights can flag it, so you can respond before it impacts leads.
Getting unexpected traction from a blog post? This tool helps you notice early, so you can capitalize on the momentum.
You can read more about the feature directly from Google’s support guide. Keep in mind that you won’t always see a generative insight like the one shown above. If there’s nothing new and interesting for GA4 to spotlight, nothing will show up.
This is the kind of tool that makes sustainable marketing easier—it helps you pivot quickly, focus your time where it matters most, and grow with intention.
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