On Wednesday, May 21, 2025, Google quietly yet decisively unleashed a core algorithm update that eliminated the Google SEO industry as we knew it to be. But this isn’t just another update. This is a complete and utter paradigm shift. For over two decades, Google served as the gateway to the web, a reliable directory of sites vying for attention. Today, that gate has not only narrowed precipitously—but most websites are finding themselves utterly locked out.

While Google still calls itself a search engine, that now is a misnomer – They officially have announced and already shifted to being an LLM like Chat GPT, or Claude or Llama; it’s evolving into something else entirely: an answer engine. With this update, Google is no longer simply guiding users to the best content—it’s trying to become the content. As a result, traditional SEO tactics are no longer viable within organic search.

In this deep dive, we’ll unpack what really changed on May 21, how it’s affecting organic traffic across industries, and—most importantly—how to adapt in this new search reality.

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Understanding Google’s Core Update on May 21

The May 21 Core Update introduced several sweeping changes, many of which were not officially detailed by Google. However, the SEO community, data analytics firms, and webmasters quickly began identifying patterns. Here’s what stood out:

Key Characteristics of the Update:

• Increased reliance on AI-generated summaries in search

• Suppression of redundant content, even if it’s high-quality

• Elevated prominence of first-party (Google-owned) content

• Heavier ranking weight given to “satisfaction metrics” such as user dwell time, click-to-scroll ratio, and search abandonment

Why It Matters:

Unlike previous updates that penalized specific black-hat tactics or rewarded better UX, this update has redefined what it means to be discoverable. Even top-ranking content is being outranked by Google’s own “helpful answer boxes,” AI overviews, and snippets that never require a user to click through.

📊 Example: Semrush reported that in some industries, like travel and finance, up to 65% of top-ranking content saw a 30-60% drop in organic clicks following the update.

From Search Engine to Answer Engine: What’s Really Changed

Google’s transformation from a traditional search engine to what many are now calling an “answer engine” isn’t new—but the May 21 update has accelerated this shift to a level we’ve never seen before. It was the last nail in the Organic Search Optimization that companies have relied on for traffic for the last two decades. Instead of leading users to the best destination (according to the Google Algorithm), Google now attempts to be the final destination. The SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages) are no longer gateways—they’re endpoints.

What This Means in Practice:

• More AI-generated summaries (through Search Generative Experience / SGE)

• Google’s own tools and content (like Maps, Flights, Finance, and YouTube) get preferential display

• Less real estate for traditional organic results

• More direct answers in the form of “People Also Ask,” Knowledge Panels, and Snapshots

In the past, Google judged itself by how well it referred traffic. Now, it’s judged by how well it contains its users on their platform.

Terminology Shift:

So what’s the impact of this transformation? Let’s explore that next.

One of the most game-changing (and many say site traffic killing) aspects of the May 21 update is Google’s deeper integration of user satisfaction signals.

This goes beyond traditional engagement metrics. Frankly, it totally obliterates the accepted “Good Practices” Google demanded all to play. They now attempt to predict content satisfaction using AI, factoring in how people interact with the content and whether they leave the SERP afterward.

Key Satisfaction Metrics Being Measured:

• Scroll depth on the linked page

• Return-to-SERP rate (a sign of dissatisfaction)

• Interaction with elements (video plays, form starts, internal link clicks)

• Search refinement queries after clicking (a sign that they didn’t find what they wanted)

In essence, Google’s algorithms are mimicking human judgment. If users engage deeply and don’t return to the search page, your content is seen as satisfying.

Practical Implication:

• Thin content dies faster – If an AI can do produce the content, then it is finished

• Clickbait is punished – Content that is superficial is now severely detrimental

• Interactive and multi-format content is rewarded – Multi-purposed content – Article to Video to Video Shorts or Reels to graphics produced from that content.

Even long-form content must now be modular and scroll-optimized. Bullets, summaries, infographics, videos—these elements are no longer just “nice to have’s,” but being measured by the Algorithm.

The Rise of AI-Generated Answers in SERPs

With the Search Generative Experience (SGE, or others have termed it GEO Generative Engine Optimization) now the default in most global search markets, Google is leaning hard into AI answers.

These AI-generated overviews synthesize web content into coherent, conversational summaries—often without needing to credit or link to original sources.

How It Works:

• Google crawls and categorizes top-performing pages.

• Gemini (Google’s LLM) generates an answer in real time.

• Users are shown the result above all organic listings.

• Clicks are siphoned away from websites and funneled to Google’s AI display.

This is creating a “Walled Garden” experience, where even if your content is good enough to be used, you may not get the traffic.

Google no longer wants to send traffic to content creators—it wants to absorb their value into its own ecosystem.

You can now just imagine what that has done and is doing to organic traffic now for sites that optimized to play the game that Google dictated previously

Impact on Website Traffic: Real Numbers, Real Consequences

The ripple effects of Google’s May 21 update are hitting businesses hard. Even top-tier websites with years of authority are reporting dramatic drops in organic traffic. And the worst part? Many of these websites are still ranking—but they’re ranking below AI answers or behind Google’s proprietary content.

Key Stats from Industry Data Providers:

• Ahrefs: Over 48% of sites experienced traffic losses between 20-60%.

• Semrush Sensor: SERP volatility spiked to a record 9.8/10 across multiple industries.

• Similarweb: Total organic outbound traffic from Google decreased by 17% week-over-week following the update.

“The traffic hasn’t just declined—it’s been hijacked.”
— DC Jones, AI Strategist Consultant

Case Example: A Mid-Sized Finance Blog

These kinds of impacts aren’t just statistical—they’re existential for businesses that rely on SEO as their primary acquisition channel.

What’s Causing the Traffic Loss?

• Your content is now being used to power AI answers—without attribution.

• Featured snippets are expanded but less clickable.

• Visual carousels and AI boxes push organic links far below the fold.

• “Quick answer” features fulfill the user intent before they ever click.