AI is transforming every corner of digital marketing – and search is ground zero for disruption.
With Google rolling out AI Overviews and summarised answers at the top of results pages, many brands are seeing a steep decline in traffic from paid and organic search.
This isn’t just a minor shift. It’s a wake-up call for brands that rely heavily on Google Search as their primary performance channel.
If click volumes are falling, it’s time to rethink how much budget goes into search and where else your media dollars could work harder.
The Rise of AI-Driven Search and the Decline of Clicks
The most visible change in the search landscape is the arrival of Google’s AI Overviews, which use generative AI to summarise information directly on the search results page. These answers often appear above paid ads and organic listings and critically, they answer the user’s question before they ever need to click a link.
Several independent studies now confirm the impact:
- CTR Drops Significantly with AI Overviews: According to a recent study by Ahrefs, position one in Google search results receives 34.5% fewer clicks when an AI Overview is present. That’s a massive drop for a result that would traditionally dominate traffic.
- Zero-Click Searches on the Rise: A joint report by SparkToro and Datos found that nearly 60% of Google searches now result in no clicks at all. In other words, users are increasingly getting what they need from Google itself — without visiting any external site.
- AI Summaries Are Replacing Exploration: As reported by Search Engine Journal, AI Overviews are now present in over 42% of search results. Their presence directly correlates with a drop in clicks, especially on informational and discovery-based queries.
In short, it’s getting harder and more expensive to earn visibility, traffic, and conversions from search.
The Hidden Risks of Over-Reliance on Paid Search
For many marketers, search has been the default channel. And for good reason – it historically delivered results. But the reality is:
- Search is becoming more transactional, less exploratory: As AI handles simple queries, traditional keyword-based advertising loses its edge.
- Rising CPCs, Lower Efficiency: Increased competition for a shrinking pool of clicks is driving up cost-per-click (CPC), while return on ad spend (ROAS) in many verticals is declining.
- Diminished Control & Transparency: With more automation and black-box AI powering campaigns (e.g., Performance Max), brands have less control and visibility into what’s working and why.
This doesn’t mean abandoning paid search altogether. But it does mean you shouldn’t be relying on it as your primary driver of traffic or performance.
A Smarter, More Balanced Media Mix for 2025
AI isn’t just disrupting search, it’s also unlocking smarter and more creative opportunities across the broader media landscape. Here’s where savvy brands are investing to maintain reach, performance, and growth:
1. Programmatic Display Advertising
Display has come a long way from static banners. Today’s programmatic campaigns use AI and first-party data to target high-intent users with dynamically tailored creative across the open web. Contextual targeting — especially post-cookies — is making a comeback, and it’s smarter than ever.
Key trends in 2025:
- AI-powered creative optimisation tools are improving performance across devices.
- Contextual and semantic targeting is helping brands future-proof post-cookie.
- Real-time bidding platforms like The Trade Desk are enabling more efficient reach.
💡 Stat: Programmatic display spend in Australia grew 15.9% in 2024, according to Basis Technologies, with brands seeking full-funnel performance and improved attribution outside of walled gardens.
2. Digital Audio & Podcasts
With Australians spending more time streaming music and podcasts, digital audio offers immersive brand-safe environments with strong engagement and targeting options. Audio is particularly effective at building brand recall and driving upper-funnel outcomes.
Key trends in 2025:
- AI is enabling dynamic audio ad insertion based on location, weather, and behaviour.
- Contextual targeting is helping advertisers match tone and timing to listener mood.
- Podcast ad networks are making niche audience targeting more accessible.
💡 Stat: IAB Australia reported that digital audio advertising reached $313 million in 2024, up 17.8% year-on-year — highlighting its growing importance in media mixes.
3. Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH)
DOOH combines reach and creative impact with programmatic precision. With AI now helping to optimise campaigns based on weather, time, foot traffic and more, DOOH is a brand-safe and attention-grabbing way to stay visible in the real world.
Key trends in 2025:
- Real-time creative optimisation based on contextual triggers.
- Programmatic DOOH buys allowing for flexible, data-driven placements.
- Integration with mobile and app data for sequential retargeting.
💡 Stat: A recent study from the OAAA found 76% of consumers took action after seeing a DOOH ad, outperforming many online formats.
4. Connected TV (CTV) & VOD (AVOD, BVOD, SVOD)
Streaming is the new primetime. With precise targeting, unskippable formats, and broad reach across premium content platforms like 9Now, 7plus, SBS On Demand, and Foxtel, VOD and CTV offer the storytelling power of TV with the accountability of digital.
Even global platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and HBO Max have introduced ad-supported tiers, offering new inventory and sophisticated audience targeting.
Key trends in 2025:
- AI-driven predictive targeting is helping brands find likely converters.
- Cross-device targeting enables unified storytelling across screens.
- Shoppable video ads and QR codes are blending brand and performance.
💡 Stat: Global CTV ad spend is projected to grow by 22% in 2025, according to Wooshii, as more brands shift TV budgets to trackable video environments.
5. Social Media
Social media advertising remains a cornerstone of modern marketing and AI is making it more strategic than ever. Platforms like Meta, TikTok, LinkedIn and Snapchat are using machine learning to optimise creative delivery, target niche audiences, and deliver strong ROI across the funnel.
Key trends in 2025:
- Creative automation tools help brands test hundreds of ad variations.
- Conversational commerce (e.g. via Instagram or WhatsApp) is growing fast.
- Short-form video and Reels are outperforming static ads in most verticals.
- First-party data integration through tools like Meta’s Conversions API is improving attribution.
💡 Stat: According to We Are Social & Meltwater’s 2024 Global Digital Report, Australians now spend an average of 1 hour and 57 minutes daily on social media, and Facebook and Instagram account for 45% of digital ad spend.
Social isn’t just for reach – when paired with smart creative and audience strategy, it drives performance at every stage of the funnel.
The Bench Media Perspective
At Bench, we’ve helped hundreds of brands reframe their media strategy – from over-dependence on search to more resilient, future-ready channel mixes. We’ve seen the impact firsthand: campaigns that integrate display, audio, video, and DOOH consistently outperform siloed search-heavy approaches, especially as AI continues to alter the user journey.
We don’t just recommend diversification – we provide the strategy, execution, and real-time insights to make it pay off.
Final Thought: Paid Search Still Has a Place – But It Shouldn’t Be the Only Place
Paid search is far from dead. It still plays a valuable role, especially for high-intent queries and brand protection. But treating it as your marketing backbone in 2025 is risky.
As AI changes how people discover, explore, and engage with content, brands must evolve too. Reducing your reliance on paid search isn’t just a tactical move – it’s a strategic imperative.
Want to Future-Proof Your Media Strategy?
Let’s talk. At Bench Media, we help brands unlock smarter media investment across the entire funnel – from programmatic to podcasts, from display to DOOH.
