What You Need to Know About Google’s June 2025 Core Update — And How to Stay Ahead

What happened with Google’s June 2025 update?

In late June, Google rolled out a major core algorithm update, officially confirmed on June 30 and fully deployed by July 18. This update was not announced in advance and has had wide-reaching impacts on service-based websites, including law firms, healthcare providers, and local businesses.

The update introduced new ranking signals, with a heavier emphasis on technical performance, content structure, and how websites support AI-generated results in Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE). Many websites across multiple industries have seen significant volatility in organic traffic — some dropping by as much as 40–80% in a matter of days.

Why did this update cause so much volatility?

This update fundamentally changed how Google evaluates, ranks, and presents content in search results. It placed increased weight on:

• Core Web Vitals like page load speed and layout stability

• Internal linking and content hierarchy

• AI-readiness, meaning how easily content can be pulled into AI Overviews, featured snippets, or voice responses

• Zero-click search compatibility, where users receive answers directly on the search page without clicking through to a site

Websites that were slow, unstructured, or not optimized for AI-based search were especially vulnerable.

What is AEO and why does it matter now?

AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) and its counterpart, GEO (Generative Engine Optimization), focus on preparing your content to be understood, extracted, and displayed by AI systems like:

• Google SGE (Search Generative Experience)

• ChatGPT (including web-browsing versions)

• Bing Copilot

• Other zero-click AI tools

With zero-click search rates now approaching 80% when AI Overviews are shown (source), traditional SEO tactics focused only on rankings and clicks are no longer enough. AEO ensures your content is featured, cited, and summarized by AI — whether or not a user ever clicks your link.

What changes should your marketing agency be making?

If your agency hasn’t already adapted to AEO and the latest technical demands, you could be falling behind. Here’s what your marketing team should be doing right now:

1. Optimize for AI Summaries and Featured Snippets

• Structure content using clear Q&A formats

• Use schema markup, FAQs, and headers that AI tools can parse

• Prioritize concise, authoritative answers at the top of your pages

2. Improve Technical Performance

• Speed up page load times (especially mobile)

• Reduce layout shifts and improve interactivity metrics

• Meet or exceed Google’s Core Web Vitals standards

3. Rebuild Content Hierarchies

• Strengthen internal linking

• Ensure each page has a clear primary intent

• Remove outdated, thin, or duplicate content

4. Reframe KPIs and Reporting

• Stop focusing only on clicks

• Track impressions, snippet inclusion, and AI citations

• Monitor branded queries and direct traffic as indicators of visibility

What has Mesa West been doing to prepare for this?

At Mesa West Marketing, we’ve been optimizing for AI-driven search environments for over 24 months. Our clients have benefited from early adoption of:

• AEO/GEO content formatting

• AI-focused content strategies

• Technical improvements aligned with Google’s evolving standards

• Search visibility beyond traditional rankings

In fact, many of our clients weathered this update with minimal traffic loss — and in some cases, continued growth.That’s because we’ve been planning ahead, not reacting after the fact.

What should you do next?

If your website has seen a sudden drop in traffic since late June — or if your agency hasn’t mentioned AEO, zero-click optimization, or Google’s update at all — it’s time to have a serious conversation.

Mesa West can audit your site’s AI-readiness, provide keyword and visibility assessments, and build a roadmap that not only helps you recover — but gain ground.

Let’s make sure your digital presence is future-proof.

Contact us for a free visibility checkup or to learn more about our AI-forward SEO programs.