The New SEO? Why Your Studio Traffic Dropped in 2025

AEO: The Rise of AI Search 

I got a panicked text from a client a few weeks ago.

"Jackie, my website traffic just tanked. I've been blogging every week, optimizing my pages, using all the right keywords—everything the internet said I should do. What am I doing wrong?"

Here's what I told her:

You're not doing anything wrong. You're doing everything right... for 2019.

But it's 2025 now, and the internet has changed more in the last 18 months than it did in the last decade.

If you've been watching your website traffic drop—maybe your inquiries slowed down, maybe your blog posts aren't getting views anymore—you need to know this:

You're not broken. Your business isn't suddenly irrelevant. The rules of visibility just changed, and nobody told you.

What Changed: The Rise of AI Search

For about twenty years, SEO—Search Engine Optimization—was the holy grail of online marketing.

You learned the formula:

• Find your keywords
• Use them on your pages
• Build backlinks
• Post consistent blogs
• Wait for Google to reward you with visibility

That system worked beautifully.

Then 2024 happened.

Google introduced AI Overviews. OpenAI turned ChatGPT into a personal search engine. Perplexity.ai exploded as the first real "answer engine."

And suddenly, the way people search—and the results they see—completely transformed.

How Search Results Changed (And Why You're Losing Traffic)

Let's walk through what's actually happening.

Someone types into Google: "best yoga studios in Charleston for beginners"

A few years ago, they'd see a list of ten blue links. They'd click on a few websites, compare class schedules, check your Instagram.

That's how you got traffic—because people clicked.

But now?

They type that same phrase, and instead of a list, they see this giant box at the top of Google called an AI Overview.

It's a summary—basically Google's own mini-blog post—written by artificial intelligence. It pulls information from across the web and gives the answer right there on the search page.

It might say something like:

"The best yoga studios in Charleston include Studio A, known for friendly instructors and beginner classes; Studio B, which offers hot yoga and flexible memberships; and Studio C, praised for its community vibe and virtual options."

And here's the problem: Most people never scroll past that AI Overview.

They read the summary, get what they need, and move on.

That's what we call a zero-click search, and more than half of all Google searches now end without a single click.

Even if you're still ranking on page one, you may not be getting any of the traffic you used to.

You're technically visible—but you're not actually being seen.

It's Not Just Google Anymore

At the same time, millions of people are bypassing Google completely.

They're asking ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Claude for recommendations.

They're saying things like:

• "Where's a good Pilates studio for prenatal classes?"
• "Which yoga studios in Charleston have beginner packages?"
• "I'm visiting town—where can I drop in for a class?"

These AI tools answer the question right away. They don't show ten links—they recommend a few places.

If your studio isn't in that AI answer, you don't even exist to that person.

They never Google you. They never scroll. They never find you.

What Is AEO?

This is where AEO comes in.

SEO = Optimizing your website so Google can rank it.

AEO = Optimizing your content so AI tools can recommend it.

AEO stands for AI Engine Optimization—or sometimes Answer Engine Optimization.

Here's the difference:

SEO mindset: "How do I get my page to rank for 'yoga studio Charleston'?"

AEO mindset: "How can I make it easy for AI to recognize my studio as the best answer for people looking for yoga in Charleston?"

That's a huge shift.

How AI Tools Decide What to Recommend

AI tools decide what to show based on signals like:

✅ Clear, direct answers – Your content should answer a question in the first few sentences

✅ Structured formatting – Use headings, short paragraphs, and bullet points so AI can scan it easily

✅ Trust signals (E-E-A-T) – Show expertise, experience, authority, and trust through testimonials, credentials, instructor bios

✅ Schema markup – Behind-the-scenes code that labels your page as a business, FAQ, or article so AI knows what it's looking at

✅ Fresh content – Update your site regularly. AI favors new, relevant information

✅ Citations and backlinks – When other sites link to you, AI sees you as more credible

What This Means for Studio Owners

If your traffic dropped, it's not because you're failing at marketing.

It's because the internet changed, and no one told you.

You don't have to rebuild your site. You just need to modernize how it communicates.

Here are three first steps you can take this week:

1. Test your visibility

Open ChatGPT or Perplexity and type:

"Who are the best [your service] providers in [your city]?"

Do you show up? If not, now you know why traffic is down.

2. Add structure

Reformat one key page—like your Services page or a blog post—using headings, bullet points, and short answers. Start each section by answering the main question right away.

3. Add schema markup

The Bottom Line

Traditional SEO isn't dead. But SEO alone isn't enough anymore.

You need to be visible where people are actually looking. And right now, that's in AI-generated answers—on Google, on ChatGPT, on Perplexity, on every AI tool that's becoming part of how people make decisions.

SEO gets you ranked. AEO gets you chosen.

Want to dive deeper into this? I break down the entire shift—what changed, why it matters, and what you need to know—in the latest episode of the Studio CEO Podcast.

If you're a Studio CEO Program member, watch for the upcoming workshop where we'll do full audits, walk through optimization step-by-step, and give you templates to implement this without overwhelm.

This isn't optional anymore. And the sooner you adapt, the bigger your competitive advantage.

Ready to find out if AI can see your business?

Go ask ChatGPT or Perplexity about studios in your area.

Are you in the answer—or invisible?

If you're invisible, don't panic. That's your wake-up call.

And now you know what to do next.

Work with Jackie Murphy

• Say Hi on Instagram @studioceoofficial
• Level up your Marketing Skills in the Free Marketing Training:
  https://www.jackiegmurphy.com/3-marketing-mistakes
• Learn more about The Studio CEO Program: https://www.jackiegmurphy.com/studioceo