In 2024, Google’s relentless search updates dramatically reshaped the SEO landscape, with major gains for user-generated content (UGC) sites and significant losses for traditional publishers.
The changes, driven by AI integration and strict spam policies, present fresh challenges for affiliate marketers in 2025. SEO expert Lily Ray shared a summation of her research last year in this recent article.
AI Overviews and UGC dominate search
Google’s AI Overviews launched in May 2024 and expanded to over 100 countries. The rollout coincided with increased visibility for platforms like Reddit, Quora, and Stack Exchange.
Reddit saw the biggest surge, jumping 190.9% in SEO visibility, making it the third most visible site in US search results. YouTube, Instagram, and Spotify also saw notable gains, with Spotify increasing its visibility by 166.2% throughout the year.
Google also introduced "What People Are Saying," a feature that amplifies forums and social media discussions.
Earlier this month, users noticed that the feature was being flagged as sponsored in numerous search results. While some dismissed it as a bug, its persistence in search results suggests that Google may be monetising this section.
Generally, these shifts have hit traditional product review sites hard. Google is prioritising first-hand user experiences, making it harder for affiliate-driven content to rank.
