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Navigating AI-Driven SERP Changes: What South African Businesses Need to Know in 2025

ByErwee Coetzee

Google’s search results are changing faster than ever. With the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), search engine result pages (SERPs) now feature AI-generated answers, conversational responses, and even AI phone calls to businesses for real-time information. For South African companies, these changes present both challenges and opportunities.

Recent updates reported in August 2025 — alongside research from Yext and features on AI’s role in reviews — show that local businesses must rethink how they approach visibility, trust, and customer engagement.

AI-Powered SERP Changes: A New Landscape

On 28 August 2025, Search Engine Journal highlighted strategies for adapting to AI-driven SERP changes. Traditional “blue link” results are giving way to AI-generated summaries that often pull from multiple sources.

Key implications for local businesses:

  • Less organic traffic from clicks — many answers are delivered directly on the SERP.
  • Higher importance of trust signals — AI models surface content they perceive as credible and up-to-date.
  • More competition for visibility — ranking isn’t just about position anymore, it’s about being referenced in AI results.

Local Ranking Factors: What the Data Shows

On 15 August 2025, Yext released a study analysing 8.7 million search results, revealing that:

  • Review engagement is the strongest factor correlating with Local Pack visibility.
  • Businesses with frequent, authentic customer reviews (and responses) consistently ranked higher.
  • Core SEO factors like NAP consistency and local backlinks remain important but are being amplified by engagement metrics.

This means South African businesses must not only claim their profiles but also actively manage them through customer interaction.

The Power of Reviews in the AI Era

Another July 2025 feature confirmed what many SEO experts already suspected: reviews don’t just influence consumer trust — they directly affect how AI presents businesses in search results.

  • Conversions: Positive reviews build credibility and drive customer decisions.
  • AI Results: Google’s AI often quotes or references highly rated businesses in generated responses.
  • Visibility: Businesses with consistent review activity are more likely to appear in both the Local Pack and AI-driven results.

AI Calling Local Businesses

Perhaps the most surprising change came on 16 July 2025, when reports confirmed that Google’s AI can now call local businesses to confirm details such as pricing, availability, and opening hours.

For South African companies, this means:

  • Your Google Business Profile must always be up to date.
  • Clear, accurate information is critical — outdated details could be corrected (or replaced) by AI.
  • Businesses that respond quickly and professionally to AI-driven queries will have a competitive edge.

Strategies to Maintain Local Visibility

To adapt to these AI-driven SERP changes, businesses should focus on:

  1. Strengthening Review Engagement
    • Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews.
    • Respond promptly to all reviews, positive or negative.
  2. Optimising Google Business Profile
    • Maintain accurate NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number) details.
    • Add fresh photos, service descriptions, and FAQs.
  3. Creating AI-Friendly Content
    • Publish people-first, helpful content with concise answers.
    • Use FAQ sections to increase chances of being cited by AI.
  4. Monitoring AI Mentions
    • Track how your business appears in AI-generated results.
    • Adjust strategy based on what customers see in conversational search.

The South African Advantage

South Africa’s diverse local markets make local SEO especially important. Tourists, international clients, and local customers all use Google to find businesses — and increasingly, they’re interacting with AI results first.

By focusing on reviews, trust signals, and accurate local information, South African businesses can stay visible even as AI reshapes the search experience.

Partner with SEO Experts

Adapting to AI-driven SERPs requires more than one-off fixes. It calls for ongoing strategy, monitoring, and optimisation.

That’s where expert help makes the difference. Discover how EC Business Solutions can help you navigate AI search changes with Professional SEO Services designed for South African businesses.

Conclusion

AI is rewriting the rules of search. From AI summaries and review-driven rankings to AI calling businesses directly, the search landscape in 2025 is vastly different from just a year ago.

For South African companies, the path forward is clear: build trust, engage customers, and optimise locally. Those who adapt quickly will not only survive these changes — they’ll thrive.

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