November 2025 Edition

Pat's November Industry review revealed a significant period of low volatility in the search algorithm, confirming Pat's opinion that AI search is still an emerging channel. Despite this, Pat noted AI Overview (AIO) visibility remains stagnant at 25% of searches analyzed and AI referral traffic accounts for only 1.08% of overall website traffic. This data emphasizes that SEOs must focus on visibility and conversions, as traffic itself is directional and expected to decrease over time.

The industry review showed mixed stability under the latest algorithm updates. Health Insurance was the most volatile sector, with Humana.com seeing a 13% visibility increase while Cigna.com experienced a steep 36% decline in top-ten visibility. In contrast, the Shipping & Transportation sector was largely flat, while Staffing & Recruiting proved highly successful with Randstad USA gaining a massive 42% increase in top-ten visibility.

The webinar concluded with the "landmark moment" of Adobe acquiring SEMrush for $1.9 billion. Pat hailed this event as critical validation for the entire SEO industry, asserting that it proves the work done by SEOs "deserves the budget" they have been requesting. He predicted this acquisition would trigger further industry consolidation over the next 12 to 18 months.

This month, Pat covers:

• November Industry Review - What I’m Seeing & Hearing
• That's A Lotta Data!! My Takeaways From Conductor's 2026 AEO / GEO Benchmarks Report
• Adobe Acquires SEMRush, My Thoughts