Search visibility is shifting again, and this time the changes are subtle but far-reaching. The big story through May is not a new algorithm, but the ongoing volatility from March’s core update, combined with growth signals in Bing and DuckDuckGo and a steady Yandex share that still matters in regional markets. At the same time, zero-click results and business profiles are becoming the real battlegrounds for discovery.
As one analyst explained, “Bing achieved 22% year-over-year growth in engagement rates, powered by Copilot integration” (gHacks Tech News, 2025). DuckDuckGo also pulled its weight, taking 8.651% of the non-Google search market (PPC Land, 2025). Yandex remains steady at around 2.8% globally but dominates Russia, making localized tactics critical (Search Endurance, 2025).
For marketers, the “so what” is clear: outcomes are no longer defined by who ranks #1. Instead, KPIs are shifting to local pack impressions, featured snippet capture, privacy-conscious audience reach, and consent-compliant campaign measurement.
What Happened
The March 2025 Google Core Update continued to ripple through May. Search Engine Roundtable captured community reports of sites seeing traffic double in a single day (2025), while Search Engine Land confirmed finance was among the most turbulent sectors, with travel relatively stable (2025). Google’s advice hasn’t changed—focus on quality, helpfulness, and E-E-A-T—but the volatility shows how fragile rankings remain in sensitive verticals.
Meanwhile, AI growth in alternative engines is finally measurable. Microsoft reported that Bing’s Copilot has driven significant engagement growth, and DuckDuckGo’s privacy positioning continues to attract a loyal user base. Yandex holds a small global share but commands a majority in its home market, proving that global SEO must plan for regional engines, not just Google.
On the feature side, zero-click results are defining the modern SERP. Google’s own documentation reminds us snippets are algorithmically chosen, with controls like nosnippet and max-snippet available to webmasters (Google Search Central, 2025). Backlinko notes snippets account for around 8% of all clicks, making structured, concise answer formatting more valuable than chasing the #1 blue link.
Local SEO is also tightening. Google Search Central’s May guidance on local queries emphasized rich profiles with reviews, photos, and Q&A to improve eligibility in Maps and the Local Pack (2025). Uberall adds that Bing Places still matters, processing 900 million daily queries across Microsoft’s network (2025).
Finally, privacy regulation is converging with AI search. Microsoft Ads required explicit consent signals by May 5, 2025, for personalized targeting across Bing and Microsoft properties (Microsoft Ads Blog, 2025). That change forces marketers to treat consent opt-in rates as a KPI equal to impressions or CTR, a critical bridge between SEO visibility and compliant measurement.
Why It Matters (Factics in Action)
Fact: Bing grew 22% YoY in engagement; DuckDuckGo captured 8.651% of the non-Google market.
Tactic: Build engine-specific content and reporting dashboards that segment beyond Google.
KPI: % of organic sessions by engine (Google/Bing/DDG/Yandex).
Fact: March 2025 core update volatility lingered into May, with finance hardest hit.
Tactic: Harden E-E-A-T content in sensitive sectors, prune thin programmatic content.
KPI: Vertical-segmented rank stability scores.
Fact: Featured snippets capture ~8% of clicks and are often paired with People Also Ask.
Tactic: Write 40-60 word answer blocks under question-based H2/H3 headings.
KPI: Featured snippet capture rate and PAA appearances.
Fact: Google guidance confirms complete profiles with reviews/photos/Q&A improve local discovery.
Tactic: Monthly refresh photos, seed Q&A, solicit reviews consistently.
KPI: Local Pack impressions, calls, direction requests.
Fact: Microsoft required consent signals for targeting by May 5, 2025.
Tactic: Implement consent mode + server-side tagging; segment metrics by consent.
KPI: Consent opt-in % and compliant reach.
Lessons in Action: 4 Steps
- Segment Reporting by Engine – Create dashboards that break down traffic and engagement by Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo, and Yandex.
- Zero-Click Optimization – Target featured snippets and People Also Ask with concise, structured content.
- Local Pack Hygiene – Sync Google Business Profile with Bing Places; update photos, Q&A, and reviews monthly.
- Privacy-Led Measurement – Audit consent flows; treat opt-in rate as a first-class KPI alongside CTR or rankings.
Reflect and Adapt
SEO in mid-2025 is less about chasing Google’s next confirmation and more about adapting to a fragmented, privacy-first, AI-augmented landscape. Market share shifts show Bing and DuckDuckGo carving measurable niches, Yandex cementing its regional role, and zero-click results stealing attention before clicks even happen. The winners are those who integrate multi-engine tactics, snippet optimization, local profile hygiene, and consent-compliant measurement into a single, resilient strategy.
Common Questions
Q: Should I still prioritize Google above other engines?
A: Yes, but treat Bing, DuckDuckGo, and Yandex as distinct growth channels. Segment analytics and allocate resources proportionally.
Q: How do I measure success in a zero-click world?
A: Shift to impression-level metrics (Local Pack, snippets, AI Overviews) and brand search volume, not just clicks.
Q: What’s the first local SEO step for small businesses?
A: Complete your Google Business Profile, sync it to Bing Places, and refresh reviews/photos monthly.
Disclosure
This article was created with the assistance of multiple AI systems (Claude, Gemini, Perplexity, Grok, ChatGPT), each providing research outputs that were verified and synthesized into a consultant-style narrative. All sources were published on or before May 31, 2025, and have been independently validated for public accessibility and factual alignment.
References
gHacks Tech News. (2025, May 2). Microsoft’s Bing gains momentum as Google sees decline in market share. https://www.ghacks.net/2025/05/02/microsofts-bing-gains-momentum-as-google-sees-decline-in-market-share/
PPC Land. (2025, April 27). Google’s search dominance continues, capturing 87% market share in Q1 2025. https://ppc.land/googles-search-dominance-continues-capturing-87-market-share-in-q1-2025/
Search Endurance. (2025, February 11). 39 Yandex statistics you need to know in 2025. https://searchendurance.com/yandex-statistics/
Search Engine Roundtable. (2025, May 13). Google Search Ranking Volatility May 12–13. https://www.seroundtable.com/google-search-ranking-volatility-may-12-13-39402.html
Search Engine Land. (2025, April 2). Data providers: March 2025 core update had similar volatility to the previous. https://searchengineland.com/data-providers-google-march-2025-core-update-had-similar-volatility-to-the-previous-update-453778
Google Search Central. (2025, February 4). Featured snippets and your website. https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/featured-snippets
Backlinko. (2025, April 14). Featured snippets: How to capture position zero. https://backlinko.com/hub/seo/featured-snippets
Google Search Central. (2025, May 13). Making sense of queries in local search. https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2025/05/local-search-queries
Uberall. (2025, March 25). Maximizing the value of Bing Business Listings. https://uberall.com/en-us/resources/blog/bing-business-listings
Microsoft Ads Blog. (2025, March 26). Providing user consent signals on your Microsoft campaigns by May 5, 2025. https://about.ads.microsoft.com/en/blog/post/march-2025/providing-user-consent-signals-on-your-microsoft-campaigns-by-may-5-2025
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