Small to medium business owners across Australia are panicking as their websites vanish from Google’s front pages almost overnight, leaving many fearing for their visibility and survival. According to Manny Shah (feature image), cofounder and director of Rank My Business, the problem isn’t bad luck – it’s the result of Google’s relentless algorithm changes, which are catching many businesses unprepared. With Google now assessing more than 200 ranking factors and rolling out disruptive features like AI Overviews, strategies that worked just months ago are suddenly obsolete. Here, Shah shares exactly what’s happening with Google’s recent updates, why so many businesses are being pushed out of sight, and what owners can do to adapt before it’s too late.
The constant game of digital hide and seek
“Google makes thousands of updates to its search engine every year. Some are minor, but others are major shifts that can wipe out years of hard work in a single day,” Shah said.
“For many small businesses, Google is the lifeline of discoverability. If you disappear from search, you disappear from your customers.”
Google’s algorithms now assess more than 200 ranking factors, from page speed and backlinks to user behaviour, reviews and how well content answers AI-generated queries. As a result, strategies that worked even six months ago may already be outdated. Shah has noticed growing frustration among business owners facing steep drops in traffic and enquiries despite investing heavily in websites, SEO or paid ads.
“Imagine running a shopfront where the street it’s on gets moved every week without notice. That’s what Google search feels like for many small business owners right now,” Shah said.
“Much of our work is about helping businesses to stay on page one of Google so they are highly findable. However, we are increasingly receiving calls from businesses that have managed their own digital presence, needing urgent help. Their businesses are disappearing from Google.
Google’s recent big changes and why they matter to your visibility
In June 2025, Google rolled out an update that caused huge fluctuations in rankings worldwide. Many businesses lost visibility because Google now answers more questions directly in its results, meaning people don’t even need to click through to a website. The update also gave preference to websites seen as trustworthy, expert-driven and highly relevant in their field.
Back in March 2025, another update hit businesses that relied on low-quality or automatically generated content. Sites with thin or generic information were pushed down the rankings, with some losing nearly half their traffic overnight.
In April and May 2025, Google expanded its new AI Overviews feature into more markets, including local searches. Instead of showing lists of links, Google is increasingly giving users chatbot-style answers or audio summaries at the top of search results. While helpful for users, this means fewer people are clicking through to business websites.
The impact has been especially dramatic for media and content-heavy sites, with some major outlets reporting their traffic from Google dropping by 50 percent or more. For any business that relies on Google to bring in customers, these shifts highlight just how vulnerable visibility can be.
Why short-term fixes don’t work
Shah warned against knee-jerk reactions like hopping from agency to agency or chasing gimmicky tactics.
“Search visibility isn’t built in a month. It takes consistent, adaptive work. When businesses panic and churn through agencies or jump onto gimmicks, they often make the situation worse,” Shah said.
Instead, Shah encouraged business owners to partner with agencies that monitor algorithm shifts, adapt in real time and separate surface-level SEO from long-term growth strategies.
The rise of AI-driven search
BBeyond traditional SEO, Shah pointed to the growing importance of AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation) and GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) strategies built for AI-powered search landscapes like AI Overviews, SGE, ChatGPT and Google’s AI Mode.
“We’re moving into a world where people don’t just ‘Google it’ anymore, they ask AI. If your business isn’t optimised for this new environment, you’ll fall behind,” Shah said.
A call to business owners
Shah urged businesses to abandon set-and-forget SEO and instead treat search as an ongoing, evolving investment:
“Your customers are searching differently every month. If your marketing isn’t evolving with them, you’ll lose visibility. The businesses that survive Google’s changes are the ones that commit to consistency, adaptability and the right digital partnerships,” she said.
“The digital landscape is becoming increasingly complex. It is difficult for businesses to navigate this themselves. Many simple can’t.”
About Manny Shah
Manny Shah is the cofounder and director of Rank My Business, a performance-driven digital agency helping small to medium businesses grow through ROI-first strategies across SEO, paid ads, content, social media and web. Rank My Business is leading the AI charge with AEO and GEO strategies, helping clients maintain visibility in a search landscape driven increasingly by generative AI.
About Rank My Business
Rank My Business is a Melbourne-based digital marketing agency serving clients across Australia, the US, UK, UAE and India. Founded by Kunal and Manny Shah, the agency offers end-to-end services including SEO, Google Ads, social media, content, website design and reputation management. Known for its ROI-first, transparent approach, the agency has grown on a 90 referral rate without paid advertising and is celebrated for its long-term client partnerships. Visit
www.rankmybusiness.com.au.
