Google Zero and Its Impact on the Irish Market
Google’s recent shift to artificial intelligence is reshaping how people search for information and what that means for the broader web. “Google Zero,” is a term introduced in 2024 by The Verge’s Nilay Patel. It describes a future where Google sends very little or no traffic to third party websites. Instead it is providing AI generated summaries directly in search results. With AI Overviews now reaching 1.5 billion monthly active users and integrated ads, the traditional web traffic model is being disrupted.
What This Means for Irish Advertisers
For Ireland, where Google dominates search and the digital ecosystem is relatively small, the effects of Google Zero could be significant.
1. Greater Vulnerability for Irish Publishers
Irish news outlets and digital publishers Like The Irish Times, Independent.ie, RTÉ, or The Journal are already competing with global giants for attention. With Google summarising answers instead of directing traffic, smaller Irish outlets may see a sharp drop in traffic, weakening their ad revenue and visibility. Niche or regional news may disappear from general public view unless surfaced by AI
2. SMEs Will Struggle for Visibility:
Ireland’s economy relies heavily on SMEs, many of whom depend on Google search for discovery and lead generation. Google Zero weakens local SEO, meaning fewer people will find Irish businesses via organic search. As a result, they may need to invest in ads and branding, often beyond their budgets.
3. Increased Digital Marketing Costs
If organic traffic drops, Irish brands and marketers will need to shift budget toward paid ads, influencer marketing, and PR to stay visible in AI answers.
4. Need for Strategic Content Evolution
For Irish companies to show up in AI summaries, they need to shift their SEO strategy to be optimised for AI. Their content will need to be authoritative, well-cited, and most importantly coming from trusted sources.
Proactive adaptation is key. Irish businesses must rethink digital strategies to stay discoverable in a Google Zero world. SEO in the Google Zero era is less about visibility via clicks and more about being a trusted source of information for Google’s AI. It’s about influencing the answer, even if you’re not the link. Businesses and publishers who adapt to this mindset can still win—just with a different playbook. They should consider investing in brand storytelling and media outreach (especially with Irish press) and using structured data and keep online business info highly accurate.
Sources:
Google Zero - what it means and why it matters | WARC
Google ai overviews kill click | Search engine land