News SEO in 2025: Adapting to AI Disruptions and Google Discover’s Challenges

News SEO in 2025 is evolving rapidly, driven by technological advancements and shifting audience behaviors. A recent survey conducted by NewzDash, gathering insights from 100 news publishers and SEO professionals, reveals key trends, challenges, and strategies shaping the future of the industry. As publishers navigate the growing influence of Google Discover and the disruptions caused by AI-driven search features, adaptability, and innovation emerge as critical components for success.

Google Discover remains a significant traffic source for many publishers, with 52% of survey respondents identifying it as a top priority for 2025. While 56% reported traffic increases from Discover in recent months, 21% saw declines, highlighting its volatility. Many publishers are focusing on refining their strategies to maximize Discover’s potential, blending technical optimization with creative approaches to capture audience attention.

AI’s impact on search results pages (SERPs) has become another pivotal concern. With 39% of respondents viewing Google AI as a threat to traffic and 43% uncertain about its implications, the industry is grappling with how best to respond. The introduction of AI-driven features has already affected visibility and click-through rates for 32% of publishers. In addition, content scraping by AI platforms has become a growing issue, prompting publishers to adopt protective measures like paywalls, structured data, and legal safeguards. While 32% of respondents allow scraping, 29% selectively block platforms, and 11% block them entirely.

Budget constraints remain a significant challenge for news SEO teams. Nearly half of the respondents reported operating with less than $1,000 per month for SEO tools, while 13% rely entirely on free resources. Other obstacles include a lack of advanced SEO expertise (24%), insufficient tools tailored to news publishing (17%), and difficulties in hiring skilled professionals (13%). These constraints are compounded by small team sizes, with 44% of respondents working in teams of just 2–5 members, and 34% relying on a single individual to handle all SEO efforts.

Collaboration between SEO and editorial teams continues to play a crucial role in achieving success. However, gaps in training and alignment persist. More than half of respondents (55%) provide only basic SEO training to editorial teams, while 27% conduct regular workshops and 14% offer advanced programs. Despite these efforts, buy-in from editorial teams remains mixed, with 45% actively following SEO recommendations, 52% partially adopting them, and 3% ignoring them entirely. Effective collaboration during high-stakes events, such as breaking news, remains a key driver of success for publishers.

Looking ahead to 2025, news SEO professionals are prioritizing strategies to maximize Google Discover traffic, adapt to AI-driven changes, and diversify their traffic sources to reduce reliance on traditional search engines. Strengthening cross-team collaboration between SEO, editorial, and product teams is also seen as essential for long-term success in the evolving digital landscape.

Survey participants represented a diverse range of roles, experience levels, and regions. Managers accounted for 40% of respondents, followed by specialists (31%), directors (18%), and VPs or C-suite executives (11%). Experience levels ranged from 1–4 years (34%) to over a decade (29%), with the remainder falling in the 5–10-year range. Regional representation included Europe (38%), North America (31%), and other markets such as Asia, Latin America, and Africa (31%). Most respondents (83%) worked in-house, while 17% relied on agencies or freelancers.

The NewzDash survey highlights the dynamic nature of news SEO and underscores the need for publishers to remain agile in the face of emerging challenges. As AI continues to reshape the search landscape and platforms like Google Discover gain prominence, the ability to innovate and adapt will be essential. For publishers, success in 2025 will hinge on strategic investments in technology, cross-team collaboration, and a willingness to embrace change in a rapidly evolving industry.