Shifts in consumer behaviour, AI-driven search results, and regular search engine algorithm updates are creating a challenging digital environment. For many brands, organic visibility is dropping, paid media performance is unpredictable, and what worked yesterday might not work tomorrow.

Yet, while these trends are impacting most businesses, some brands are thriving, reaching new audiences, maintaining visibility, and achieving growth even as the wider market struggles.

In this post, we explore why some brands are able to buck the trend, what lessons can be applied across industries, and how smart marketing strategies can turn uncertainty into opportunity.

The state of digital: Why are so many brands in survival mode at the moment?

Fundamentally, digital performance is currently down (or underwhelming) for many brands due to a rapidly changing search ecosystem. It’s not that search was ever static; Google’s algorithm updates continuously move the goal posts.

But with advancements in technology (primarily in the field of artificial intelligence), evolution has been exponential as of late, with changes arriving more frequently and with greater impact. 

With AI Overviews, Gemini and AI Mode, Google has the ability to provide detailed answers to user queries on-platform, removing the need for the user to click through to websites. These are called “zero-click” searches.

Brand sites are still racking up impressions, but clicks are in decline. In SEO circles, this trend is commonly referred to as “The Great Decoupling” as impressions and clicks typically rise and fall together, rather than diverge.

Find out what has changed in SEO – what makes a difference, and what no longer matters.

On the surface, websites are still “visible” — their content appears in search results, impressions are high, and reporting dashboards look healthy. But when that visibility doesn’t translate into traffic or engagement, it feels like something isn’t adding up.

This is where a new outlook is required. Traditional visibility (appearing on the search engine results page) is no longer enough on its own. What matters now is meaningful visibility: being present in a way that not only puts your brand in front of users, but also encourages interaction, engagement, and ultimately conversion.

How AI search is changing user behaviour

As confusing and troubling as AI search can be for brands, users generally like it. It’s quick, convenient, and can handle complex queries.

No one is forcing people to rely on AI; AI Overviews usually give the option to click through to cited sources, and failing that, the 10 blue links or a mere scroll away, but often people don’t — because they’ve already found what they need. 

It’s the same reason drive-through accounts for around 70% of McDonald’s total orders: when given the choice, people will usually take the faster, more convenient option. But there are strategies to encourage more users to engage with your site.

Why some brands are thriving online as most tread water

While many businesses are facing tough times in digital, in certain sectors, some are seeing growth, engagement, and meaningful visibility.

The difference often comes down to partnership. An agency that not only understands the full spectrum of digital marketing disciplines, but also the unique challenges and opportunities of your sector and industry, can change the game.

It’s not enough to know how to run strong SEO campaigns or manage paid media activity. To truly buck the trend, agencies need to bring:

• Sector expertise: a deep understanding of the competitive landscape, customer behaviours, and regulatory context that shape digital strategy and activity in your industry.
• Strategic empathy: familiarity with the internal pressures, goals, and operational realities of client-side teams.
• Integrated skills: mastery across organic, paid, content, and analytics to deliver strategies that adapt as fast as the digital ecosystem itself.

This isn’t just theory. In the private healthcare space (one of the sectors hit hardest by today’s search challenges) we helped a provider buck the trend and achieve standout results. Read the full case study.

And it’s not limited to healthcare. The same principles may apply across sectors, even if the challenges differ. At TDMP, we’ve helped brands in construction, charity, finance and more complex sectors navigate tough market conditions and achieve meaningful visibility and growth.

Lessons for brands navigating digital volatility

There are a few sector-spanning points brands can adopt to build resilience, and even success, when markets are trending downwards.

• Don’t panic about fluctuations. In a changing search environment, short-term dips can mask longer-term opportunities.
• Focus on meaningful visibility. Impressions are no longer enough; prioritise being present where users actually engage.
• Look beyond the channel. Paid, organic, and content strategies work best when integrated and aligned with sector realities.
• Lean on expertise. Whether in-house or through an agency partner, specialist knowledge of your industry can help you move faster and smarter.

Partner for growth in uncertain times

Digital is changing fast. But volatility doesn’t have to mean decline. With the right strategy and the right partners, brands can achieve growth, even as the wider market struggles.

Ready to buck the trend in your sector? Contact TDMP today to explore how a specialist agency partnership can help your brand achieve measurable growth in a changing digital landscape.