You're number 1 on Google. So why are you still below the fold?

Remember when Google search meant ten blue links and getting to number one meant being first? Those links still matter. They just have a lot more competition on the page now.

Depending on the search, customers may see ads, an AI Overview, local Map Pack results and related questions before they reach traditional website listings. Google says the layout can vary by query and device. That can make “we rank number one” an incomplete answer to a more important question: can customers see your business when they are ready to choose?

A 2025 analysis by GrowthSRC Media examined more than 200,000 keywords across 30 websites. Search Engine Journal reported that the top organic result’s click-through rate fell from 28% to 19% after AI Overviews expanded. The analysis found a correlation. It did not prove that AI Overviews alone caused the decline.

“Business owners can still be proud of ranking number one,” said David Brown, founder of db Consulting. “But they should also ask what customers see before that listing. If an AI answer, ads and a Map Pack fill the screen first, the ranking report may tell only part of the story.”

Brown says companies should look at search the way customers do. Search for the service you most want to sell in the city you most want to reach. Check the results on a phone. Look for your business in Maps, AI-generated answers and traditional listings.

“This isn’t the end of SEO,” Brown said. “It’s the end of pretending one position number tells you whether customers can find you. Customers see the whole page, from AI answers and Maps to traditional listings. Your strategy has to reflect what they actually see.”

Asked whether business owners should panic, Brown offered a more measured view. “My cat Batman doesn’t understand Google’s algorithm. He just steps in front of my screen until I notice him. Honestly, that’s a better visibility strategy than hoping someone scrolls down.”

Brown works with Newsworthy.ai and Encino Labs on local search, Google Maps and AI-powered search, supported by digital PR and technical expertise.

Find out what a customer sees before they reach your website. Visit neo1seo.com to request a free visibility review and see where your business appears across Google Maps, AI-powered results and traditional listings. Then decide whether your current visibility is enough.

About db Consulting
Through db Consulting, David Brown works with businesses on local search, Google Maps visibility, AI search presence and digital PR.

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