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Let’s face it: the digital landscape is changing rapidly. With AI tools reshaping how people search and interact online, you might wonder if SEO is still worth your time and budget in 2025. The short answer? Absolutely.
Executive Summary
- Google still dominates with 89% of all searches (that’s about 3.1 trillion searches based on 8.3 billion daily queries)
- SEO remains crucial for maximising marketing ROI and reducing PPC spend
- Focus areas for 2025: relevance, user experience, E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authority, Trust), and multichannel integration
- Key strategy shift: Balance traditional SEO with AI-optimised content and brand authority
Is SEO Still Important?
Despite losing some market share to AI platforms, Google remains the powerhouse for “money searches” — the queries that drive actual business revenue. While AI tools like ChatGPT are great for research and information gathering, people still turn to Google when they’re ready to make purchasing decisions.
Think about it: would you cut out 89% of your potential market?
That’s essentially what you’d be doing by ignoring SEO in 2025.
For most businesses, Google continues to be their primary source of qualified traffic, leads, and revenue.
How Did SEO Change in 2024?
The biggest shift wasn’t in SEO fundamentals but in user behaviour. Here’s what we learned:
- Users increasingly start with AI for initial research but return to Google for verification and purchasing
- Video content gained significant traction, with video carousel appearances in search results growing 75% year-over-year
- Local SEO became more nuanced, with Google fine-tuning local intent based on industry and service type
- Content depth and expertise became more crucial than ever
This shift in search behaviour is particularly interesting when we look at AI platforms.
While tools like ChatGPT are increasingly popular for initial research, studies show that many users don’t fully trust the information they receive from AI. Instead, they’re using AI to get a general overview before turning to Google for more specific, verified information — especially when they’re ready to make a purchase decision.
The rise in video content’s prominence is also reshaping how we think about search results. Video thumbnails now appear in approximately 12% of searches, significantly outpacing AI Overviews which appear in just 3% of results.
This trend suggests that while AI is getting the headlines, visual content might be the real dark horse in SEO strategy. For marketing leaders, this means considering video not just as a nice-to-have, but as a core component of their SEO toolkit — particularly for how-to content and product demonstrations.
How Will SEO Change in 2025?
Key trends to watch:
- AI Integration: Expect Google’s algorithm to incorporate more AI elements, affecting how content is evaluated and ranked
- Brand Management: Your overall brand presence and authority will carry more weight
- Multichannel Marketing: Success will increasingly depend on coordinated efforts across multiple platforms
- User Experience: Technical performance and accessibility will become even more critical ranking factors
The evolution of SEO in 2025 marks a significant shift from traditional ranking factors. While backlinks and keywords remain important, Google’s algorithm is becoming increasingly sophisticated in evaluating content quality and user experience. This means your website needs to do more than just tick technical boxes — it needs to genuinely serve your audience’s needs.
Consider how users interact with your content across different platforms. A single piece of high-quality content might appear in search results, video carousels, and AI Overviews. Smart businesses are already adapting their content strategy to maximise visibility across these different touchpoints.
The Best SEO Strategies for 2025
Which SEO Playbooks Work Today?
The winning strategy combines tried-and-true fundamentals with modern optimisation techniques:
Foundation First:
- Prioritise relevance over search volume
- Focus on user experience and accessibility
- Strengthen your E-E-A-T signals
- Maintain solid technical SEO fundamentals
Content Excellence:
- Create in-depth, expert content that answers user questions comprehensively
- Use your About page strategically to establish authority
- Include expert insights and unique data points
- Integrate multimedia elements (video, audio, interactive features)
Success in modern SEO often comes from unexpected places.
Take the case of an eCommerce site that saw a dramatic improvement in product page rankings after simply updating their About page with their local history and industry expertise. This single change triggered improved rankings across their entire site — a perfect example of how E-E-A-T signals can influence overall site authority.
How Does SEO Work in an Omnichannel Strategy?
SEO shouldn’t operate in isolation. The most effective approach is to:
- Share data across channels to inform targeting and content strategy
- Use SEO insights to optimise PPC campaigns (and vice versa)
- Leverage social media engagement to strengthen brand authority
- Create content that performs across multiple platforms
- Track multi-touch attribution to understand the full customer journey
Consider a brand like Monzo, the digital bank. They’ve mastered the art of omnichannel SEO by maintaining a consistent yet platform-appropriate presence across all channels. Their cheeky LinkedIn posts, informative blog content, and user-friendly website all work together to build authority and drive traffic. Short social posts lead to detailed guides, which lead to product pages — creating a seamless journey from awareness to conversion.
How to Create an Unbeatable SEO Strategy
1. Start with Strong Foundations
- Conduct a technical audit
- Implement proper schema markup
- Ensure fast loading speeds and mobile optimisation
- Set up comprehensive tracking and analytics
Your technical foundation isn’t just about ticking boxes — it’s about creating a robust platform for growth. Recent changes in EU and California accessibility laws, combined with Google’s evolving stance on data protection, make this more critical than ever.
A solid technical foundation means your site isn’t just compliant — it’s ready to serve every potential customer, regardless of their abilities or devices.
2. Build Your Content Pyramid
- Base: Technical foundation and site health
- Middle: Keyword-optimised onsite content
- Top: PR and offsite content amplification
Think of your content pyramid as a strategic framework rather than just a content plan.
Start with a cornerstone piece — perhaps a comprehensive guide or white paper — then build supporting content around it. Each piece should serve a specific purpose in your user’s journey, from answering basic questions to providing detailed, expert-level insights.
3. Establish Authority
- Create expert-level content with original insights
- Showcase team expertise and credentials
- Build high-quality backlinks through PR and outreach
- Maintain active presence on relevant platforms
Authority isn’t built overnight, but it can be systematically developed.
Look at what Monzo has done in the banking sector — they’ve combined expert financial content with a distinctive brand voice across multiple channels. Their strategy of mixing practical financial advice with engaging social content demonstrates how authority can be built while maintaining approachability.
4. Optimise for User Intent
- Focus on relevant keywords that drive business value
- Create content clusters around main topics
- Address user questions comprehensively
- Provide multiple content formats (text, video, audio)
The key to user intent optimisation lies in understanding the difference between informational and transactional queries. When someone searches for “tax changes 2025,” they might want a quick overview or an in-depth analysis. Your content strategy should cater to both, with the format matching the user’s stage in their journey — from quick summaries for initial research to detailed guides for decision-making.
Your 90-Day Action Plan
Month 1: Foundation
- Complete technical SEO audit
- Set up proper tracking and analytics
- Identify core keywords and content gaps
- Plan content structure and hierarchy.
Month 2: Content Development
- Create or optimise core service/product pages
- Develop supporting content clusters
- Implement multimedia elements
- Optimise existing content for E-E-A-T.
Month 3: Amplification
- Launch PR and link-building campaigns
- Expand presence on relevant platforms
- Implement multichannel tracking
- Begin measuring and optimising results.
In Conclusion
SEO in 2025 isn’t just about rankings — it’s about building a comprehensive digital presence through technical excellence, demonstrated expertise, and content that serves your audience across all channels. Success comes from creating trust and driving real business results, with winners being those who adapt while staying laser-focused on user value.
Want to learn more about creating an effective SEO strategy? Contact our team of experts for a personalised consultation.