SEO Trends for 2025: What We Can Expect

Technology and search engines have evolved tremendously in 2024.

AI has become more prominent, Google launched its AI Overviews feature, and users have started using AI for answering queries. Even TikTok now has Search Highlights that summarises answers in text instead of having users look through videos.

This leads many to wonder how SEO can adapt to these changes and whether SEO will continue to exist in 2025.

The answer is yes, but SEOs need to adapt to the changing landscape. Just as SEO always has. And we also need to understand the impacts of the changes that are happening.

The Main Changes to Expect

Naturally, with the rise of AI Overviews and users using AI for search queries, many search queries won’t require a click for the user to get an answer. Quick questions will be given quick answers.

AI can provide quick summaries of answers when users are looking for information, leading informational content on websites seeing a decrease in traffic generated from clicks.

Additionally, as platforms like TikTok create their own search overviews, users don’t need to leave those platforms to find information on Google or elsewhere. If they want more information on a topic they saw in a video, they can find out more without needing to leave the app.

So, how can SEO adapt?

What AI Can’t Do

AI isn’t human and therefore can’t form meaningful human connections the same way humans do with each other. That’s the main disadvantage AI has.

People buy from people, and a high number of people don’t trust content or news if it’s clear it’s been generated using AI.

For instance, a survey by YouGov found that 73% of people are worried about the trustworthiness of AI content, and 27% of people would block or unfollow the account if they saw content labelled as AI-generated. While distrust of online content is common in general, it is worth noting that the numbers for AI content continue to be very high.

Similarly, a report by the Reuters Institute showed that when it comes to journalism and AI “only a minority currently feels comfortable using news made by humans with the help of AI (36%), and an even smaller proportion is comfortable using news made mostly by AI with human oversight (19%).” They also concluded that while people may feel comfortable with AI output surrounding verifiable facts and numbers, certain topics still require human interpretation and sensitivity.

Obviously, the above statistics are bound to change as people become more accustomed to AI. However, human connection and the ability to deliver topics with the right level of sensitivity are areas where AI is lacking.

It’s also worth noting that with more people using AI for content creation, standing out is key. And as AI feeds off already existing ideas, marketers and SEOs need to think outside the box to stand out from the competition.

How Do Google Algorithm Updates Treat AI?

Google very much prioritises quality and user experience: trustworthy content that provides value to users, following the E-E-A-T guidelines.

Additionally, in 2024 Google had both several core updates and multiple spam updates, which mainly tackled low-quality spammy content.

So, if you were thinking about mass-producing AI content for your website in 2025, think again.

Here’s where you can put your efforts instead:

1. Know Your Customer

With content being mass-produced, it’s now more important than ever to understand who your customer is.

Remember, search engines like Google want to provide value to users and show them content that they would like and find helpful. Therefore, knowing your target audience is key. Understand what they care about and write content they would enjoy reading. Help them solve their problems.

Not only can relevant keywords be targeted that way, but if a user stays and engages with a result, then search engines are more likely to rank the site for these keywords.

1. Choose Your Platform

In today’s world, a lot of platforms can be classed as search engines. Users don’t only type queries into Google, but they might type the query into TikTok, YouTube or Amazon (to name a few).

With other platforms becoming more sophisticated, like TikTok and its Search Highlights where it gives users a text summary and a selection of recommended videos, it’s time to look beyond Google for SEO.

As above, it helps to know who your customer is and who you want to target. Which search engine do they use? How do they consume content?

If you have unlimited time and budget, you could do everything everywhere. But for many, that’s not the case.

Therefore, it’s important to be smarter and more strategic. Know which platform has the best reach for your audience and start creating and optimising your content there.

1. Long-Tail Keyword Strategies

Once you know your customer, it’s worthwhile tackling the next action: targeting hyper-relevant keywords.

With AI continuing to evolve and understand users, it would be no surprise if users started using it more for online shopping and getting customised recommendations with the help of AI.

Therefore, it is key to portray which customer would enjoy the product or service you’re offering, so that AI tools can consider you.

Long-tail keywords may have much lower search volume, but they are more likely to convert if they reach the relevant user.

1. User experience

This was alluded to earlier: focus on creating the best user experience.

When you develop your SEO strategies, don’t just think about ranking positions and keywords you’re going to target. Instead, bear in mind what search engines want to achieve: providing great user experiences.

Make your website fast, easy to navigate and useful for users. Showcase how knowledgeable you are while also making your website enjoyable to visit. Find pain points visitors might have when viewing your site and improve them.

Start doing this and it’ll pay off for SEO too.

1. Relevant link-building

Each time another website links to you, they give you a vote of confidence, showing Google that your website is great.

Therefore, create content that people will want to link to to gain more links from other websites.

Do some research about your audience or industry trends and attract links from sites that are relevant to your audience.

Consider collaborations with other sites or businesses to boost your brand awareness and attract new customers. Especially if you’re a local business, it’s great connecting with the local community to show them who you are and get to know them.

Conclusion

In essence, AI is here to stay. The key is keeping on track and understanding how to adapt, while also understanding things AI can’t do as well as humans: forming meaningful relationships.

Understand who you want to reach and who your customers are. Find ways to make their lives better and create the best possible user experience for them. Understand how to connect with them and help AI connect them to you via the right keyword strategy.