Navigating SEO & AI in 2025: Trends, Tools, and the Future [Survey Results]

About The Survey📝

I asked 52 SEO professionals to share their thoughts on the latest developments in search - what they’re focusing on, what they’re leaving behind, and where they see the future heading. Thank you to everyone who took the time to contribute.

TLTR:

SEO in 2025 is shifting towards AI-first strategies, with a focus on optimising for large language models, user intent, and multi-channel visibility (e.g. TikTok, Reddit, YouTube). Traditional tactics like keyword stuffing and link volume are declining in importance, while content quality, brand authority, and structured data are more critical than ever. AI tools are central to workflows, but human insight, adaptability, and audience understanding remain key to success.

(As usual, this type of AI can hallucinate)

Listen To NotebookLM Conversation (53 Mins)

Q. Which Emerging Platforms Or Tools Are You Currently Paying The Most Attention To?

There's a clear focus on AI-powered tools and large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Perplexity and Gemini, indicating a significant shift towards AI integration in various workflows. Some respondents are also keenly observing Google's AI Mode and its potential impact on search queries and content types.

Other Tools Mentioned 🔧:

• Limy.ai (A Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) platform)

• Claude (A conversational, generative AI chatbot developed by Anthropic)

• SEM Rush Enterprise (An AI-powered, all-in-one SEO platform designed for large organisations)

• Keyword Insights (A topical SEO platform that leverages live SERP data, NLP-driven clustering, intent analysis, and AI‑generated content briefs to help you build authority and create optimised content faster .)

• Advanced Web Ranking (A specialist rank-tracking platform)

• Gumloop (A no-code, AI-powered workflow automation platform that lets users build complex AI agents visually)

• Runbear (A no‑code AI‑agent platform)

• Windsurf (Is an AI-powered code editor and agentic IDE that uses tools like the Cascade AI assistant to predictively write, fix, test, and even deploy code)

• DataForSEO (A comprehensive SEO data provider offering API access to real-time keyword metrics, SERP results, rank tracking, backlinks, on-page insights, “People Also Ask” data)

• Project Mariner (An experimental AI agent from Google DeepMind -  can autonomously perform complex browsing tasks—like navigating web pages, filling forms, extracting info and simulating human clicks—while keeping you informed and letting you intervene .)

• CrewAI (an open-source, Python-based platform for orchestrating multi-agent AI workflows)

• xfunnel (A Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) platform that helps businesses track and improve their visibility across AI-powered search engines)

• Waikay (Platform designed to show you exactly what generative AI models (like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Perplexity) know—or get wrong—about your brand.)

• Similarweb (An AI-powered digital intelligence platform offering real-time insights into website and app performance)

• WordCrafter (An AI-driven SEO content platform that uses real-time SERP intelligence to craft data-driven outlines and precision-controlled content sections)

• NotebookLM (An AI‑powered research and note‑taking tool from Google Labs, built on Gemini)

• SparkToro (An audience intelligence tool that helps marketers discover the websites, social accounts, podcasts, hashtags, and keywords most influential with a target audience)

• Audiense (A platform for audience intelligence, using machine learning and social data to analyse, segment, and understand your target audiences)

• Otterly (A monitoring tool that tracks your brand’s visibility, sentiment, link citations, and rankings across AI‑powered search platforms)

• Rankscale.ai (A Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) tool that tracks, analyses, and optimises brand visibility and citations on AI search platforms)

• Glimpse (A trend‑analysis platform that uses search, social and consumer behaviour data to help marketers, investors, and product teams spot rising topics and opportunities.)

• Mistral AI (A Paris-based startup, that develops powerful, efficient open-source and commercial large language models)

• Infranodus (A visual AI-powered text network analysis tool that transforms any text (notes, articles, search results) into an interactive graph)

• Wordlift (An AI‑powered SEO platform for WordPress that uses natural language processing to build a dynamic knowledge graph, automatically add structured data, boost content relevance, and enrich internal linking)

• Raycast (A powerful, keyboard-first launcher for macOS, that lets you instantly search apps, files, snippets, clipboard history, and even run scripts or AI tasks)

• SEO Stack (An AI‑augmented SEO platform that serves as a standalone Google Search Console replacement)

• ZipTie (An AI Search monitoring tool that tracks your brand’s presence in Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and Perplexity across 10 countries)

• AirOps (A complete content platform that combines AI-driven workflows, brand knowledge and expert guidance to help teams build, publish, optimise, and refresh SEO-ready content at scale)

• Make (A powerful no-code automation platform that enables users - across departments like marketing, IT, HR, and more - to build visual workflows and AI‑powered agents, integrating 2,000+ apps)

• Dify (An open-source, no-code/low-code platform that lets teams build, deploy, and manage production-ready AI agents and workflows)

• Cursor (An AI-powered, Visual Studio Code–based IDE by Anysphere that offers real-time code generation, smart autocompletion, natural-language editing, multi-file refactoring, and an AI assistant)

• Lovable (An AI-driven full‑stack development platform that turns natural‑language prompts into deployed production‑ready web apps)

• Replit (A browser-based, AI-enhanced development platform that merges a collaborative cloud IDE, real‑time multiplayer coding, instant deployment, and an intelligent AI Agent)

(Points Of View) 💭

"I am also using my access to the beta version of Google's AI Mode. I am fully aware that Google will almost certainly (albeit it won't look like it does at this moment) push this live at some point, so understanding what content types it pulls through for different search queries, I believe, will give me a slight edge over any of our competitors who are not currently doing this." - Ryan Jones

"I am currently using tools like SparkToro, Audiense, and Similarweb. These platforms help us understand where our audience spends time, what they are paying attention to, and how they talk about their needs. These insights are shaping everything from content angles to platform strategy. " - Sabrina La Monica

"I'm paying close attention to how some of the biggest LLMs are evolving, and what this might mean for SEO and traffic more generally. Whether it's chatGPT including shopping listings, or Perplexity citing its sources - I'm keeping a close eye on these and trying to determine how these will influence client traffic, or how Google may respond with updates of its own."  - Liv Day

“I’m currently paying close attention to how emerging search platforms like TikTok and Pinterest are evolving into serious search engines in their own right. With more users, especially Gen Z, using these platforms to find products, services, and answers, it’s crucial to understand how SEO strategies can adapt beyond Google”. - Matt Pyke

"AI coding tools. They allow me to create useful tools for clients either for internal use or to include on their websites." - Bart Platteeuw

"Probably Project Mariner. I saw a very brief demo of what this could be at Google Search Central Live in Zurich last December 2024. In my opinion, agent-led search is going to be the real catalyst in change for the SEO world, hence keeping a close eye on it's development and hoping to get the opportunity to test it. Secondly, of course the main LLMs and generative AI tools platforms as they update and change so frequently." - Sean Carroll

Q. What’s One AI-Powered Tool That Has Genuinely Changed Your Workflow – And How?

From the responses, several key themes emerge regarding how AI tools are changing workflows:

• Content Generation and Creation: Many respondents use AI for drafting emails, blog outlines, general writing assistance, and generating various forms of content.

• Research and Information Gathering: AI tools are extensively used for quick research and summarizing information.

• Efficiency and Productivity: A recurring theme is the ability of AI to streamline tasks, make workflows more efficient, and save time.

• Idea Generation and Brainstorming: AI is leveraged for generating new ideas and assisting in the brainstorming process.

• Specialised Tasks: Some users are developing specialised AI agents or using AI for niche tasks within their workflow.

• SEO-Related Tasks: Specifically for SEO, AI is used for tasks like generating blog outlines and keyword research.

• Code Writing Assistance: One user explicitly stated using ChatGPT and Claude to help them write code, showcasing AI's application in software development and debugging processes.

(Points Of View) 💭

"ChatGPT. I've managed to build a workflow with my legacy emails as training data to draft new email responses." - Simon Schnieders

“ChatGPT for research, Gemini for SEO related blog outlines, and Claude for any type of conversational content generator”. - Parth Suba 

"Perplexity for deep research. I like to use the capabilities of AI but I also enjoy referring to the sources and verifying the info." - Natalia Witczyk

“Chatgpt and claude, i use them all the time to rewrite and choose better wording, to analyze blogs and find patterns, find related entities and to help me write code.” - Sara Taher

"I am introducing Claude, slowly, into a lot of my work to try and make things more efficient, help me with writing (although never writing full posts) and trying to figure out ways we can implement this into our tool as well." - Ryan Jones

“Chatgpt. The ability to make plugins and using popular plugins is quite the game changer.” - Saleque (Antoz) Siddique 

“I would say ChatGPT, but with a twist. Using it as an standalone platform is good, but integrating it with other tools via API is the key. I use it with Screaming Frog and their new AI-powered custom extraction feature and it's amazing. Perplexity is also quite nice for logical reasoning." - Pablo Lopez

"ChatGPT has been the major tool that everyone in our agency is using, from more technical custom API solutions, custom GPTs, to even now helping to generate creative for ad campaigns." - Sean Carroll

“ChatGPT has genuinely transformed the way I work, especially when it comes to ideation and refining client strategies. In the SEO world, we are constantly balancing creativity with data and ChatGPT helps bridge that gap. Whether I’m using it to generate content outlines based on search intent, simplify technical SEO explanations for clients, or explore new campaign angles, it acts like a strategic thought partner. It’s not about replacing people it’s about enhancing the quality and speed of our thinking so we can focus more on what really drives growth.” - Matt Pyke 

“ChatGPT has become an everyday extension of my brainstorming process. It helps with fast headline ideation, content outlines, and repurposing long-form content into social or any content format. It's like an ideal partner that keeps momentum going when deadlines hit.” - Sabrina La Monica

“ChatGPT has massively improved my SEO workflow by streamlining keyword research, content optimisation, and meta tag generation. It helps quickly analyse search intent, structure articles for better rankings, and stay ahead of trends, all in one place. One area where it’s especially useful is keyword research. ChatGPT can instantly generate a list of relevant search terms, which you can then cross-reference with SEO tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush. This saves valuable time and helps you better understand and shape a client’s target audience without starting from scratch.”  - Glen Chamisa

“ AI-powered tools have become essential to how I work from summarising meeting notes to managing calendars and tasks, they are streamlining parts of my day I didn’t even realise could be optimised. I regularly test a wide range of tools just to stay current, but I keep coming back to ChatGPT because of how versatile and reliable it is. One standout use case for me is learning on the move. I've been using NotebookLM to convert long-form articles I've bookmarked into short podcast-style audio summaries. When I’m travelling or driving, it means I can absorb dense, insightful content that Id otherwise never get around to reading. Sure, it might lose some nuance, but it transforms deep-dive reading into something portable and passive, which has massively increased how much I actually retain and learn.” - Gerry White

"ChatGPT for sure. Yes it sounds basic, but I've built a ton of custom GPTs that help me do specific SEO and content tasks like repurposing blog posts into LinkedIn posts, refreshing blog posts and landing pages, writing guest posts, researching and writing content briefs, etc. that makes it possible for us to ship 15+ high-quality content pieces with just me and two freelance writers." - Yamon Y

Q. How Are You Adapting Your SEO And Content Strategy To Reflect Changing User Behaviour And Search Intent?

1. A significant focus on integrating AI, generative AI, and LLMs into strategy

2. Emphasis on understanding and aligning with user and search intent

3. Specific adaptation to Google's AI Overviews and SGE

4. Using data and analytics to inform strategy

5. Focus on understanding user behaviour and customer journeys

6. Prioritising video content

7. Moving towards semantic SEO, entities, and topical authority

8. Continued emphasis on valuable, helpful, and high-quality content

9. Adapting strategies to reflect EEAT principles

   
   

Other Standout Points

• There's a recognition of the need to optimise not just for search engines, but for humans and Large Language Models (LLMs) as well. This suggests a broader understanding of where content will be consumed and interpreted.

• Some respondents are actively engaging with clients to explain shifts in traffic patterns due to evolving search landscapes, emphasizing that changes don't necessarily equate to poorer performance.

• There's an exploration of content syndication and utilizing platforms like Reddit as part of the SEO content strategy, indicating a move beyond sole reliance on traditional Google search for traffic.

• A consistent theme is the importance of ongoing experimentation with different content strategies, staying updated with new trends, and continuous monitoring and tracking of performance.

• For some, the strategy is shifting towards creating original research articles rather than just following SERP trends, with a specific mention of Product-Led SEO strategies working well for SaaS businesses.

(Points Of View) 💭

"Brands need to think about the trifecta of optimising for Humans, Search and LLMs now." - Simon Schnieders

"I pay more attention to zero SV queries and the consolidation of content."  - Sergio Arboledas Garrido

"We're focusing more or creating original research articles rather than just following the SERP. Since we work with SaaS, Product Led SEO strategy is what's currently working best as our content strategy." - Saleque (Antoz) Siddique

"First educating the client about the upcoming changes in traffic patterns and explaining how this not essentially mean websites are doing worse. I am also underlining the need for strong tech SEO setup and following general SEO good practise for GEO." - Natalia Witczyk

“Rewriting existing content that's currently ranking well in Google and has the potential to rank in Google AI. Making question based content more direct and answering the search query, early and as concise as possible within the early stages of the website content” - James King

"I focus a lot on information density on each page, and getting straight to the point in content. It's been having a positive impact on being quoted and linked inside Google AI Overviews, for example." - Bart Platteeuw

“My approach is actually not that much different. Doing good SEO work hasn't really changed in my opinion. The fundamentals of what you should be doing still exist, it's not like they've actually changed that much. For example, optimising for mentions in LLMs is a conversation that has been happening with many people claiming to have found the secret sauce, however it often turns out it's not that secret, it's just what good SEO work should have been doing in the first place. Like brand building. It's not like the marketing industry has suddenly found out that we should have been focusing on building a trustworthy brand all along.” - Sean Carroll

“I'm being more aggressive with culling content. Whether its fluff to bulk up a word count or irrelevant articles which dilute the topical focus of a site, I want to ensure that sites are more concise.”  - David Gossage

“With users now searching on TikTok, Reddit, and Pinterest as much as Google, we are shifting our approach to meet them where they are. That means creating content that answers real questions in the formats users prefer, whether it’s video snippets, FAQs, or visual guides. We also layer in search intent mapping and first-party data to align content with buying stages, which helps drive better-quality leads and measurable ROI. It’s less about chasing rankings and more about earning trust at key decision points.” - Matt Pyke

We are leaning into intent-based clustering and refreshing older content based on SERP shifts. We also balance evergreen SEO structure with more conversational, question-based formatting that aligns with how people search now, especially in AI-assisted environments. - Sabrina La Monica

“I'm focusing on content and optimisations that help customers get the information they need as quickly as possible. I work for a retail brand, so the biggest thing our customers want is to understand how other customers feel about a product before making the decision to buy. With this in mind, I'm making sure that our pages are set up to answer the most common questions (either via FAQs or guides) and include real reviews and videos from other customers who have previously bought the product. The fundamental need to provide information that is relevant to customers hasn't changed, it's just that we as SEOs need to consider additional channels to provide it. For example, using Social Media to understand customer sentiment is much more effective that solely focusing on the SERPs.” - Naomi Francis - Parker

"There's a growing focus on user intent and conversational search. With the rise of AI-powered search platforms like ChatGPT and Gemini, content that clearly and naturally answers specific questions is more likely to surface. There's also a greater emphasis on structured data, which helps AI crawlers better understand and utilise content within these platforms.

I think it's important to leverage data to track how user search queries are evolving. By adjusting content to reflect those changes, you can ensure it aligns with user intent, targets featured snippets, and complies with Google's helpful content guidelines." - Glen Chamisa

“We are also reviewing our briefing process to make sure we are able to construct content that takes the query fan out technique into account effectively. Which isn't really that different from semantic SEO or topical authority. Whichever made up term we want to use” - Harry Clarkson Bennett

“We are thinking more in line with conversational search - things like how can we create content that is easily digestible to LLMs, how we understand and use query fan out, how can we reduce cognitive load our end.... Brand while always a focus is now even more important - things like how your brand is perceived in LLMs and pumping up the gas on digital PR” - Emina Demiri-Watson

Q. Which Online Channels Are You Prioritising For Reaching And Analysing Your Audience In 2025?

1. Organic Search

2. Social Media (Often with specific platforms like LinkedIn, X, TikTok, Reddit, Bluesky, Threads mentioned)

3. Email Marketing

4. Paid Ads

5. YouTube / Video

6. Website / Blog

Other Things That Stood Out

• Some respondents are looking beyond traditional channels to consider Large Language Models (LLMs) themselves as a new "audience" or a critical component of the future search landscape, focusing on concepts like Google's "query fan-out" or "chain-of-thought reasoning."

• There's a recognition that traditional search and social media are becoming increasingly intertwined. The rise of visual content in AI Overviews (AIO) is driving the need to align social media strategies with search efforts.

• A fundamental, yet often overlooked, strategy emphasized is meeting the audience where they are, especially where they are actively seeking services or information. This points to a highly adaptive and audience-first approach rather than a fixed channel list.

• There's also a significant portion of respondents who didn't name specific channels but indicated a broader or multi-channel approach. Email marketing retains some importance.

(Points Of View) 💭

“We are prioritizing LLM-based search engines and platforms as our primary channels for reaching and analysing our audience in 2025. These platforms offer advanced capabilities for tracking user interactions and understanding intent, allowing us to make data-driven decisions more effectively." - Koray Tugberk Gubur

"Search and Social are becoming really good friends lately. AIO is pushing visual content up so being present on SM and aligning social strategies with Search is quite relevant." - Pablo Lopez

“We're focused on LLMs as the new 'audience' and what Google calls their 'query fan-out' technique, otherwise know as 'chain-of-thought reasoning”. - Simon Schnieders

“Short form content platforms, such as TikTok, Instragram Reels, YouTube shorts to create an omni channel approach to SEO.” - Edward Ziubrzynski

“Still traditional search, but I am more involved with product feeds and merchant centre which ordinarily would have sat with paid teams.”  - Dena Warren

“YouTube, TikTok, and organic Google traffic are top for reach. For analysis, GA4, Search Console, and native platform insights help us track user behavior. We're also exploring tools like SparkToro for better audience intent mapping.”  - Sabrina La Monica

“Google Business Profile is still one of our most important since we serve the hospitality community. We recognise that search is becoming broader so focusing on the website alone is no longer enough.” - Rose Tero

"In 2025, TikTok continues to be one of the most impactful channels for driving awareness and traffic. The scale and speed at which a single well-executed video can generate visibility is unmatched, Ive seen clients gain thousands of views within hours when content hits the right note." - Gerry White

“Newsletter: With all the constantly changing tools and environments, I believe it's more important than ever to build your own community and there's nothing easier than doing that with a newsletter.” - Dani Leitner

“I think it’s also worth keeping an eye on alternative players like DuckDuckGo and Ecosia which are styled as more ethical search engines because a lot of users are disillusioned with Google.” - Adair Todman

Q. What’s Your Take On The Current Relevance Of Traditional Ranking Factors ?

The overwhelming trend suggests that traditional ranking factors, while perhaps evolving in their application or direct impact, are still considered a fundamental part of SEO strategy by the majority of respondents.

(Points Of View) 💭

"The future is about educating LLMs around categories, not optimising for 'keywords'." - Simon Schnieders

"I still believe these more traditional ranking factors are important. At the end of the day, even with all the talk of AIOs and AI Mode, Google (and other search engines) still need ways of understanding what your content is about, and these traditional ranking factors help with that to no end." - Ryan Jones

"Title tags are still top ranking factors. Meta description don't pay attention to that. Actually Google would match better the search query user intent than us. Keyword density still works for certain industries, specially for local SEO." - Sergio Arboledas Garrido

“Those are long gone. DEAD as a skeleton. Now it's all about optimizing for LLM, Conversational Content to make sure Google Generative AI features you. Creating unique original researched article that hasn't been seen before introduces new data to LLM.”  - Saleque (Antoz) Siddique

“ BORED. I am so incredibly BORED. I have been in this industry for more than a decade and a half. I've seen a lot, and it always boils down to one freaking thing: have solid branding. You can build your brand by getting visibility with SEO, with social media, with whatever channel you want but ultimately, what brings people back to you is the trust in your brand. You build that with your customer/audience, over time. So traditional ranking factors were a proxy for quality, just like a brand is. The key difference is that you own a brand and it can be a liability or an asset whereas you don't control ranking factors, you just try your best to make it make sense from a business point of view.” - Myriam Jessier

“Just including keywords is no longer good enough, you have to understand your audience and solve the problems that they come to your site for.” - David Gossage

"Traditional ranking factors like meta tags and keyword density still matter, but they are more of a hygiene check than a competitive advantage. What really moves the needle now is aligning content with user intent, building topical authority, and demonstrating strong E-E-A-T. Google is increasingly focused on surfacing content that provides real value, especially in industries where accuracy and credibility matter. We focus less on box-ticking and more on building trust through high-quality, relevant content that solves problems and reflects genuine expertise. " - Matt Pyke 

"They still matter but they do now have as big of a weighting as they once did. Google now considers more factors so while they definitely still matter it is not the be all and end all. Having said that, we shouldn't move away from them. It's more about ensuring you have a well wounded strategy rather than relying on one element." - Nikki Halliwell

“They are still relevant, but need to go hand-in-hand with a human first approach whereby we follow best practices from both UX and SEO perspectives as the two go hand in hand.” - Yordan Dimitrov

“Once again, Google is far from dead. However, SEO has been evolving for years, and it's crucial that we focus on strengthening online brand visibility. That means ensuring a consistent message across the web, building credibility, and addressing the technical health of the website. From my perspective, if we use EEAT as a guiding framework when working on a site, we're already setting ourselves up for success not just in traditional search, but also in how brands are represented in large language models.” - Sara Moccand - Sayegh

“Backlinks are still hugely important but increasingly nuanced. Page Titles are vital still, and should be thought of in the same way as a Paid Search Headline. Meta tags, keyword density etc. haven't been relevant for a long time though. Keyword inclusion is still valuable but not essential, having semantically relevant terms and naturally written, intent matching content is more important. To rank first, first you have to rank, and that means ensuring that you're page is being picked as a candidate document from the index because it matches the search in some way.” - Dave Cousin

I think if we're talking about the fundamentals of SEO - making sure your page can be crawled and rendered, utilising structured data, semantic html, well targeted keywords, internal links - they're still essential. It's important not to completely fall into the AI hype hole immediately. - Harry Clarkson Bennett

“Some of those haven't been relevant for 20 years - ie. density. Others have lost relevance in the last 5 of so years - ie. meta tags. But it also depends on the industry and the market. We've seen clients who still get a boost from meta tag optimisations but those are very rare. Personally, if we are going to speak about traditional ranking factors then we are better off focusing on the ABC of search:Anchors (A): Links from a source page to a target page, Body (B): Terms in the document and Clicks (C): How long a user stayed on a linked page before returning to the SERP. Those are still relevant and much more complex than the small tactical approaches like meta optimisations.” - Emina Demiri-Watson

Q. Are Backlinks Still As Valuable As They Used To Be? Why Or Why Not?

1. Still Valuable / Important

2. Not Valuable / Dead

3. Mixed Stance

4. Contextual / Nuanced Value

5. Less Valuable / Diminishing Importance

The data shows a clear split, with the majority still affirming the value of backlinks, but a strong counter-narrative suggesting their diminished importance or irrelevance.

(Points Of View) 💭

“At this current moment in time, I still don't think there is anything that moves the needle more than a highly-authoritative and relevant backlink. For one, it's still (in my opinion) Google's number one ranking factor, and it also plays a role in how LLMs find your content to rank it in their search results Yes, AI is changing things, but I don't think it's changing things as fast as we all believe." - Ryan Jones

"Nope. Only backlinks difficult to achieve make positive impact. Links from link farms / link building platforms do not provide any SEO benefit (unless it's a brand new site)." - Sergio Arboledas Garrido

"yes, some may argue even more. With the new LLMs revelation, brand mentions in training data can impact your visibility in LLMs, so branded backlinks are important today." - Sara Taher

“100%. Branded mentions will become critical for LLMs to "understand" relevance behind pages and websites so offpage will still be pivotal with AI. The thing that will become redundant is buying links, but this is an unpopular opinion! Again, I think AI will be smart enough to know when you're "cheating" so those days are counted.” - Pablo Lopez

“Yes. Fin. Stop trying to pretend they aren't. Backlinks are once again proxies...proxies for a good reputation, a good standing. Brands are part of the fabric of the communities they operate in. Backlinks are a tangible testament to that. And if not backlinks, then there are other similar proxies that point to the same thing: can you be trusted.” - Myriam Jessier

“Yes, despite Google's communications stating otherwise, I don't think their value has changed that much. I still think they are a major contributor to building authority and increasing rankings. However, I think this will also start to include "mentions" as time goes on considering how LLMs and AI will be able to pick up on when your brand is mentioned, not just if it's hyperlinked.” - Sean Carroll 

“Backlinks are still valuable, but the way we view and build them has changed. It’s no longer about volume it’s about relevance, quality, and context. A handful of strong links from trusted, niche-relevant sites can do far more than hundreds of generic ones. Google’s systems are better at detecting manipulative link building, so our focus is on earning links through genuine content, digital PR, and thought leadership. That said, backlinks alone won’t carry a site anymore they need to support strong technical SEO, content quality, and user experience to have real impact.” - Matt Pyke 

“Yes, I believe they still are. As a small business I think it's important to have new backlinks pointing to your website. They contribute to building a quality website and brand. For big brands, that already have tons of backlinks, I would not recommend to invest in them anymore, as is more easy for them to get them for free of thought digital PR.” - Ramona Joita

“No. Links are a noisy signal and have been heavily deprecated. Brand signals are more powerful (like direct visits and branded searches)” - Barry Adams

"Backlinks on their own - No. Backlinks alongside mentions - Maybe, because it's a good indicator (at the moment, anyway) of how relevant your brand is. If no one is 'talking' about your brand, then it's not a good indication of authority or relevance." - Naomi Francis - Parker

 “Backlinks are still valuable! But - and I think this will be no surprise to anyone - the emphasis of quality over quantity is more important than ever. I've seen HUGE ranking changes come from a small handful of highly relevant, targeted links. And on the other hand, I've seen sites earn hundreds of backlinks via digital PR, with little to no impact on rankings.” - Liv Day

"Backlinks are even more valuable now because to appear in AI search engines like ChatGPT, brand mentions matter the most. The more other brands mention you in their articles, the more you're likely to build "authority" and show up in LLM answers. This means backlinks matter now, more than ever -- but the key is to get the right backlinks for the right kinds of content. For example, at Whatagraph, the highest priority of our backlinks efforts go into getting featured in listicle articles and "alternatives to [competitor]" article because we want to appear in LLM answers for BOFU related search queries. " - Yamon Y

“No. But they haven't been for some time. The decline in the importance of backlinks has coincided with Googles understanding and use of engagement metrics. But citations and mentions seem to making something of a comeback. Whilst they're still one of the top ranking factors I think the advent of ai search looks means digital pr and links will have something of a renaissance.” - Harry Clarkson Bennett

“They are valuable but not in the old SEO sense of 'more links means higher rankings'. Personally I love the Moz research that looks at the impact of HCU which shows how it'd not just about the links but also about the brand. In fact, if your have a bunch of links but no one is looking for your brand it has a negative impact.” - Emina Demiri-Watson

Q. How Important Are Core Web Vitals In Ranking Today Compared To Other SEO Factors?

Q. Which Part Of SEO Do You Think Will Change The Most Over The Next 12 Months?

• AI / LLMs / SGE: 24 mentions (This category heavily dominates, reflecting the impact of generative AI on search.)

• Content Creation/Strategy: 8 mentions (Focus on how content will need to adapt.)

• Technical SEO

• Analytics / Measurement

• Link Building / Off-Page

• Ranking Factors

• SERP Changes / Zero-Click

(Points Of View) 💭

SEOs will need to understand and adapt strategies towards Google's “query fan-out” technique. This issues multiple related searches concurrently across subtopics and multiple data sources. For a large swathe of queries, particularly 'comparison/best of' this will be the way search is delivered. Blue links in the traditional sense will disappear." - Simon Schnieders

"Traditional backlinks to digital pr" - Parth Suba

“Many affiliate sites that lured the users in via informational queries will go out of business." -  Natalia Witczyk

"There's no doubt that Google AI is moving at an incredible rate. We will see Google introduce more position zero listings. So it's important to focus more on winning position zero snippets." - James King

“I think brands that do "all the things" will be rewarded more - in other words, actual brands with actual good marketing across multiple channels that makes sense for them. This will almost certainly lead to better visibility in generative AI tools due to the nature of how these tools operate and gather information. But I think it might also become more apparent in "traditional" Google search results.” - Bart Platteeuw

“I think we'll see a growth in "Digital PR" link building interest and services as brands will want to achieve mentions and links in high authority publications. I think we'll see more agent-led search examples which will give some insight into how search might look in the future. I also think we'll see a push towards information gain for most publishers. I think people have already started noticing that content these days is just "so AI" and I think that's the result of LLM modal collapse, so SEOs and content creators will realise they need to bring new, original and real-world perspectives and experiences to their content production in order to stand out amongst the Gen-AI mediocrity.” - Sean Carroll

“I think search relevance will tend to go up in terms of nuanced queries that go beyond keyword-termed searches.  What was once long-tail will turn into complete questions, and there will be a lot more variants in the way people search.  For SEO, that means greater attention to details, and providing high-quality content that serves a user experience that has purpose beyond basic keyword optimization.  We may still need that 3-worded keyword that has volume, but we also need to alignment with specific answers that offer a direct match to what users are looking for.” - Jim Liu

“Where people actually search from. I believe Google is going to lose quite a bit of its search market share over the next few years so SEO practices are going to focus more on getting Brand and links into AI and LLMs.” - Simon Cox

“I think on-page formatting will shift the most... optimizing for AI overviews and zero-click results will become more essential. Content will need to work harder within snippets, summaries, and interactive SERP elements to get visibility.” - Sabrina La Monica

“Google is evolving rapidly, but for the first time, it feels like they are reacting to change rather than leading it. AI-driven content, new formats, and user expectations are transforming the search experience, and SEOs need to respond by paying closer attention to what is actually happening on the SERPs. We are seeing more diversity in how information is presented with video, short-form content, AI overviews, product feeds, and even forum discussions all competing for space, depending on the query intent and industry.

In the next 12 months, the biggest change won’t be just technical, it will be strategic. SEO can’t exist in isolation anymore. Search teams need to integrate more tightly with social, content, brand, and PR not just to ensure alignment, but to inject SEO thinking into campaign planning from the start. For example, when a social campaign is launched, the research and keyword insight from SEO can ensure it’s discoverable beyond the feed, across platforms and over time.

SEO will become more about making sure great content, wherever it’s created, is discoverable, understood, and surfaced in the right places.” - Gerry White

“Over the next year, I believe the biggest change will be in how we measure success. Traditional metrics like rankings will take a back seat, and we will focus more on conversions, user engagement, and other actionable metrics. With the rise of AI and changes in search engine features, it’s important to adapt strategies to reflect what is actually driving results, whether that's through direct conversions or other valuable actions.” - Kelly - Anne Crean

"I envisage a big change in what we spend our time on as SEOs. Gone are the days of having a tech audit with 20+ actions, or 20 blog posts a month - we are focusing on quality over quantity. Now, we can spend hours looking at one page, going really in-depth to look at user intent, understanding a users exact frame of mind when they land on a page, SERP analysis and crafting an ideal structure for a page. It’s this in-depth analysis and focus on user intent and information gain that is most likely to translate to revenue, not fixing that never-ending list of 404s.” – Liv Day

“ Hopefully people will realise that whether content has had input from AI or not isn't what is important, it is whether content has some unique value (including through Expertise or Experience) and is well written and matches intent. If AI helps you do that it is fine, but people seem to be completely one side of the fence than the other.” - Dave Cousin

“A bit controversial, but I think the big and expensive SEO tools like Ahrefs and SEMRush will become less relevant. Smart SEO strategists are already building their own tools using AI tools like AirOps, DataforSEO APIs, and vibe coding tools like Codeium or Make.” - Yamon Y

“I think we are likely to see a move towards being able to complete conversions (eg buying a product, signing up to an event) in the search engine results page. I also wonder about the future of websites in the new world of AI powered search. But the AI needs to be trained on something and if websites go down, where will they get their information from? It feels like an own goal to some extent.” - Adair Todman

"SEO as being in an SEO silo. We will have to reach into UX, CRO, alignment with other channels. Finally!" - Emina Demiri-Watson

Q. Which SEO Skills Are Becoming Less Relevant — And Which Should Professionals Focus On Instead?

Less Relevant SEO Skills ⬇️

• Keyword Stuffing (Exact Match Keywords)

• Automation of Hard / Manual Skills: A strong theme is that repetitive, manual, or "hard skills" in SEO are becoming less crucial as automation tools and AI take over these tasks. This includes basic technical checks, manual keyword sourcing, and simple reporting. The emphasis shifts from doing these tasks to overseeing and assessing automated work.

The trend suggests that overly simplistic or manipulative keyword practices are seen as losing value, likely due to advancements in search engine understanding and AI.

More Relevant SEO Skills ⬆️

• Data Analysis

• Strategic Thinking

• Content Strategy

Strategic & High-Level Thinking: Beyond specific tactical skills, there's a strong push for strategic thinking, understanding business objectives, and building scalable frameworks that directly contribute to revenue/leads. This includes a focus on "strategic AI" – knowing how to leverage AI for high-level control.

Communication & Business Acumen: SEOs are increasingly expected to transition from "do-ers" to strategic communicators. This involves creating compelling briefs, building strong business cases, and effectively communicating the importance of their work to clients and stakeholders.

"T-Shaped" Marketers: There's a call for professionals to become more "T-shaped," implying a broad understanding across marketing disciplines combined with deep expertise in specific areas.

Ethical and Practical Backlinking: While some traditional link-building is becoming less relevant, the ability to secure placements on high-authority, relevant sites (akin to digital PR) remains crucial.

(Points Of View)  💭

“So we need to start thinking about and learning how we can research topics as a whole, rather than single keywords or even keyword clusters. Yes, keywords and clusters will form part of that conversation, but it won't be the "be all and end all" it is now." - Ryan Jones

“Certain aspects of technical SEO are becoming less relevant. The focus should be around building brand mentions awareness and having the best human written content quality." - Sergio Arboledas Garrido

“We should focus more on testing, and data analysis skills, and learning how to automate and build DIY tool and workflows because that's where the future is heading.” - Sara Taher

"Backlink acquisition, local SEO, programmatic SEO > Not Relevant - Search intent, user sentiment, UX, Search & Social > Relevant “ -  Pablo Lopez

“Copy pasta. AI slop has moved the needle. Now we have a LOT of mediocre content so bad content and good content are extremes. We need to become even more T-shaped. If you like data, well crap, now's the time to get familiar with BigQuery or the GSC API...anything that takes you out of the GSC interface limitations. If you like content, time to truly get persuasive with the content, focus on UX & CRO bits you can integrate. If you like strategy, how about looking into neuroscience or sociology?” - Myriam Jessier

“In the past, SEOs were seen as "do-ers", meaning that they not only identify issues but fix them as well. More and more I'm seeing sites which don't allow the SEOs to directly work on them. Therefore, the top SEOs need to develop their skills in creating briefs, building business cases and communicating the importance of their work.” - David Gossage

“At Fly High Media, we are shifting focus toward strategic thinking, content planning, and user journey mapping. We are training our team to dig deeper into audience insights, align content with real business goals, and use AI tools to support not replace our creativity. Technical SEO and brand-building are also big priorities, as they tie directly into long-term authority and performance.” - Matt Pyke 

"Some people are already saying that Tech SEO is less relevant but I disagree as I think it is a foundation that still needs to be." - Simon Cox

“More focus should be placed on making connections and relationships not only with the audience but with stakeholders that we work with. I talk about it a lot but communication really does go a long way in moving barriers but it's always hugely overlooked.” - Nikki Halliwell

“Obsessing over keyword density or exact match phrases is outdated. Instead, SEOs should master content design, entity-based optimization, prompt engineering, and how to collaborate with creators for natural link building and UGC. Also, I would argue SEO should focus more on video content, it's the future of search I believe. If we think about it, videos are less likely to be AI-generated and in long term they might take over text more and more.” - Sabrina La Monica

“AI tools like ChatGPT can provide answers to many questions, including technical ones. But even when they do, novices or clients often still need a specialist to actually implement those solutions. That's why it's important for professionals to level up their technical expertise, because that's what truly sets you apart when a client is deciding who to trust with their SEO.” - Glen Chamisa

“In the future, I think an important skill to have will be strategic AI - what it is, and how to set up systems that save you time while still allowing you full, high-level strategic control over your SEO.”  - Rose Tero

“SEO professionals need to focus on more strategic, future-proof skills. Data skills are increasingly essential, not just for reporting, but for interpreting patterns, spotting trends, and making better decisions about where to invest effort. Equally important is a deep understanding of user intent, AI literacy (especially how large language models interpret and surface content), and the ability to collaborate cross-functionally with social, content, and product teams. The most successful SEOs will be the ones who can bridge the gap between technical detail and broader commercial impact, connecting insights to action in a way that drives real visibility and growth.” - Gerry White

“Important tools now for juniors and those trying to get their first jobs in SEO include some skills in Google Analytics (GA4) and maybe in looker studio and being able to analyse SERPs to understand intent and what is going to rank well and get great engagement.”  - Dave Cousin

“I have a real focus on Local SEO right now. Having the visibility off site (Google Business profile) is super important - If its going to continue to be prominent in AI overviews this would be a great area to skill up and make sure clients have their local area covered.”  - Dean Warwick

Q. Do You Trust Google More Or Less As An SEO Professional in 2025 — And What Has Influenced That Change?  

The data suggests a growing scepticism towards Google's direction, largely stemming from the perceived impact of AI Overviews and Google's monetization strategies on organic traffic and the SEO ecosystem.

Influencing Factors

• AI Overviews / SGE: 13 mentions (The most significant factor influencing trust, indicating concerns about AI's impact on traditional search results.)

• Algorithm Updates / Quality: 6 mentions (General algorithm changes and concerns about the quality of search results.)

• Zero-Click / Monetization: (Concerns about Google retaining users on its platform and increasing its own revenue, reducing organic traffic.)

• Transparency/Communication: (Issues around Google's clarity and communication with the SEO community.)

 (Points Of View) 💭

“I trust Google less, particularly around their apparent contempt for content publishers." - Simon Schnieders

“The previous deal saw us give content to Google in exchange for website traffic. Traffic that then we could work on converting to customers. In this day and age, with the rise of LLMs and AI Overviews, soon AI Mode also, we are going to see this contract change. Marketers will soon start to realize that giving Google content is not going to work as well. And what happens when this all stops? I think Google needs to have a serious think about what they are going to do when this happens. If they are worried about their market share now... I am interested to see what will happen 1-2 years down the line." - Ryan Jones

“No i don't. So many things they say contradict what they actually do, and then you have events like the creators summit that was just a disappointment. There's always bad news coming out on Google and statement like the sending publishers traffic is considered "necessary evil" that goes to show that publishers and SEOs are not a priority for Google.” - Sara Taher

"I have never trusted Google period. Martin Splitt, an old friend of mine can attest to that. It's not about trusting Google, it's about building a respectful mutually beneficial relationship. It's a social contract of sorts. Now, I find them as wildly confused as SEOs feel. I'm not impressed but I don't rely on Google to make a living, otherwise, I would be deeply worried. I am a search specialist. I understand search, search patterns, search intent, etc. That in itself has value. The fact that I tacked on a "Google" or a "search engine" to my title or to explain what I do helped for many years, now, it really depends as we say!" - Myriam Jessier

“Trust has been low for a while, and it's not really moving up or down. I think they're between a rock and a hard place and unsure how to move forward in an AI world.” - Bart Platteeuw

“The main thing for me is that Google's rhetoric never matches what's actually happening in the reality. Take AIO for example. The data that I can see clearly shows a decrease in organic traffic hand in hand with the introduction of AIO. Google's rhetoric is that their data (that only they can see and won't let us see) shows that AIO generates more clicks to your website. I'm sorry but, pull the other one, it's got bells on it. If I see it with sites that I own and client's sites, there must be many more people who also see the same. I think a lot of people are waking up to the reality that Google is a company, and they need to make profit, like any other company. Ad revenue is their biggest source of income. Less organic listings in the SERP means more potential opportunity for ad space. More ads means more money. In a time when Google can see the threat from OpenAI and its search share dipped below 90% for the first time since 2015. Its reasonable to come tot he conclusion that Google hates giving you traffic for free and they are actively trying to change that.” - Sean Carroll

“Google used to have the slogan "don't be evil", which was nice but also kind of an easy target to achieve. Then they actively removed all references to this slogan from all of their online documentation. They went out of their way to tell people that they're no longer trying not to be evil. This message was loud and clear to me.” - David Gossage

“I trust them as I trusted them from day one. Since its foundation their mission was to deliver the best result fast. I still think they do that, and I think this is the purpose of a search engine.” - Ramona Joita

“Despite some of the initial misinformation observed with Google's AI Overviews, I believe the company is on an upward trajectory. The constructive criticism from SEOs and businesses, coupled with increased competition, is likely to drive improvements in the platform. If these issues remain unaddressed, there's a risk to Google's long-term dominance. However, the rapid enhancements seen in a short period suggest that Google continues to be a trustworthy source.” - Yordan Dimitrov

“Same as ever. They do an amazing job considering but our expectations get tougher all the time so they are in a no win situation.” - Simon Cox

“I haven’t fully trusted Google in years, but it's worse now. What once felt like a mission to organise and democratise access to information now feels like a walled garden with ever-higher fences. The introduction of AI overviews, endless ad expansions, and reduced organic visibility all reinforce the same message: Google is no longer a neutral platform and for those of us who built our careers believing in its potential to empower users and publishers alike, that's a hard truth to accept.” - Gerry White 

"I think Google's had some big wake up calls in recent years, with things like the Helpful Content Update and initial errors in AI overviews. Google's reiterated in recent Search Central Live events that their core mission is to make information accessible and useful. Distrust is at an all time high and Google are under closer scrutiny than ever, so perhaps now is the time for them to rebuild that trust." - Liv Day

“Trust them in what way? To look after us SEOs and be our best friends? No, To exist for the good of publishers and ensure they keep sending them lots of free traffic? No But then that was never what they were about anyway so people shouldn't be shocked. What Google have consistently tried to do is give their users the best search experience and I trust them to keep doing that and if that means via AI Overviews or AI Mode because that's what they think, at least some, people want they will keep doing that.” - Dave Cousin 

"Google has never been trustworthy since the dawn of SEO - you can see this from the constant algorithm updates and shady algorithm stuff going on in the background. Plus, we also know that Google AI overviews are still in "child" mode and not completely accurate or trustworthy yet. The other day I saw a LinkedIn post about how Google AI overview recommended the person to add "non-toxic glue" to their food to make it "stick" more. So, no, I don't trust Google." - Yamon Y

“I trust them less I think. Mainly because I feel they have been very contradictory. They initially said healthcare would not be represented in AIOs but it's now the most represented category and we consistently see errors such as mixing up cancer types. I think unless and until AI can understand those nuances better, it should take a big step back from showing this type of info in AIOs. If they really cared about the user, they would do this.” - Adair Todman

Q. As Search Evolves In The Next Few Years - Especially With AI And Zero-Click Results - How Do You Think The Role Of Websites Will Change, If At All?

The prevailing trend is that websites will need to redefine their purpose, moving towards more specialized roles in the marketing funnel, with a stronger emphasis on conversion, brand building, and direct engagement, while AI handles more informational queries.

 (Points Of View) 💭

“Ultimately I think within the next half decade we'll see Agentic AI taking away most if not all of the heavy lifting around search. and websites will become almost completely redundant." - Simon Schnieders

"Traditionally we would see websites bring in a lot more ToFu visitors, and then convert them into customers along the way. Nowadays, with Google and LLMs slowly starting to handle the top of the funnel for us, I think websites are going to become powerful conversion machines, bringing in middle of the funnel and bottom of the funnel visitors and focusing more on conversion, rather than education." - Ryan Jones

“Websites will be less of a necessity than they were, especially for small business. Over time, we might have new website infrastructure built purely for LLMs to learn from, with no user interface.” - Natalia Witczyk

“Content writers will need to focus more on Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO). So that, sites can appear more frequently within Google AI and even ChatGPT. In regards to websites, they'll have their place for making a purchase. However, more people will begin the research stages by looking at other sources such as social media, Google AI etc.” - James King

“I love Jono Alderson's brain, he's over there thinking a website no longer needs to exist. If you are an ecommerce store, why do you need a site? Why can't you just sell your products by using every shopping platform your storefront? Also, websites are no longer a destination, the web is not somewhere you go to, it's no longer a destination, we're always on. So maybe, your site won't be read, it will be gobbled by an LLM and burped back up in an interface you have no control over yet attempt to influence.” - Myriam Jessier

“I think websites will just be this big archive of information. I think eventually we wont really interact with them that much at all unless out of choice or to engage with the content of a trusted brand or community. I believe we'll see agent-led search which will essentially do your searching for you. In combination with voice search. But it won't just be typing in or asking "I want a new pair of hiking boots, around £100, waterproof and lightweight, find me the best option", it will be personal to you as the individual based on all the data Google knows about you. So my results would be curated for me, like they are now anyway with search, but on the next level.” - Sean Carroll

"Information-only websites are already feeling the hit as many questions which they target are better answered with AI. Sadly, I believe many of them won't make it.

Commercial websites, however, will always have a place. Whilst Google is trying to make people buy products directly from their shopping feed, I believe customers will always trust brands with the best websites and the service they provide." - David Gossage

"I believe websites will become information feeders to AI tools - users will no longer navigate to sites, rather look at the content displayed in an AI interface, which we are already seeing. Product feeds and mark-up will become increasingly important to be seen by users." - Dena Warren

“I think it will become more about giving people a reason to stay. What are you offering on your website that customers or users can’t get elsewhere. If you give people a reason to care and a reason to stay then you will be rewarded with their custom.” - Nikki Halliwell

"Websites will become less central to search, and just one of many digital touch points. That's why I think SEOs should begin to shift towards search EXPERIENCE optimisation rather than search ENGINE optimisation." - Rose Tero

“I think AI search will help restore websites to what they were traditionally made for - to provide value. With zero click results, we are seeing a lot of strategies pivot away from the older tactic of producing endless guide content that’s only tangentially related to a topic and created purely for vanity traffic. Instead, strategies are focusing more what users actually want and find value in - and ultimately, this will be beneficial for the sites and the internet as a whole.” - Liv Day

“I honestly don’t know if websites will exist in the same way (if at all) in the future. Everything is becoming a lot more interactive so perhaps that is where we need to invest. But I don’t know. I think there will always be detractors. Certainly I think we will see even more focus on forums, ChatBots, more interactions in LLMs and the SERPs which will often bypass websites altogether.” - Adair Todman

Q. What’s Your Biggest Concern About AI In Marketing Or Search?

• Quality / Accuracy of AI Content / Results: 16 mentions (A prominent concern about the reliability, originality, and trustworthiness of AI-generated content or search results.)

• Over-reliance / Lack of Critical Thinking: (Worry about professionals becoming too dependent on AI and losing essential skills.)

• Cost / Accessibility

• Ethical Concerns / Bias

• Monetization / Traffic Loss: (Concerns about Google's own monetization strategies leading to reduced organic traffic.)

• Environmental & Societal Impact / Sustainability: A unique concern raised is the environmental impact of AI and the lack of awareness regarding its sustainability.

• Fundamental Misunderstanding by Influencers / Industry Shift: There's a concern that some influencers or parts of the industry are underestimating the profound changes AI will bring, potentially leading to a crisis for SEO professionals and brands.

• Proliferation of AI Content & Creativity Issues: A concern that AI will lead to a flood of mediocre or spammy content, impacting the overall quality of the internet and potentially stifling human creativity in content generation.

  
  

The data suggests that while specific issues like AI content quality are significant, a broader, more existential concern about the fundamental shift in how search engines operate and interact with publishers (the "social contract" of search) is also prevalent.

 (Points Of View) 💭

"That influencers are dismissing GEO as 'It's just SEO' and that's a fundamental misunderstanding of what's coming. SEO's and brands are about to have their 'hair on fire' moment." - Simon Schnieders

"Content spam, lack of creativity in content." - Parth Suba

“My biggest concern about AI in marketing or search is the fact that the "traditional contract" of search seems to be changing rapidly. Previously we would give content to Google in exchange for traffic. That seems to be going downhill now. We are still giving content to Google, but we are not seeing the same levels of traffic in return.

I really worry about what the future of marketing looks like, especially for search engines, when more marketers realize the diminishing returns from giving content to search engines.” - Ryan Jones

"It's an unknown. The biggest challenge for the SEO industry ever IMO. So we're all going with the flow a bit." - Pablo Lopez

"My biggest concern is that people are taking AI as a factually correct resource. It is a excellent platform for research purposes. However, it's not 100% accurate. It's essential that people do their own due-diligence." - James King

"The crushing of the content middle class. I know some say we should not have content creator as a job but I believe otherwise. We need a healthy, thriving middle class of content creators. Folks who make a good living doing what they do, providing quality content to their audience. If humanity stopped producing new fun stuff, LLMs would run on for a long time based on what IP they already gobbled up...but it would be BORING for humans. Content empires are run like drug cartels: folks at the top make insane amounts and everyone else would literally be better off working at a fast food joint because they will never earn a decent wage. I'm referring to Sudhir Venkatesh, who conducted an in-depth sociological study of urban drug gangs. It was incredible to see how some gangs are run like a corporation, with a board and all. Well, it feels like that now with content." - Myriam Jessier

“Ethical use of AI I guess is my biggest concern. Like we saw with the internet itself, it grew quickly and organically and it was and still is a bit of a wild west. I think AI will have even faster growth and be even worse in how people can take advantage of that for unethical financial gain. I think we're entering an era where we potentially won't know what's true and what's not true and then also have a very hard time of checking.” - Sean Carroll

"Since the incentive to create great informational content is dwindling, since AI is taking a huge market share, webmasters will stop putting so much effort into creating it as its no longer cost effective. Since this is the content which is used to train AI, we run the risk of AI training itself on AI generated content. After a few generations of this, which will happen very quickly, the information it can provide will no longer be useful." -David Gossage

“I'm most concerned about entry-level roles in our industry. In order for young professionals to fully understand the principles of SEO, they need to see the whole picture and without it, they cannot strategize or learn how to critically analyse data and observe the marketing mix.” - Yordan Dimitrov

"One of my main concerns with AI in marketing is the growing over-reliance on automation. While tools like ChatGPT can massively improve efficiency, they can't replace the depth of expertise required across the many disciplines of marketing.

I recently saw a LinkedIn post suggesting that AI will enable one person to handle SEO, social media, data analysis, and more. That might sound appealing on the surface, but if your goal is real growth, it doesn't hold up. These areas each demand deep knowledge and hands-on experience, and spreading one person too thin across them risks stagnation, not scale.

Another concern is for individuals in the industry who aren't fully leveraging AI in a way that helps them.

The ability to scale your knowledge and automate parts of SEO tasks (things that used to take hours but can now be done in minutes with tools like ChatGPT) is still being seriously underestimated. Those who truly understand its capabilities will be the ones who deliver stronger, more efficient results for clients." -  Glen Chamisa

“My biggest concern about AI in marketing and search is over-reliance. If we depend too much on AI, we risk losing the critical thinking and strategy that drive real innovation. There's a danger of falling into the trap of "vibe coding"  we chase trends without fully understanding the underlying data or user intent. While AI can enhance efficiency, it’s crucial that we remain the thinkers behind the process, guiding AI with the insight and creativity that only humans can provide.” - Gerry White

“How inability to track conversions and traffic in a straightforward way given the current tools and the rate at which changes are taking place.” - Joe Hall

"Stealing the intellectual property of humans to train AI to be better, for sure. For example, we know ChatGPT's non-enterprise version is doing this. Whenever you input an article you want help with editing or repurposing, it's stealing your literal words, training the AI to "write" like you, and then actually writing like you the next time around -- not just for yourself but also for everyone else using ChatGPT. You might think it's nothing, but when you think about it, they are literally stealing a part of your brain, your expertise, your voice, and giving nothing back to you in return." - Yamon Y

“Inaccuracy, particularly when it comes to YMYL content. I think there's also a risk to smaller businesses of really losing out to bigger players with more resources and bigger reputations (a particular concern for small charities in the not for profit sector).” - Adair Todman

Q. If You Could Give One Piece Of Advice To Digital Marketers Navigating 2025, What Would It Be?

• Adaptability / Learning: 12 mentions (A strong emphasis on continuous learning, evolving with the landscape, and staying flexible.)

• Focus on Fundamentals / Humans: 5 mentions (Advice to prioritize basic marketing principles, user needs, and a human-centric approach.)

• Critical Thinking / Strategy: (Encouragement to think strategically and not blindly follow trends.)

• Quality Content / E-E-A-T: (Stress on creating valuable, helpful, and expert-driven content.)

• AI Integration / Proficiency: (Advice to embrace and wisely utilize AI tools.)

• Experimentation / Testing: (Importance of data-driven approaches and testing strategies.)

 (Points Of View)  💭

“Brand, brand, and more brand. We need to think less about the "traditional" way of SEO, and we all need to start becoming generalists.” - Ryan Jones

“Don't use chatGPT for everything everyday. Push your brain to still write your own e-mails, don't replace yourself with this unified voice.” - Natalia Witczyk

“Don't silo yourself, channel marketing isn't a framework that will continue to work in 2025, omni channel is the way forward.” - Edward Ziubrzynski

“Build communities around your brands or businesses. Maybe events, podcasts, chat groups... whatever. Real person connection is going to be craved more and more.” - Sean Carroll

“Talk to your customers and understand what they want to achieve from your website.” - David Gossage

“Stay curious, not comfortable. - In 2025, the only constant in digital marketing is change - AI, platforms, user behaviour, it’s all shifting fast. The marketers thriving aren’t the ones clinging to what used to work, but those who stay open, test fast, and learn even faster. Embrace the grey areas, ask better questions, and don’t be afraid to unlearn old habits. The tools might change, but your mindset is what keeps you valuable.” - Matt Pyke

“Test and learn. There’s so much misinformation and everyone has their own theories but I think the best method for your own development and for helping clients is to test and idea, analyse the data and repeat. These CRO and a/b tests can be invaluable. “ - Nikki Halliwell

 “Don't ignore the basics of SEO and digital marketing - They're still relevant ALONGSIDE the changing landscape. If you forego the basics to solely focus on the new shiny thing (i.e. AI), then you're going to fall behind because the basics still matter.” - Naomi Francis - Parker

"Look at the history of marketing and learn the original concepts. Nothing has changed really - humans have not really changed , and learn from your experience not others shiny new things." - Simon Cox

"It may feel like things are changing quickly but, as long as we can remain adaptable to open to learning, we'll be able to evolve along with the algorithms." - Rose Tero

“Focus on understanding the bigger picture - how all your channels work together, how AI impacts your strategy, and how user intent is evolving. Be data-driven but keep your creativity sharp. The key is balance: technology should enhance, not replace, human insight. Experiment and keep learning, stay curious.” - Gerry White

“I'd advise people to embrace change with curiosity, but also respect the fact that we don't know everything immediately. For example, we're a year into Al overviews without fully understanding how they emerge or how users are interacting with them - plus they're changing almost every day. Ask lots of questions, but don't pretend to have all the answers.” - Liv Day

“ Have a backup plan for your professional career and financial stability. Be a generalist, rather than niching down, so you always have other career paths and streams of income you can explore. For example, if you've always been a long-form content writer -- train yourself in short form (e.g. LinkedIn ghostwriting) so you'll be able to turn to it if something goes wrong.” - Yamon Y

“Spend more time on your audience. Know them better than your competitors. Understand where they spend time and where they're influenced. You'll beat the competition if you do. And don't fall for the hype.” - Harry Clarkson Bennett

“Use AI daily, even in your private life. Only by understanding what it’s truly capable of can you grasp what might change and what’s on the horizon.” - Dani Leitner

Final Summary

In 2025, SEO is being transformed by AI and large language models, with professionals shifting focus towards optimising for AI Overviews, user intent, and multi-channel visibility - while traditional tactics like keyword stuffing and link volume are giving way to strategic content, brand building, and search experience optimisation.