We’re going to address the question: what does SEO 2025 look like? As a small business owner, you have to be wondering what’s happening with SEO now that AI is everywhere. After all, you’ve invested many hours and brain cells putting together a SEO plan that gets your business found in search and drives traffic to your website. Now along comes AI and changes everything. What are you supposed to do?
Don’t panic. Although SEO is not the same as it used to be, it’s like everything else in life – it’s changing and evolving. The SEO you learned 2, 3 or 5 years ago is not the same now, just as you and your business are not the same.
Has AI Killed Google, Making SEO 2025 Obsolete?
Google continues to process billions of searches every day. Organic search accounts for a significant portion of website traffic, with estimates suggesting it drives 53% of all traffic globally. Google is the primary means of finding information online, and although things are changing, experts don’t foresee it will lose its leadership position any time soon.
Think of it this way: AI needs you and other small businesses like yours to create content and publish it online. It simply wouldn’t exist without human-created content that it uses for its responses.
Without your original content being published and indexed by search engines, AI would have nothing to learn from or refer us to.
Unless, of course, it’s like the HAL 9000 in the movie “2001: A Space Odyssey” where it develops its own consciousness. Then SEO probably won’t matter.
Google has integrated AI into its search results, showing Google’s commitment to evolving. As long as people are using search engines to find the information they need, the answers to questions they have and/or products they want to purchase, SEO continues to be important.
2025 SEO Trends and Challenges
1. Google Prioritizes High-Quality, Human-Created Content
Google started changing its search algorithms in 2023 when AI-created content began to appear. Google’s goal is now and always has been to give users what they want. Thus, Google wants content that’s interesting, trustworthy and provides answers to questions. Because the web is now filled with AI-generated content, Google has updated its search algorithm to place more emphasis on authentic content.
What does this mean for marketing and sales content and thus, SEO in 2025? It means that you need to be careful when using AI to generate content. User experience (UX) should continue to be the center of your content strategy. You do not want to sacrifice the personal touch and expertise that only humans can bring by using AI for all of your content production.
The latest version of the Google algorithm seems to indicate that human-generated content will be given greater ranking priority over AI-generated pieces.
Our advice? Use AI as a helpful editor rather than a writer.
To create the type of content Google is looking for, enter your research and insights into your favorite AI program. Let AI generate a first draft. Then take over and add the human touch by sharing specific challenges, personalizing with real-world examples, case studies, and lessons you’ve learned.
What Type of Content Does Google Look For?
AI tools can summarize existing data, but what they can’t do is share your unique experiences.
Let AI Help You With:
- Creating outlines and first drafts for blog posts.
- Incorporating keywords.
- Converting information into bullet points.
- Providing synonyms.
- Shortening sentences.
- Finding and correcting grammar and spelling mistakes.
2. Google's Search Generative Experience (SGE)
Anyone who has recently searched for anything on Google can’t help but notice the changes to the responses. AI chatbots provide immediate, personalized answers, rather than making users scroll through links. Google has named this phenomenon Search Generative Experience (SGE).
We typed “Search Generative Experience” in the search bar, and Google provided us with a SGE-generated response. (Ironic, huh?)
Simply put – Google’s SGE provides AI-generated results at the top of the SERPs (Search Engine Results Page). The goal is to deliver easily understood answers. It also gives visuals and suggestions for continued searching.
What can you do to prepare for SGE? Create content that’s easy for it to understand. This means content that:
- Answers user questions directly: SGE is all about getting to the point fast.
- Contains bullet lists: Using lists and dividing your text into sections can make it easier for SGE to understand.
- Covers an entire topic: SGE will refer users to other search results that cover the same or a similar topic.
- Includes relevant images: SGE will present images that are relevant to the search query.
3. Regularly updating content is more important than creating new
To be successful using SEO 2025, it’s more important than ever to update your content regularly. Google wants fresh, up-to-date content to rank in the SERPs. Facts are constantly evolving and changing, and your content must stay updated.
Tips for keeping your content fresh and relevant:
- Perform regular content audits: Look for outdated info in blog posts and landing pages on your website. Check for broken links.
- Conduct keyword research: Identify new trends in search behavior by conducting keyword research. Then you can optimize your existing content using your research results.
- Repurpose content: Repurpose existing content into new formats to keep it fresh and relevant. For example, you can turn one piece of content into five. Use ChatGPT (or your chatbot of choice) to transform your words into a LinkedIn post, X thread, email newsletter or even video script.
- Stay informed about industry trends: Subscribe to industry newsletters and monitor social media channels to stay up-to-date.
- Get customer feedback: Ask for feedback from your customers and use their comments to identify areas where your content may need updating or improvement. Be sure to respond to people who took the time to provide comments, questions, and suggestions. AI looks for signs people are talking about you. Reviews get the most weight, then social media comments and mentions, too.
- Keep your website fresh. AI is looking for clear, helpful content about your products and services. The algorithms value reliable sources, so make sure your “About” page boasts all about your qualifications and your FAQ page answers common questions.
4. SEO 2025 Requires Knowing About Zero-Click Searches
Another new search feature you’ll run across when updating for SEO 2025 is the zero-click search. A zero-click search occurs when a user’s search shows a result that directly answers the query on the SERP. As a result, the user doesn’t need to click on a link.
For example: “What is the weather in Florida?”
There’s an instant answer and a knowledge panel (an information box summarizing key details about the entity being searched) on the right.
As you can see, there’s really no need for you to click on any of the search results for an answer to your query.
Zero-click searches will probably increase this year. To make sure you can still drive search traffic to your website, you can prepare by:
- Becoming an authority in your industry and in the area you service. This will make users more likely to click when your website appears in the SERP.
- Trying to get noticed as a featured snippet for search queries that get zero clicks. Optimizing for featured snippets means creating concise, informative content that directly answers commonly asked questions.
- Including social media, discussion forums and email marketing in your digital marketing strategy. SEO is not the only way to drive traffic to your website.
- Paying attention to your Google Business profile. When your GBP is updated regularly, you’ll appear on Google Maps, in search results and maybe even in the AI Overviews for inquiries like “kitchen designer near me”.
- Listing your biz in as many online directories as possible. Start with Yelp, then keep going. Make sure your NAP (name, address and phone number) is consistent across every directory or site for the most search credibility.
Conclusion
Google prioritizes websites that demonstrate a high level of Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T). If your website can showcase these qualities, it’s more likely that it will rank higher in the search engine results.
SEO 2025 isn’t dead—it’s evolving. It rewards authenticity and expertise and requires high-quality original content. Further the new SEO requires the ability to adapt to rapid changes in search behavior and technology.
AI can help you write faster, but it can’t tell you what content your audience needs or how it fits into your marketing strategy.
Even though the tools and techniques of SEO may have changes, its core purpose remains the same—helping people find the information they need. You can stay relevant by maintaining focus on a few fundamental principles:
- Create useful content that will satisfy people searching for what you offer.
- Don’t be afraid to adapt to new technology.
- Diversify your traffic sources and content formats.
- Use AI as a tool to improve, not replace, your marketing efforts.
- Regularly update your content
As long as people continue searching for answers online, SEO 2025– in some form — will remain an important part of digital marketing strategy.
Bob Aungst Cabinet Sales is a full-service rep agency with the goal of matching kitchen designers and remodelers with the cabinet manufacturers best suited to their business’ style and clientele. Owner Bob Aungst III represents Brighton Cabinetry, US Cabinet Depot, Integrity Cabinets and StyleCraft Luxury Custom Cabinets.