AI, SEO and Growth Trends 2025
By: Andy Chapman | Published: 02 June 2025
2025 will be a defining year in how businesses approach digital strategy. With generative AI taking centre stage, search engines evolving at speed, and content expectations shifting dramatically, the old ways of "doing SEO" are no longer enough.
Whether you're a local startup, national brand or growing online retailer, here are ten forward-looking trends - backed by research - that will influence how you attract, convert, and retain customers this year.
1. AI Search Engines will dominate discovery
Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) is rolling out globally and changing how users interact with search results. Rather than displaying a traditional list of links, SGE provides summarised answers directly in the search interface, pulling from high-authority content in real time.
"Generative search will become the new normal " – [E-Marketer]
This means that businesses must now optimise for visibility *within* AI-generated results - not just traditional SERPs. Structured data, FAQ content, and entity-level clarity are critical to being chosen by the algorithm.
2. Entity-Based SEO will replace old-school keyword stuffing
AI search systems like Google's MUM and BERT understand content at the concept level, not just by scanning for keywords. This trend is pushing SEO professionals to prioritise *entity-based optimisation* - where content revolves around subjects, relationships and intent.
Rather than repeating a keyword, modern SEO involves mapping your content to known topics and linking to authoritative sources or subtopics that support the entity graph. This creates context - which AI rewards.
3. Voice & Conversational Search Will Go Mainstream
With AI integrated into smart assistants, browsers, and phones, people are searching more with natural language. This shift means that your content must align with how people *talk* - not just how they type.
"Voice search now makes up 27% of mobile queries." – [Invoca]
FAQs, Q&A blocks, and long-tail conversational phrases now matter more than ever. Even your product or service pages should answer the kinds of questions people ask aloud.
4. AI Tools Will Empower Small Business SEO
AI is levelling the playing field. Platforms like Jasper, ChatGPT, SurferSEO, and MarketMuse are helping lean teams perform competitor research, draft SEO content, generate schema, and even cluster keywords — without large marketing budgets.
"62% of small businesses now use AI tools to support digital marketing." – [Small Business Britan]
The key is using these tools for *efficiency*, not automation. Your voice and expertise still need to shine through.
5. Mobile Search Experience Will Impact Rankings Heavily
Mobile-first indexing is now fully rolled out. And Google’s Core Web Vitals continue to prioritise speed, stability, and usability on mobile.
"74% of users abandon sites that don’t load well on mobile." – [Queue-it]
Slow-loading pages, intrusive popups, or hard-to-navigate interfaces will lose rankings. Mobile optimisation is now part of *core* SEO.
6. Local & Hyperlocal SEO will surge
Search engines are becoming better at serving local intent - and AI enhances this even more. Tools like Bing Copilot and Google Maps AI are prioritising "near me" experiences.
If your business serves a specific area, now is the time to invest in local landing pages, citations, local schema markup, and Google Business Profile optimisation.
7. Visual search will expand with AI
AI-enabled visual search tools are on the rise - with platforms like Google Lens, Pinterest Lens, and Bing Vision improving accuracy and use cases.
Ensure your product images, infographics and visual assets include alt-text, descriptive filenames, and are marked up with structured data when appropriate.
8. Human-First content will beat generic AI waffle
Google’s Helpful Content System is designed to detect generic, thin, or AI-generated content that lacks originality. Google now prioritises content with *real insight*, personal experience, and subject matter depth.
"Google’s EEAT (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) remains core to quality rankings." – [SEMRUSH]
The takeaway? Use AI to scale ideas, but add your personality, industry experience, or unique POV to stand out.
9. First-Party Data Will Be King
As cookies continue to be deprecated, search and digital marketing efforts must increasingly rely on owned data - email signups, behaviour analytics, CRM integrations, and more.
"The focus will now shift from collecting data to using it effectively in 2025." – [Marketing Week]
Optimise landing pages and lead magnets to capture visitor intent, not just traffic.
10. Personal brands & expertise will boost rankings
Search engines are favouring businesses and websites that clearly demonstrate who is behind the content. Including real authors, founder bios, and team credentials adds trust and improves rankings - especially in sectors where expertise is key.
Add author schema, link to professional bios, and showcase credentials to signal authority to AI.
2025 marks a shift from SEO *tactics* to SEO *strategy*. Understanding AI, structuring your content around meaning, and aligning with what real users are searching for will define digital success this year. Stay agile. Stay informed. And be ready to adapt.
If you're rethinking your content, SEO, or AI-readiness strategy I'm here to help.
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