A question I’ve been seeing floating around a lot recently isn’t “How do I rank higher?” but rather “Is SEO even worth investing in anymore?” It’s a fair question, given how dramatically the search landscape has shifted over the past year. Between Google’s AI Mode launch at I/O 2025, the rise of alternative search platforms, and the ongoing debate about whether traditional search is dying, it’s no wonder business owners are feeling uncertain.
Having worked with several companies across various industries over the past year, I can tell you with confidence: SEO isn’t dead, but it’s certainly not the same beast it was even 12 months ago. The businesses that are thriving are those that have embraced “Search Everywhere Optimisation” – a fundamental shift from focusing solely on Google to building visibility across the entire search ecosystem.
Let me walk you through what’s changed, what still works, and most importantly, whether SEO deserves a place in your marketing budget for the remainder of 2025 and beyond.
The New Reality: Welcome to Search Everywhere Optimisation
The most significant shift I’ve witnessed this year is the fragmentation of search behaviour. We’re no longer living in a world where Google is the only platform you can focus on. Although Google remains the biggest player, your customers are searching on TikTok for product reviews, using ChatGPT for research, asking Alexa for quick answers, and turning to Reddit for authentic opinions.
This isn’t just anecdotal – the data backs it up. According to recent study, 60% of search results now pull from off-page sources, including social media, news sites, YouTube, and review platforms. When I analysed our clients’ traffic sources last quarter, I found that businesses with diversified search strategies were seeing more qualified leads than those still relying solely on traditional Google SEO.
The term “SEO” itself feels outdated. What we’re really doing now is Search Everywhere Optimisation – ensuring your brand appears wherever your audience is looking for answers, regardless of the platform.
Google’s AI Mode: The Biggest Game Changer Yet
At Google I/O 2025, the company unveiled AI Mode – a conversational search experience that fundamentally changes how users interact with search results. Unlike AI Overviews, which simply add summaries to traditional search results, AI Mode replaces the entire search interface with a chatbot-style conversation (think Perplexity).
Currently, AI Mode appears as an optional tab below the search bar, but the implications are staggering. When users engage with AI Mode, they’re no longer seeing the traditional 10 blue links – they’re getting direct answers powered by Gemini 2.5. You either get cited as a source, or you don’t exist in that search journey.
Based on early indicators and industry reports, I expect we’ll see significant shifts in traffic patterns as AI Mode becomes more widespread. For instance, e-commerce businesses might experience a drop in organic traffic from informational queries, but I anticipate conversion rates from remaining traffic could increase. The logic is sound: the traffic that does reach websites will likely be higher quality, users who are specifically seeking particular brands or are ready to take action rather than just browsing for general information.
The key question isn’t whether AI Mode will become the default search experience – I believe it will, once Google solves the advertising integration challenge (they won’t want to lose out on the billions they make from advertisers). The question will be, how quickly can businesses adapt their strategies to remain visible in this new paradigm?
Brand Authority: The New Ranking Currency
If there’s one trend that’s become crystal clear in 2025, it’s that brand authority trumps everything else. Google’s algorithms increasingly favour well-known, trusted brands, and this preference has only intensified with the rise of AI-generated content flooding the web.
The numbers are telling: brand mentions are now as valuable as traditional backlinks for SEO. When I audit a client’s search performance, I spend as much time analysing their off-site brand presence as I do their on-page optimisation. Are they being discussed on Reddit? Do they have positive reviews across multiple platforms? Are industry experts mentioning them in interviews and articles?
A great example of this is HubSpot, which has built tremendous brand authority through its thought leadership strategy. They have systematically positioned their team members as industry experts. Their co-founder, Dharmesh Shah, regularly shares insights on entrepreneurship and growth, while their marketing leaders consistently appear on podcasts, speak at conferences, and publish forward-thinking content about inbound marketing and sales methodology.
What makes HubSpot’s approach particularly effective is its internal “thought leadership committee” that includes full-time journalists who help establish and amplify their team’s expertise. This strategy has allowed them to compete successfully against much larger enterprise software companies by building genuine industry relationships and earning organic brand mentions across the web. Their employees frequently contribute to trade publications, participate in industry discussions, and share insights that position HubSpot as a trusted authority, creating the powerful trust signals that Google’s algorithms recognise and reward.
This demonstrates how investing in authentic thought leadership and industry relationships can outperform simply trying to outspend competitors on content volume alone.
SEO Priorities That Actually Matter in 2025
Based on what I’ve seen work consistently across our client base, here are the priorities that deserve your attention and budget:
E-E-A-T as Your Foundation
Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness aren’t just guidelines anymore, they’re the bedrock of successful SEO. Google’s March 2025 Core Update doubled down on these factors, and I’ve seen dramatic ranking improvements for businesses that’ve invested in demonstrating genuine expertise.
This means featuring real experts in your content, showcasing credentials, and most importantly, demonstrating first-hand experience with the topics you’re covering. Generic, AI-generated content simply doesn’t cut it anymore.
Technical Excellence Remains Non-Negotiable
While everyone’s talking about AI and brand authority, the fundamentals haven’t disappeared. Core Web Vitals, mobile optimisation, and site speed are more critical than ever.
The difference is that technical SEO is now table stakes rather than a competitive advantage. If your site doesn’t meet these basic standards, you won’t even be in the running.
Content Strategy Evolution
The approach to content creation has fundamentally shifted. Instead of keyword-focused optimisation, we’re now focused on user intent and comprehensive topic coverage. Only 5.4% of Google’s AI Overviews contain exact query matches, which tells us that semantic understanding and context matter far more than keyword density.
I’ve found success through building out topic clusters – interconnected content pieces that thoroughly cover a topic from multiple angles, rather than isolated blog posts targeting specific keywords.
Strategies That Still Work (And Why)
Despite all the changes, certain SEO fundamentals remain effective:
High-quality, authoritative content continues to drive results, but it must demonstrate genuine expertise and provide unique value that AI can’t replicate. Strategic internal linking and site architecture still matter for both user experience and search engine understanding. Local SEO remains incredibly valuable for businesses with physical presence; if anything, it’s become more important as search becomes more personalised and location-aware.
The key difference is execution. These tactics now require more sophistication and integration with broader marketing efforts.
What to Leave Behind in 2025
Some practices that worked in the past are now actively harmful:
Keyword stuffing and over-optimisation will get you penalised faster than ever. Google’s algorithms are sophisticated enough to recognise and punish manipulative tactics. Thin, AI-generated content without human insight or added value is becoming invisible in search results. Spammy link-building schemes are not only ineffective but can seriously damage your domain authority.
The businesses you’ll see struggle most this year are those still trying to game the system rather than focusing on genuine value creation.
The ROI Question: Is SEO Still Worth It?
This is where I get passionate, because the data is overwhelmingly clear: yes, SEO is absolutely still worth investing in – but only if you’re doing it right.
Companies that have adapted their SEO strategies are seeing remarkable results. Chatbase.co grew organic search traffic by 68% in five months, contributing to a $103,000 increase in monthly recurring revenue. Playbooks.com generated 4,900 visitors in just over a week after launch. Favikon.com hit record search traffic numbers in March 2025.
The difference between success and failure isn’t whether you’re doing SEO, it’s whether you’re doing modern SEO that aligns with how search actually works today.
From a pure ROI perspective, SEO still offers some of the best long-term returns in digital marketing. Unlike paid ads, which stop generating results the moment you stop spending, good SEO creates compounding returns over time. The content and authority you build today will continue working for months and years.
However, the investment required has changed. You can’t just hire someone to “do SEO” anymore. It requires integration with your broader marketing strategy, investment in genuine expertise, and a commitment to building real brand authority.
The Integration Imperative
The most successful businesses I’ve worked with no longer treat SEO as a separate channel. Instead, they’ve integrated search optimisation into their entire marketing ecosystem. Their content marketing, PR efforts, social media strategy, and even product development all consider search implications.
This holistic approach isn’t just more effective, it’s becoming necessary for survival. As search continues to fragment across platforms and AI systems become more sophisticated, businesses need a unified, holistic strategy that builds authority and visibility everywhere their customers might be looking.
Looking Forward: Adaptation is Survival
As I reflect on the dramatic changes we’ve witnessed so far in 2025, one thing is abundantly clear: the businesses that will thrive are those that embrace change rather than resist it. SEO isn’t dying, it’s evolving into something more sophisticated, more integrated, and ultimately more valuable for businesses willing to invest in doing it properly.
The old playbook of keyword research, content creation, and link building still has its place, but it’s now just one component of a much larger strategy focused on building genuine authority and providing exceptional value across the entire search ecosystem.
If you’re wondering whether SEO deserves a place in your 2025 marketing budget, ask yourself this: Are you ready to build a brand that people actively search for, discuss, and trust? Because that’s what modern SEO is really about.
The opportunity is enormous for businesses willing to adapt. While others cling to outdated tactics or abandon SEO altogether, forward-thinking companies are building sustainable competitive advantages that will serve them well into 2026 and beyond.
For more insights on navigating the evolving search landscape, check out my previous articles on Google vs AI Search, Generative Engine Optimisation, and SEO Trends for 2025.
