Top 7 SEO trends to watch out for in 2025

The digital world evolves quickly, and keeping up with SEO trends is crucial for marketers and content creators. Search engine algorithms, consumer behaviours, and technological advancements continuously reshape how we optimise content to rank and engage online audiences. Falling behind means losing visibility in an increasingly competitive landscape.

What can you expect as we edge closer to 2025? This blog explores the top 7 SEO trends set to transform digital marketing in the years ahead. You’ll find practical advice on how to integrate these shifts into your strategy to future-proof your search rankings.

Whether you're a marketing director, a digital marketer, or a content creator, these insights will help you remain ahead of the curve.

1. Writing for Generative AI Search Engines

Generative AI is reshaping how we approach search. Engines like Google's Bard and Microsoft’s ChatGPT-powered Bing are leveraging generative AI to deliver more nuanced, conversational search results. Users now expect smarter answers tailor-made to their queries rather than endless links to explore.

Why Is This Important?

By 2025, over 30% of search traffic could be influenced by generative AI engines. Traditional “blue links” SEO might fade into the background as AI summarises relevant content for its users.

How to Adapt

• Focus on Concise Answers: Write clear, direct responses to common questions to improve your chances of being selected as a source for AI summaries.

• Optimise FAQ Sections: These are prime material for AI-generated results.

• Use Schema Markup: Ensure search engines, including AI platforms, can understand and pull your content into their outputs.

2. UX and Core Web Vitals

If 2023 was the year of prioritising user experience (UX), 2025 is set to reinforce it even further. Core Web Vitals, Google’s set of metrics for evaluating user experience, will gain even more prominence as ranking factors. Fast-loading, visually stable, and responsive sites aren’t just nice to have—they will be essential for SEO success.

Key Metrics to Monitor

• Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): Measure how quickly key page elements load.

• Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): Reduce unexpected visual shifts.

• First Input Delay (FID): Improve interactivity responsiveness.

Practical Applications

• Compress images and videos to improve site loading times.

• Use caching and content delivery networks (CDNs) to serve pages quickly.

• Regularly audit your site’s Core Web Vitals using tools like Google PageSpeed Insights.

3. SERP Features and Zero-Click Searches

By 2025, zero-click searches will dominate more than half of all search engine results pages (SERPs), according to studies by Similarweb. This trend arises when search engines offer an immediate answer without the need to visit a website—think featured snippets, People Also Ask boxes, and knowledge panels.

How to Optimise for Zero-Click Searches

• Optimise for Rich Results: Use structured data like JSON-LD to tag and categorise your content for featured snippets.

• Dominating Longtail Keywords: Zero-click searches thrive on natural language queries, often in the form of longtail words and phrases.

• Integrate Media: Enhance your chances with visually rich elements, such as infographics or “how-to” videos, that can appear in the search results.

4. Video and Visual Search Optimisation

Visual content is surging in popularity. Platforms like Google Lens enable users to search directly with images rather than text, and video content continues to dominate, with 82% of online traffic expected to come from videos by 2025 (source: Personify).

Best Practices for Visual SEO

• Add Descriptive Tags: Use alt text and descriptive file names for all images.

• Optimise Video for Search with transcriptions and captions to make content searchable.

• Leverage YouTube: Being the world’s second-largest search engine, YouTube's SEO-friendly tags and thumbnails can drive massive traffic to your business.

5. Mobile-First Indexing and AMP

Mobile-First Indexing has been Google’s priority since 2019—by 2025, optimising for mobile devices takes on even greater importance. With over 60% of global internet traffic coming from mobile users, crafting experiences centred on smaller screens is non-negotiable.

Key Action Points

• Use responsive design to ensure your website seamlessly adjusts to any screen size.

• Adopt Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) for faster load times and smoother navigation.

• Test mobile-friendliness using Google’s Mobile-Friendly testing tool to ensure usability.

6. E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) in Content

E-A-T—Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness—continues to be a critical determinant in Google’s evaluation of content. However, in the era of misinformation and deep fakes, 2025 will see even tighter standards emerge for digital content integrity.

How to Establish Credibility

• Include author bios with relevant expertise for all blog posts and articles.

• Cite authoritative sources to enhance trust in your material.

• Regularly update stale content to maintain relevance over time.

7. Sustainability and Environmental Impact on SEO

Green SEO is gaining traction. Google has already introduced features to prioritise businesses with sustainable practices, and this eco-friendly shift aligns search rankings with environmental responsibility.

Steps to Optimise for Green SEO

• Host your website on environmentally friendly servers like Google Cloud’s Sustainable Hosting.

• Highlight Sustainability Practices: Use your content to demonstrate your green efforts explicitly.

• Reduce your page’s carbon footprint by optimising files and images for lighter, faster performance.

Future-Proofing Your SEO Strategy

SEO is no longer just about adding the right keywords or meta tags—it’s about aligning with user intent, search engine advancements, and global behaviours. To stay future-ready, consider these three steps:

1. Stay Agile: Constantly adapt your strategy to reflect algorithm updates and user expectations.

2. Invest in Learning: Subscribe to trusted SEO blogs, attend industry conferences, and join webinars to keep up-to-date.

3. Audit Regularly: Use tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs to monitor site performance and adjust strategies.

Tools and Resources to Stay Updated

Here’s a selection of useful tools and platforms to stay ahead in SEO:

• Google Search Console for performance tracking

• SEMrush for keyword and competitive analysis

• Moz Pro for an all-in-one SEO solution

• Google Analytics 4 for traffic insights

• Ubersuggest for content ideas and optimisation suggestions

Keep the Momentum Going

2025 promises to be a transformational year for digital marketing, and SEO will remain a valuable tool for any business looking to stay competitive. By aligning your efforts with these trends, you’ll not only achieve better rankings but also create enjoyable and meaningful experiences for your audience.

Need expert guidance on building an effective, future-proof SEO strategy? The SEO Blog Company is here to help. Contact us today to discover how we can elevate your content strategy and drive meaningful results.