SEO is not dead

The world of SEO has been on a rollercoaster ride to say the least. There’s a lot of noise about AI, evolving search results, and the supposed "death of SEO". As a specialist who has navigated this space since 2014, I believe it's time to cut through the chatter.

The game hasn't ended; the goalposts have just moved as they have done countless times over the past decade. SEO isn't disappearing, but our approach does need a strategic shift. We need to move our focus from chasing high-volume traffic to attracting high-intent users who are ready to take action.

The new user journey: How AI changed everything

Let's be clear. User behaviour has fundamentally changed. A couple of years ago, a user researching a topic would visit five or six different websites to gather information. Today, AI Overviews and Large Language Models (LLMs) answer many of those top-of-funnel, informational queries directly in the search results pages.

The result is that many websites, particularly those built around informational content, are seeing a drop in organic traffic. That user who once clicked on your blog post to learn "what is X?" now gets their answer without ever needing to leave Google.

While this sounds alarming, it’s actually a massive opportunity. It forces us to be smarter and more focused.

Shifting your focus from volume to value

The key to success in 2025 is to shift your focus from informational keywords to conversion and transactional keywords. You should target users in the middle to the bottom of the funnel.

The positive spin is that you may get less traffic, but it will be higher quality with more qualified leads. This makes your website experience have to be top-notch to convert these high-intent visitors.

Content is king (again) and EEAT is its crown

With this shift, an old mantra is making a powerful comeback. That mantra is "content is king". Google's core advice remains the same - you should create helpful, user-centric content and ensure your site is technically sound. However, the emphasis on EEAT is now front and center.

EEAT stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness.

EEAT isn't just about an individual author's credentials. It is about your entire brand's reputation. Google looks at everything. This includes the topical authority you've built on your site, the quality of your content, and crucial external signals like customer reviews on other platforms. Your overall brand image directly impacts your trustworthiness and authority in Google’s eyes.

Is SEO still relevant?

Absolutely. As long as webpages exist, SEO will be around. The fundamentals haven't vanished, but the strategy has evolved. Leading tools like SEMrush, Ahrefs, and Screaming Frog are still essential, and they're adapting by integrating AI-based metrics to keep up.

The future of SEO isn't about gaming an algorithm. It's about deeply understanding user intent and building a brand that genuinely serves its audience. It requires a holistic view of digital marketing, recognising that a user’s journey can start on platforms like TikTok, move to forums like Reddit for opinions, and end with a transactional search on Google.

Your website will increasingly become the destination for users who are done asking questions and are ready to find solutions. The real question is, when they arrive, will you be ready for them?