SEO has practically been the same since last 10-15 years. You write good content, optimise the pages, website and get good links to that page. But that has changed in the last 2 years with the growing usage of Generative AI and algorithmic changes by platforms.
SEO Trends in 2024
The rise of zero click content, AI overviews and AI based search engines.
So what is zero click content - it’s a term coined by team at SparkToro who refer it to content that provides valuable information to users without requiring them to leave the platform they're on.
- Around 60% of searches on Google end with no clicks.
- Google and Bing have Rich snippets and AI overviews you see at the top of search results,
- Open AI just launched their search engine called SearchGPT and
- Perplexity AI offers a similar user experience to a search engine.
If people are turning to AIs to answer their questions - then they won’t click through resulting in falling traffic to destination sites further reducing the volume of searches.
The rise of Forums in Search Results
One of the biggest SEO developments to happen in 2024 is the increased visibility of forums like Reddit and Quora in search results. In fact, Google has a spot dedicated to forums in SERPs. The shift to highlighting user generated content from Internet users on topics of interest has already had a major effect on SEO, siphoning search traffic from other organic results.
Short form videos / Podcasts
Short-form videos and Podcast content has become the talk of town due to the rise of social media platforms being dependent on it and the decreasing attention span of consumers. Today practically any platform you can think of like YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and now even LinkedIn are popularising short, engaging video content that quickly captures the audience's attention.
While short form videos can be used as a retention and engagement tool and does improve engagement for the brands - but they are challenging concept for small businesses.
So what do you do?
If there’s one thing you should know about SEO in 2025 - it has become much more diverse. SEO isn’t now only limited to Google or Bing, it’s a core marketing concept across any platform or social media channel that your brand depends on.
Focus on building brand authority and awareness
Invest more in awareness-building, brand-building and PR and using content as the main goal of content marketing. Use them to support your SEO by focusing on EEAT - Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness.
Have a clear digital marketing strategy in place and create a strategy keeping in mind your target audience and the platforms they’re on. User generated content, customer reviews, original research and unique insights that build authority will be some of your secret weapons in 2025.
Direct marketing consists of any marketing that relies on direct communication or distribution to individual consumers. Emails, targeted ads, cold outreach, etc are all form of direct marketing.
Forum posting is to build authority and backlinks by regularly posting and commenting on forums such as Quora, Reddit or even social media channels.
If you are a small business on low marketing budget - Start with Direct Marketing and Forum posting instead of SEO.
Website Optimization and Conversion First Approach
Your website and landing pages will now play a key role in your SEO in 2025. Website optimization will become more important than ever in 2025. It is the process of improving your website's performance across various areas, such as web traffic, conversion rates, and usability.
Instead of focusing solely on keywords, your SEO strategy should focus on content around user pain points and challenges, targeting the intent behind their searches. Focus on conversion first approach that improves the user experience on your website and guides the visitor towards completing a desired action.
A well-optimized website not only ranks better on search engines but also provides a seamless experience for visitors, ultimately leading to higher conversion rates and customer satisfaction.
Distribution and Building Backlinks is the Key
In 2025 you will need to focus on content distribution across various channels. The main goal of content distribution is to increase the reach and visibility of the content, which ultimately increases traffic to the website. This may include social media platforms, email marketing, guest blogging, and influencer partnerships.
Focus on social media SEO - such as optimizing your social media profiles and posts so more people discover your brand in search results. While not a direct ranking factor, some studies have shown that social shares and engagement rates increase your overall SEO performance.
One of the main ways content distribution impacts SEO performance is through backlink acquisition. Backlinks, links from other websites that direct users to your website, will become more important then ever.
Technical SEO becomes Crucial
Technical SEO will be more important than ever. Optimizing your site to make it easier for search engine bots to crawl and understand is key. Having a fast loading website, structured data, a well-organized sitemap, internal links and clean code can significantly improve how search engines crawl and understand your site.
Build your Email List
Building your email list should be top of priority list in 2025. It will allow businesses to maintain a direct and personalized connection with their customers, facilitating better engagement and a higher return on investment.
Except for your website, your email list is the only thing you have control over when it comes to your online business. It is not dependent on algorithmic changes that have become more frequently with other marketing channels.
Deploy Automated Email Marketing as it can significantly enhance your marketing efforts by ensuring consistent communication, increasing engagement, improving customer retention, and driving higher conversion rates through personalized and timely emails.
Conclusion
Achieving SEO success in 2025 will require collaboration on various marketing strategies while continuously enhancing different facets of your SEO strategies. There isn’t going to be a single clear strategy - SEO professionals and brand owners who are ready to adapt, learn and evolve will deliver the best results. This, in my grounded opinion, will distinguish the most successful SEO brands from the rest.
Looking to improve your conversion rates?
At Witty Web Solutions - our attention to details and conversion driven approach has helped various businesses. Our team of skilled professionals combines creativity, technical expertise, and industry best practices that drive results.
We specialize in delivering exceptional website optimisation services and email solutions tailored to meet your unique business needs.
