Industry Trends: Five Ways to Win at SEO in 2025

The Meteoric Rise of AI in Search

The application of AI features in search has already begun, but will begin to dominate in 2025. 2024 saw Google roll out AI overviews internationally to the majority of users. It is reported that 47% of Google searches now trigger an AI overview answer, with this answer taking up nearly half of the screen space on both mobile and desktop. Whilst ChatGPT gained a total 4.33% of search market share (according to Rand Fishkin’s research in October 2024). The way we search has changed, Gartner predicts that by 2026 traditional search traffic will drop by 25%. This is going to have a huge impact on businesses reliant on their organic presence in search results.

With such a drastic change to page 1 of Google, it’s vital for brand visibility to appear in the cited sources section of AI overviews. This is effectively the new ‘position 1’ which historically has been coveted by brands for maximum visibility and click through rate.

To target these, brands will need to have well-researched and written content that offers users a fresh perspective. At SINE, our data-backed SEO strategies have already seen our clients gain prime positions in AI overviews for relevant queries.

This strategy helped to achieve a 400%+ increase in search visibility within the AI Overview for one SINE client:

Where does ChatGPT come in? Editorial content has huge implications for the expectations of users who are searching. ChatGPT Search was launched in late 2024, this new feature to their offering gives ChatGPT access to search the internet based on a user’s prompt. Like with Google AI overviews, ChatGPT also cites its sources – giving brands another opportunity to get in front of potential customers.

With more people using ChatGPT in their everyday lives, ensuring your brand is cited within its search results will become more important. Not only does ChatGPT give answers to editorial queries but it also gives product recommendations. In the case of ‘best men’s trench coats’ ChatGPT search references sites like GQ, The Handbook, and WhoWhatWear.

In our own tests using ChatGPT we have noted that it is also pulling through videos from YouTube which can be watched within ChatGPT itself. At SINE we are already helping our UK and US clients improve rankings here by focusing on high-quality and relevant informational content on-site, as well as targeted Digital PR activity.

Social Search’s Increasing Impact

The way we search has changed. In 2025 we will see a further shift away from Google being the dominant search engine. Video platforms are now an essential part of the search ecosystem that cannot be ignored and are only set to increase this year.

According to Prabhakar Raghavan (Senior Vice President of Google) 40% of young users aged 18 to 24 prefer to begin their searches on TikTok or Instagram – this number is even higher for Gen Z in particular with Sprout Social stating that 60% head to social platforms first. This trend is across industries from travel and entertainment, to fashion and beauty.

TikTok has an internal search function where users can head to find the answers to their questions. Utilising SEO approaches on TikTok posts can help brands to appear higher up the results for these searches (in a similar way to Google).

Whilst TikTok could be banned in the US in 2025, we expect other short video platforms such as YouTube Shorts (which is already owned by Google) and Instagram Reels to continue to flourish in this market meaning it is still an important part of an innovative SEO strategy.

Not only will SEO practices on social videos themselves be vital, it can also help to improve visibility in traditional search engines. Google over the past few years has been showcasing video (both vertical and horizontal) in results.

Collaboration between SEO and social media teams is for this reason more important than ever. SINE has social SEO experts who are ready to bridge this gap for you!

Why and How to Invest in Digital PR

Link building has long been a cornerstone of SEO, but in 2025, it’s evolving into a strategic mechanism for digital PR. Instead of chasing backlinks, brands should focus on securing placements in industry-relevant publications to boost reputation, visibility and referral traffic.

For example, ChatGPT now pulls product recommendations directly from sources like GQ, emphasizing the value of PR in gaining visibility on platforms like ChatGPT Search and Google AI overviews. These AI large language models are able to understand a brand’s reputation and area of expertise from what they find on the internet, particularly from well-trusted sources. Securing these placements can drive traffic while enhancing EEAT (Expertise, Experience, Authority, Trust) signals—key factors in Google’s ranking algorithm. Trusted publications vouching for your brand reinforce its reputation, authority and credibility.

Authentic reviews from influencers and smaller creators also play a growing role. Features like Google’s “People are Talking About” highlight relevant social posts, making influencer-driven content a valuable addition to your strategy.

Increasingly More Personalised Search Results

Search results are already personalised for people based on their search history and associated data such as location and preferences. For example, you will likely see different search results when using an incognito browser or VPN than your default browser.

We anticipate that search results will become increasingly personalised and can also incorporate other users’ search habits. This is already happening in US search results, where Google is showing ‘Popular Products’, ‘People Also Buy From’ and ‘People Also Search For’  panels. US results have also shown examples of where you can save your favourite brands, leading the way for more tailored search results going forward:

Google Discover, the personalised content feed, is expected to grow in prominence as a key referral channel, particularly for publishers. It delivers content in a news-feed style based on user interests and search history.

Optimising for personalised results, such as discovery feeds for news and social content, is essential for staying ahead in organic strategy, especially as Google may combine these feeds in the future. At SINE, we ensure our SEO clients have a diversified organic search strategy that operates across traditional search, AI search and social search. This approach means our clients are more visible to a wider audience which can help to surface them in these personalised results.

A Total Search Approach (…and why it’s crucial for saving cost!)

2024 was a year of significant change in marketing, with one key theme: adaptation is essential to stay ahead.

With global ad spend forecast to grow by 5.9% in 2025, remaining competitive and maximising spend efficiency is crucial as advertising costs continue to rise. To achieve this, PPC and SEO teams must collaborate rather than operate in silos or as competing entities. A SINE ‘Total Search’ approach has delivered impressive results for our clients, delivering a 50% increase in paid revenue for the same spend as a result of increasing our organic rankings.

1. Align Organic and Paid Strategies: Share data between channels to identify opportunities and trends.
2. Leverage SEO Insights: Use keyword and trend data to guide paid search targeting and strategy.
3. Improve Ad Quality Scores: Collaboration will enhance ad relevance, a major player in auction dynamics which can save between 20-50% of ad costs when optimised effectively.

How SINE Can Help You Achieve Your 2025 SEO Goals

With all these changes to organic search happening in 2025, it can be overwhelming to navigate. That’s where we come in. Our team of SEO experts are ready to help!

We are passionate about keeping up to date with SEO advancements, ensuring that you can be found no matter how people are searching – whether it’s through social, traditional search, AI and more.

With experience across e-commerce, fashion, automotive, attractions, live entertainment and events across the UK, USA and Europe, we offer a range of SEO services that can be tailored to your brand’s needs. This includes, but is not limited to:

1. SEO Audits & Strategies: Technical, Content, Local, Off-Site SEO
2. Retainers: On-going guidance and support with SEO recommendations & implementation
3. SEO Content production
4. Social search strategy and guidance
5. SEO Quick Win projects

If you’re interested in our SEO services, please get in touch by emailing [email protected].

Our team of experts can complete an initial SEO scorecard for your business, as you take the first step towards a healthier and more effective 2025.