SEO Insights: 2025 Recap

As we step into 2026, we’re reflecting on a busy and transformative 2025 in the world of SEO. This year has been packed with change in search engine priorities and AI tools, trends and challenges, all of which we’ve had to learn, understand and evolve with to stay ahead.

Looking forward, we’re excited to carry what we’ve learned into the new year with a bolder strategy to further enhance our clients’ online visibility and success in a sector that’s now so influenced by AI. The future of SEO is bright, and we’re ready to face it head-on in 2026!

What changed in SEO in 2025?

If there was one defining theme in SEO during 2025, it was that AI stopped being an add-on and became fundamental in search.

1. AI Integration and the Rise of AI-First Search

Search in 2025 moved decisively away from “ten blue links” and towards AI-driven answers, summaries, and conversations. Most people used ChatGPT in 2025 the same way people used Google in the early 2010s.

They type a question, they achieve the answer, and then they move on.

For businesses, this marked a turning point: visibility was no longer just about rankings, but about being trusted as a source by AI systems.

At Artemis, this shift didn’t catch us off guard.

Long before AI-driven results became widely visible in the UK, we were closely following Google’s direction of travel, from early AI systems like RankBrain and BERT, which focused on understanding search intent, through to public signals that search would move towards AI-generated answers. Well ahead of UK rollout, we were also monitoring and testing changes appearing in the US, allowing us to prepare for what was coming next.

Throughout 2025, those signals became a reality:

• AI Overviews became a core part of Google’s search experience, delivering instant, synthesised answers directly within results. For many informational searches, users no longer needed to click through to the website, which dramatically changed how traffic is earned and measured.
• AI Mode rolled out globally, introducing a conversational, assistant-led way of searching that mirrors tools like ChatGPT. This signalled a clear shift towards AI-first search becoming the default, not just the alternative.
• Google and Bing doubled down on AI-enhanced search tools, blending traditional ranking signals with machine-learning models that assess authority, clarity, and usefulness at a much deeper level.

For businesses heavily reliant on informational traffic, this shift caused some disruption. However, those with established authority, user-focused content, and strong site foundations were far better prepared.

This is where Artemis’ long-term approach proved its value. By prioritising content quality, user experience, and genuine expertise over short-term SEO ‘wins’, our clients were already aligned with how AI now evaluates and surfaces information.

That said, this evolution is far from complete. AI search continues to develop rapidly, and 2026 will bring further changes in how visibility is measured and earned. The difference is simple: we’re not reacting late. We’re adapting early and building forward.

Continued SEO Developments Shaping Performance

While AI dominated SEO conversations in 2025, it wasn’t the only area of change. Alongside this major shift, we saw a number of important developments that continue to shape performance. Below is a concise overview of the other key trends worth noting as we move into 2026.

2. Content Shifts to User-First and Scenario-Based Formats

AI’s evolution also dramatically reshaped content strategies, emphasising user intent and personalised, scenario-based content over traditional keyword-focused content.

• AI-generated content became a priority for Google, pushing a user-first content approach that provides clear, valuable answers quickly.

• Short, targeted content addressing specific user needs became the focus, improving the overall user experience.
• Video, data, and other user-focused content formats became more important for visibility, while traditional long-form content became less effective.

3. Engagement and Experience as a Core SEO Focus

“Engagement” has shifted from being a social media metric to a key factor in SEO performance. Engagement metrics and user experience became essential to SEO strategies.

• In GA4, engagement metrics like time on page and interactions became primary indicators of site performance.
• Tools like Microsoft Clarity provided valuable insights into user behaviour, enhancing both rankings and conversions.
• Reviews continued to be a central factor, but now with an emphasis on reviews across multiple platforms as keyword rich feedback contributes significantly to local rankings and AI-driven search results.

4. The Growing Influence of Large Language Models (LLMs)

Alongside changes within traditional search engines, 2025 also saw the rapid rise of large language models (LLMs) as discovery tools in their own right.

• Platforms such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity increasingly shaped how users research, compare options, and make early-stage decisions.
• The launch of ChatGPT’s browsing experience marked a significant milestone, allowing users to search the live web within an AI interface, which only further blurred the line between traditional search engines and conversational chatbots.
• Unlike traditional search, LLMs don’t return ranked lists of websites. Instead, they synthesise information from multiple sources, placing greater emphasis on brand authority, clarity of content, and demonstrable expertise.
• This reinforced a wider trend seen across SEO in 2025: visibility is no longer just about rankings, but about being understood, trusted, and referenced by AI systems, even when no direct click occurs.

While LLMs currently sit alongside search engines rather than replacing them, their growing adoption highlighted a clear shift in user behaviour, emphasising the importance of authoritative, well-structured, user-first content.

5. SEO Adjustments and Spam Updates

Search algorithms and their detection systems continued to evolve in 2025, with multiple updates targeting spammy practices, scaled low-quality content, and sites created primarily to game rankings.

• The rise of high-quality, human-like AI content from tools such as ChatGPT and Gemini challenged traditional spam detection, prompting Google to place greater emphasis on E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) as a quality signal.
• Demonstrating real experience became increasingly important, supported by original insights, first-party data, and content that reflects genuine subject-matter expertise rather than generic AI outputs.

Websites were encouraged to focus on unique, user-first content like video and data, enhancing user experience instead of just catering for the algorithm.

6. The “Great Decoupling” and the Shift Towards Conversion-Focused SEO

One of the most notable trends is the “Great Decoupling,” which reflects the growing gap between impressions and clicks.

• “The Great Decoupling” describes the rise in impressions with a simultaneous fall in clicks, driven by AI Overviews providing direct answers in search results.
• Google’s removal of the num=100 search parameter signals a shift toward more accurate, conversion-focused rank tracking, rather than relying on traditional keyword tracking.
• SEO’s focus has evolved from simply ranking for keywords to prioritising conversions and measurable business outcomes.

7. Local SEO and the Role of Social Media

In addition to these AI-driven shifts, local SEO continued to be a significant focus.

• Google Business Profiles played a pivotal role in improving local search visibility, and social media metrics became increasingly important for building brand authority and driving engaged traffic.
• Social content was integrated into search results, now reporting impressions and clicks for some social surfaces, further emphasising the need for a unified SEO and social media strategy to maximise visibility and traffic.

8. AI-Powered Link Building

As part of the evolving landscape, link-building strategies also had to adapt.

• Brand Powered Link Building, a new approach highlighted here at Artemis, stressed the importance of adapting link-building campaigns to the AI-driven search world, ensuring they support long-term SEO success and align with Google’s new content priorities.

The 2025 Takeaway

2025 saw a monumental shift in how search engines function, with AI and user-first content taking centre stage. SEO strategies have become more nuanced, focusing on engagement, content quality, user experience, and conversions. At Artemis, we’ve adapted to these changes, ensuring our clients remain competitive in this evolving digital landscape.

How will SEO evolve in 2026?

Following our 2025 review, let’s now turn our attention to what we can expect in 2026. The following key points will remain crucial to our strategy and success as we move forward.

Brand Presence

We’ve consistently emphasised the importance of brand presence throughout 2025, and this focus will only intensify as we transition into 2026.

What are the quick wins for strengthening brand signals?

As we’ve discussed in the context of ‘Brand Powered Link-Building,’ it’s crucial to maintain updated brand profiles, including social media accounts and Google Business Profiles. Regular posting, active user interaction, and engaging with your audience directly are all essential practices.

With AI continuing to reshape the search landscape, these factors will play an increasingly significant role in shaping SEO strategies. As search engines prioritise trustworthiness, relevance, and authority, a strong and consistent brand presence across various platforms will be a key driver of visibility and performance in the coming year.

Reframing All Content for LLMs

As AI-driven search matures, visibility in 2026 will depend more on how clearly it can be understood, trusted, and reused by LLMs.

Reframing for LLMs is an ongoing process. These systems prioritise clarity, structure, and authority over traditional keyword optimisation alone.

What types of content work best for LLM visibility?

Content that:

• Directly answers real user questions, ideally using clear question-and-answer formats
• Demonstrates genuine expertise and first-hand experience, not generic or surface-level commentary
• Includes strong introductions and concise summaries to clearly establish context and key takeaways
• Reinforces consistent brand signals across platforms, helping AI systems recognise authority and credibility
• Uses structured formatting, such as bullet points, numbered lists, and clear headings so key insights are easy for AI systems to extract, understand, and reference

This approach supports visibility not only in AI Overviews and conversational search, but also across LLM-led discovery tools where brand mentions may occur without a direct click.

Focus on Engagement and Conversion

The growing influence of AI on search has already begun to change how users engage with content, leading to a notable reduction in direct clicks to websites.

This trend is expected to intensify moving into 2026, making it even more important to prioritise engagement and conversion strategies. To maintain user attention, businesses must leverage dynamic content like videos, interactive elements, and personalised experiences that keep visitors engaged and encourage deeper interactions.

Additionally, continually refining Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO) will be essential to ensure that every visitor, regardless of how they arrive at the site, is converted into a customer. By focusing on engagement and optimising for conversions, brands can maximise the potential of all traffic, ensuring that they capture as much value as possible from every interaction in an increasingly AI-led search space.

Our Ongoing Strategy and Approach for Search in 2026

As we look ahead to 2026, our focus remains clear: helping our clients’ websites stay fully optimised in a search environment that’s evolving faster and more unpredictably than ever.

How does an EOT structure support better long-term SEO outcomes?

Our long-term commitment has been further strengthened by Artemis becoming employee-owned. Transitioning to an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) reinforces the way we’ve always approached SEO: independently, responsibly, and with decisions made for long-term client success rather than short-term wins. It allows us to invest with confidence in research, our people, and innovation, while preserving the consistency and quality our clients rely on.

Our goal is to help every client stay ahead of the curve by aligning with the latest AI-driven SEO strategies, ensuring they maintain a strong competitive edge, even as search becomes more complex. For SMEs especially, this pace of change can feel daunting. Our role is to make it navigable, practical, and effective.

How does ARTEMIS INTELLIGENCE® help clients adapt to AI-driven change?

Through ARTEMIS INTELLIGENCE®, we continue our commitment to ongoing research, testing, and data-led strategy development. This framework enables us to spot emerging trends early, validate them through real-world testing, and translate change into clear, actionable guidance, not theory.