SEO is facing its biggest change in 15 years. With AI summaries and LLMs taking over parts of search, traditional metrics need a complete rethink. The surprise? Flat or declining traffic numbers may signal success in 2025.
"If it's not expensive, time-consuming, or taking resources, it won't provide value for SEO," says consultant Nick LeRoy. While traffic drops from AI and LLMs taking market share, revenue often stays stable or grows. "It's hard to pay electric bills with sessions."
Take HubSpot - their blog traffic fell from 10 to 2 million monthly visits. Yet this doesn't spell failure. Instead, it shows better targeting and engagement with their core audience. Companies succeeding in 2025 focus on quality traffic that converts, not just high numbers.
The era of mass AI-generated content is ending. While some brands still succeed with volume, engagement metrics increasingly determine rankings. Companies need to invest in fewer, better pages that truly serve their audience.
Some brands still create content like "motivational quotes for Tuesday" followed by "uplifting quotes for Thursday" with CTAs for complex B2B software. This approach brings traffic but few results. The winners in 2025's search environment focus on content that connects directly to their products and services.
Smart companies now start with messages, not channels. They understand their audience's needs first, then create content that works across their entire marketing mix. This approach means:
Large Language Models are changing how we optimize content. Like early SEO practices, brand mentions on authority sites matter more than ever. But LLMs present new challenges:
Forward-thinking companies are moving SEO teams to product development instead of marketing. This structural change:
The shift reflects SEO's evolution from a marketing tactic to a core business function. SEO professionals now influence product development, ensuring search optimization is built into products rather than added later.
Traditional channel-based metrics are becoming obsolete. Modern companies need new frameworks that:
SEO teams need dedicated testing budgets, just like paid search teams have had for years. As one marketing leader noted, "If you know your audience well, you know they'll love something even if it's new."
Successful innovation in SEO requires:
Companies often hesitate to innovate in SEO because they can't predict exact returns. But waiting for perfect forecasts leads to inaction. The key is balanced risk-taking backed by solid audience understanding.
To succeed in the new search environment:
Companies that win in 2025 will focus on quality over quantity and real business results over traffic numbers. They'll:
The fundamental goal remains unchanged: connect the right people with the right solutions when they need them. But the path to success now requires deeper investment in quality, understanding, and integration across the business.
Remember LeRoy's key insight: if maintaining your traffic levels in 2025 means you're actually growing your real impact. Focus on building value for your audience, and the metrics that matter will follow.
