If you needed reassurance that SEO isn’t dead, brightonSEO 2025 had it in buckets and spades. A two-day celebratory mix of insight, inspiration and masterclasses from worldwide industry experts that, believe it or not, started life in a room above a pub.
At CTI Digital, we always want to ensure we’re at the cutting edge of new developments in search engine optimisation (SEO) and digital marketing. So, our Content team went along to discover what’s new and share their key findings. Read on to learn about the top themes and takeaways from the conference and breathe a sigh of relief that SEO is very much alive and well.
As a first time brightonSEO attendee, it could be easy to feel somewhat spoiled for choice of where to go or who to see first. The ground floor of the prestigious Brighton Centre was fit to burst with stands from market leading software providers, suppliers and innovators ready to grab our attention. However, once I’d made my way through the initial scrum, it was time to take a seat in one of the two bustling auditoriums and discover what’s new in the world of SEO.
Try not to ignore the AI elephant in the room
An SEO conference in 2025 wouldn’t be possible without plenty of discussion around the pros and cons of AI tools. Some speakers even seemed to disagree on where SEO experts should be on a scale of ‘don’t panic’ to the more extreme ‘embrace AI or you will be left behind’.
I came away from the end of the Friday session feeling somewhat reassured. Good content that is helpful, well-structured and authoritative should come out on top, regardless of whether it is cited in an AI response, or shared by humans. Content creators just need to think strategically and resist the urge to dramatically change how they work, unless of course, they believe their content isn’t providing value to users.
I was also staggered at the sheer number of ways in which AI tools can be incorporated into our day-to-day roles. The scope for automating auditing, reporting and coding seems endless at this stage, allowing for many new tools to become part of our SEO arsenal.
Decide whether it’s time to drop the ‘E’ from SEO
One of the recurring themes across the conference was the discussion of whether it’s finally time to drop the ‘E’ from SEO. Alexandre Hoffman kicked off day two with his insightful takes on the subject. No longer are we simply optimising for search engines, but thanks to the rise of AI tools such as large language models (LLMs), we now need to explore ways to optimise content for emerging search methods. Baruch Toledano in his talk, ‘LLMs vs Google: what search and engagement data tells SEOs’ predicted that ChatGPT searches could even overtake Google by early 2030.
Another presentation also went into detail on how younger generations are steering away from Google altogether, instead opting for curated, easily scrollable results from content creators they trust. Search engines are also quickly becoming ‘answer engines’, with zero-click searches on the rise due to users finding the information they were looking for as an AI overview.
It’s also worth noting that users who arrive at a website from searching in ChatGPT tend to also spend longer on websites and visit more pages than those who arrive from traditional search engines. Searches are also becoming more conversational in nature, with ChatGPT prompts containing around 10x the informational length of a Google search query for example.
Remember to put people first
Creating person-centric content is now more crucial than ever. As Google’s algorithm continues to evolve, particularly through updates aligned with E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trust), content creators must focus on genuinely understanding and addressing user needs.
Speakers including Meghan Roberts made reference to centering empathy at the heart of content creation. When content is written with empathy it builds trust and helps to demonstrate that you understand the user's challenges, preferences and intent. It also aligns more closely with Google’s goal of prioritising helpful, human-first content - a point that has particular importance as AI-generated content becomes more widespread. Human empathy is becoming a key factor in whether audiences will form a connection with your brand. Success in modern SEO is no longer just about ranking, it’s about resonating. Empathy, combined with strategic SEO, is what drives long-term results.
Make sure your brand is part of the conversation
Discoverability as opposed to ranking is quickly becoming the new measure of SEO success. One key takeaway of the conference were ways in which to help your brand be included in AI-generated responses. Your website may tick all the boxes for optimisation, but making sure your brand is being talked about online is now more important than ever.
Reddit may not be a new platform, but marketers are now realising the untapped potential that lies within its many threads. Forums such as Reddit allow users to share real-world experiences and recommendations and are goldmines for consumer knowledge. More online chatter about a particular product or brand will mean it’s more likely to be included in ChatGPT searches. Speakers at brightonSEO raised the point that as marketers we should not only be driving the conversation on forums like Reddit, but also be using them to dispel myths or preconceptions, or even counter bad reviews with more positive messaging.
Consider whether your content could be a video (or series!)
Short videos that feature expert, helpful content play a big part in driving brand signals to Google. When considering a larger piece of content, think whether it can be better presented as a series of short videos. Speakers also mentioned how LLMs such as ChatGPT prefer content that is frequently updated, as opposed to less frequent large batches. A series of bitesize, shareable videos about a service or product may well have a much bigger impact for your brand than a lengthy blog post following the same topic.
Be proactive with your approach to accessibility
One shocking statistic from day two came from Clive Loseby with his talk: Google is blind, what this means for you in 2025. He raised the point that disability is often overlooked when it comes to inclusivity, to the extent that 95.9% of websites failed basic WCAG accessibility tests in 2024.
Ensuring your website is accessible isn’t just good practice, it’s essential. By optimising your website for accessibility you make sure that all users can access your service or products, all of the time.
Plus, businesses that are trading in Europe need to be aware of the European Accessibility Act that comes into force on the 28th June 2025. However, this track of talks aimed to stress the importance of reviewing your current practices to ensure your website reflects a commitment to valuing all users equally.
BrightonSEO 2025 certainly provided a lot of food for thought and I will be taking on board so many valuable insights from the incredible range of speakers. In fact, I have already begun to apply so many nuggets of wisdom into my day-to-day role and look forward to growing and evolving with the industry.
If you’d like to know more about brightonSEO 2025, SEO trends or anything in between, then please get in touch.
