Last week I joined thousands of search professionals at BrightonSEO, and one theme stood out above all: the search landscape is transforming faster than ever.

AI isn’t just influencing how people find information, it’s rewriting the rulebook.

But despite all the noise, SEO isn’t dead. It’s evolving.

Here are my biggest takeaways from the conference and what they mean for how we do search in 2025 and beyond.

1. AI Overviews are Cannibalising Clicks, but not all is Lost

AI overviews, ChatGPT, and other AI-driven search tools are stealing clicks from traditional search results, particularly for informational queries.

However, the silver lining is that the traffic websites do receive is higher quality. People who reach your site now tend to be more motivated, and conversions remain strong.

Fewer clicks, yes. But more meaningful ones.

2. SEO is Deprecated, Not Dead

We’ve all heard the doomsday headlines, but the truth is more nuanced.

SEO isn’t dying. It’s changing.


We need to move away from old-school tactics that only focus on keywords and rankings and instead build a broader, more adaptive methodology.

The new SEO blends traditional best practices with AI-era strategies, content structuring, data-driven insights, and intelligent automation.

3. Silos are Out. Collaboration is in.

Success in modern marketing depends on collaboration.

SEO can’t exist in isolation anymore. It needs to work hand-in-hand with paid media, content, CRO, and analytics teams.

The best results come when all marketing channels are aligned around shared goals and shared data.

4. Google is Still King

Despite all the hype around AI search, Google still dominates.

It drives over eight times more traffic than ChatGPT, and 90% of ChatGPT users still use Google, too.


In short: don’t abandon Google optimisation just yet. The playing field is shifting, but Google still holds the ball.

5. SEO Tools Need a Rethink

Most of today’s SEO software is built for an outdated search model.

Just like in the early days of SEO, we’re back in a period of experimentation.

It’s time to innovate and create tools fit for an information retrieval future, where AI is both the searcher and the search engine.

6. Write for Customers and Machines

The best content now needs to serve two audiences: humans and AI.

That means clear summaries, accurate facts, structured headings, chunked sections, extractable data, and a simple, intuitive user experience.

Machines need to understand your content as easily as people do.

7. Agentic AI is Coming

Users never actually wanted “10 blue links.”

Agentic AI, the kind that researches, compares, and recommends on your behalf, is on the rise.

Soon, AI won’t just suggest results; it will act on them, even enabling one-click purchasing directly through search.

eCommerce and service brands need to prepare for this shift.

8. User Behaviour is Changing

Google is actively investing in traditional media campaigns to teach users how to search better.

As behaviour evolves, so must our strategies.

Understanding how people interact with search is as important as ranking in it.

9. Get Serious About Data Collection

If you want accurate data and longer cookie lifespans, start using server-side tagging.

It bypasses ad blockers and extends cookies beyond standard browser limits, giving you a clearer picture of performance and user behaviour.

10. Don’t Believe the “Prompt Data” Hype Just Yet

Platforms claiming to have AI “prompt data” are often working with tiny, unreliable samples.

Many are simply guessing what people are typing based on AI-enriched predictions.

Unless you’re a major global brand like Nike, this data isn’t representative.

Stick with trusted sources like Google Search Console and People Also Ask to guide your assumptions.

11. Measure Your Brand in Prompt Outputs

Want to understand your visibility in AI search?

Track a strong set of prompts and analyse where and how your brand appears.

This helps uncover content gaps, highlight PR opportunities, and shape your broader outreach strategy.

12. Log Files are Back

Server log files are making a comeback.

They reveal how AI systems like ChatGPT crawl your site, unaffected by cookies or ad blockers.

Understanding these logs can help you see what AI “sees,” offering a new dimension of visibility into your technical SEO.

13. Brand Authority and Authenticity Matter More than Ever

Generative AI doesn’t just reward relevance, it rewards reputation.

One negative mention online can impact how your brand appears (or doesn’t appear) in AI-generated results.

Building and maintaining brand authority is now as essential as any technical optimisation.

Final Thoughts

The future of SEO isn’t about fighting AI; it’s about working with it.

Search is becoming more intelligent, more conversational, and more contextual.

To thrive, we need to adapt our tools, break down silos, and focus on creating genuinely helpful, trustworthy, machine-readable content.

SEO is changing shape, but its purpose remains the same: connecting people with the information, products, and services they’re looking for.