Guest Post by Justyna Kuls
Digital Marketing Consultant with over 10 years of experience, specialising in SEO and Web Design | Founder of No Faff Marketing.
Guest Post by Justyna Kuls
Digital Marketing Consultant with over 10 years of experience, specialising in SEO and Web Design | Founder of No Faff Marketing.
First, there was the social media craze; now, we’ve entered the AI hype era and every year, someone declares that SEO is dead. But is it really?
In 2025, search engine optimisation isn’t just relevant—it’s essential. With Google dominating online search and businesses competing for visibility, SEO remains the smartest way to get found online.
Whether you’re running a local business, an e-commerce store, or a corporate site, you can’t afford to ignore SEO, especially in the new age of AI-driven results reshaping how we find information.
Google Still Runs the Show
Let’s be real—Google is still the first place where people search. While platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and AI-powered tools are gaining momentum, Google remains the first place people turn to when they need answers, services, or products.
A strong SEO strategy ensures your website ranks well on Google’s search engine results pages (SERPs), putting your business right in front of potential customers when they’re actively searching.
Unlike social media, where your posts have a short life span unless they go viral, SEO delivers long-term, sustainable organic traffic without the need for constant daily upkeep or audience entertainment. And let’s face it—it can be very tiring trying to stay online to keep your followers engaged.
Example:
Imagine you run a local gym in London. If your website is properly optimised, it could rank at the top of Google when people search for:
- “best personal trainer in London”
- “affordable gyms near me”
- “weight loss programmes in the City of London”
Without SEO, your competitors will take the top spots, and you will lose business to them before a customer even visits your site.
SEO = The Best PR You Can Get
Good SEO doesn’t just help your website traffic—it helps your brand reputation. When people hear about your business, there’s a great chance that they will Google it to see if it’s legit.
You’ll want to make a great first impression and help them see positive and credible results that include a brief overview of what the business is about – not a bunch of random links (or, worse, your competitors).
Optimising your website, blog posts, and even external PR mentions means that:
- Your brand appears trustworthy.
- You control the narrative of your business online.
- Customers can find the right information about you.
Example:
A tech startup in London gets featured in an online magazine for developing an innovative new app. If the article is well-optimised and the company’s website is also launched with SEO in mind, these pages can rank on Google when people search for:
- “[Startup Name]
- “[Startup Name] reviews”
- “Is [Startup Name] legit?”
This builds credibility and reduces the risk of negative PR taking over search results.
SEO Converts Better Than Anything Else
When it comes to conversion rates, SEO wins—every single time.
Think about it: when someone searches for “best electric bikes in the UK” or “affordable SEO agency UK”, they’re already looking for that service.
Compare that to social media, where you’re competing with memes, cat videos, and influencer drama.
Organic search traffic tends to have higher intent, meaning those visitors are more likely to turn into paying customers. That’s why SEO leads convert better than social media or paid ads—because they come from people actively looking for what you offer.
Example:
An online store selling premium coffee beans invests in SEO to target searches like:
- “best organic coffee beans UK”
- “where to buy freshly roasted coffee beans”
By ranking high for these terms, they get highly interested buyers rather than casual browsers.
SEO Is Cost-Effective (Unlike Paid Ads)
Yes, paid ads work, but they’re expensive because you’re bidding against other advertisers. The moment you stop paying, your traffic disappears.
SEO, on the other hand, is an investment that keeps giving.
A well-optimised website can bring in relevant traffic for months or even years without additional costs. While it takes time to do all the necessary work and see results, once you rank well, you get free clicks instead of constantly pouring money into ads.
Example:
A local plumber in Kent decides to invest in SEO instead of Google Ads. Instead of paying £5 per click for ads, he optimises his website to rank for:
- “emergency plumber in Kent”
- “affordable boiler repair near me”
Once his site ranks, he gets free traffic every month, saving thousands of pounds compared to pay-per-click (PPC) advertising.
SEO & AI Search: Adapting to the Future
AI search engines, like Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) and ChatGPT’s browsing features, are changing how users get information. These tools source their answers from top-ranking content—which means SEO is still crucial.
If your content is optimised, AI search engines are more likely to feature your site in their responses, boosting visibility and driving traffic. Businesses that ignore SEO risk getting left out of AI-generated answers while competitors own the spotlight.
Example:
Let’s say you have an eco-friendly skincare brand. If your product pages and blogs are optimised, AI search engines might pull your content when users ask:
- “What are the best cruelty-free moisturisers?”
- “Which natural sunscreen is recommended for sensitive skin?”
If your site isn’t ranking, your competitors will take those AI-driven recommendations instead.
SEO in 2025: A Must-Have, Not an Option
In light of recent AI advancements, I’ve seen a sudden outburst of clickbait articles and videos spreading unfounded claims that SEO is dead, but it’s not true.
The search engine is perfectly fine—it’s evolving. As it gets smarter and AI tools change how we find information, businesses that embrace SEO will stay ahead of the game.
If you want more visibility, better conversions, and long-term growth, SEO is still the best digital marketing strategy. Ignore it, and you’re handing traffic (and sales) straight to your competitors.
So, is SEO still relevant in 2025? Absolutely. And it’s not going anywhere anytime soon.
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