BrightonSEO 2025: Our 7 Most Important Trends
On April 10th and 11th we were present together with our colleagues from WP Brothers BrightonSEO: one of the largest SEO events in Europe. Two days full of knowledge, inspiration and discussions about the future of SEO. From AI and ChatGPT to technical SEO, multichannel content strategies and changing search behavior. These are the insights we take home these are the insights we take with us and that you should already respond to today.
1. ChatGPT as a search engine? A game changer on the rise.
Melvin (Social Brothers):
“Did you know, for example, that traffic from ChatGPT, among others, stays on your website an average of 2 minutes longer? And that if it continues like this, ChatGPT will even overtake Google as a search engine in 2030?”
AI tools such as ChatGPT are increasingly being used as a starting point for a search instead of Google. Conversational AI is thus becoming a serious alternative to traditional search engines. And guess what? Visitors who come to your site via AI platforms stay longer on average. That says something about involvement, but also about opportunities.
Content that works well in conversational search is becoming more important than ever. Especially now that Google AI Overviews (Google's answer to ChatGPT) is being rolled out in Europe. With this, Google itself increasingly provides direct answers to where you want to be. It is no longer just about ranking, but about relevance within a conversation.
2. Search behavior splits: different intents on different platforms
Search behavior is not only changing in intent, but also in platform choice. Where navigational search; fast, direct searches such as “Login ING” is still most commonly used in Google, conversational search is increasingly shifting to AI platforms such as ChatGPT or voice assistants.
We apply demand-driven search behavior with questions such as “how do I open a new bank account?” or “why is Social Brothers the best agency in Utrecht?” to a language model that immediately personalized answer gives. This calls for more natural question-and-answer formats. So it's important to write content that feels like a conversation: human, contextual, and to the point.
3. The three pillars of SEO are now hygiene factors
Content, authority and technology remain indispensable, but are now seen as the basis. Your competitors are also doing this well. The difference is no longer made by whether you use these pillars, but how smart you do. You can make a difference by content that responds to the right search intent and appears in the right format. Think more strategically:
- Which formats dominate the SERP?
- What is your target audience really looking for?
- What type of content do you respond to this with?
4. Multichannel approach = visibility on the entire SERP
Jari (Social Brothers):
“With multichannel content you can utilize the entire SERP”
Focusing only on organic search results? That is no longer the case. Google is increasingly showing different types of content. Think of video, carousels, snippets, podcasts and even TikToks: all part of the modern search results page. This type of content is increasingly shown on page 1 and sometimes even above the more traditional search results. If you are not there, you are missing out on opportunities.
A good SEO strategy plays into this. Content strategy tackles multiple channels at the same time. Not either YouTube or a blog or socials, but and and and. Content that you may not have thought was relevant for SEO is now also by Google indexed. Do a SERP analysis for what formats do you see appearing for your most important search terms? Make sure you're there.
5. AI for content creation? Use it wisely, not blindly
There was a lot of talk and jokes about AI. Because almost every session seemed to be about AI. But it also shows how big the impact is. AI tools like ChatGPT support creating content at scale. Super handy for basic structure or large volumes, but you quickly notice when something feels 'made'.
The key? Use AI as a tool, not as a replacement. The human touch still makes the difference, in tone of voice, creativity, reliability and connection with your target group. Especially in sectors such as healthcare and finance, EEAT is important to show that there is an expert behind it.
6. Technology as SEO factor: performance depends on your traffic
Jochem (WP Brothers):
“Although my heart lies with development and I mainly focus on the technical side, I was pleasantly surprised by how much technology is hidden behind SEO.”
A lot of attention was paid to technical SEO. From how you .htaccess-settings affect your indexing, to the impact of modern frameworks on crawlability. Especially with headless or single-page applications (SPAs), you as a developer quickly run into SEO challenges. Think of content that only loads after JavaScript, or routers that block bots. As a developer, you should not only think about performance and UX, but also about how search engines read your website or app.
Your measurement method should scale with your traffic:
- Few visitors? Then use web.dev
- Lots of visitors? Then you want to measure real user data via a RUM tool (Real User Monitoring) and align Web Core Vitals with UX and SEO
7. Zero-click is real
More and more searches are answered directly in the SERP (Search Engine Results Page). Users no longer have to click to get their answer. That means less traffic, unless you stand out with rich content, visuals or a multichannel approach. Platforms such as Reddit, TikTok and AI chatbots are also increasingly used as search engines. Search is no longer a linear funnel, but a complex web of touchpoints.
What do we take with us?
BrightonSEO confirmed what we already felt: SEO is no longer a separate specialty. It touches on content, development, AI and strategy. Whether you write, develop or run campaigns, you need to know how search works. And how quickly it changes.
Are you curious about what else you can expect? In the coming period we will share all trends and insights. Want to brainstorm about your content or SEO strategy? Feel free to send us a message, we are happy to think along.