What BrightonSEO 2025 taught us about AI, user intent, and the future of search marketing

Earlier this month, search marketers from around the world converged on one of England’s favourite seaside destinations.

Brighton in early April may have brought a brisk sea breeze, but it also delivered a tidal wave of insight, innovation, and inspiration at this year’s BrightonSEO. 

From seagulls in capes and seafront sunsets to the boldest discussions yet on AI and the future of search, this year’s conference was one of the most transformative I’ve attended in more than 15 years in Search Marketing.

I travelled down with Joseph (Marketing Director), Melissa (Copywriter) and Lois (Account Manager) from SOZO for two packed days of exciting talks and conversations.

Over the course of 22 talks, we clocked up 440 minutes of sessions (more than 7 hours of cutting-edge industry insight), which we’re now bringing into our internal processes and sharing with clients and fellow SMEs.

Outside the main talks, I was delighted to take part in the Heads of SEO open table, joining voices from across the country to discuss the real-world implications of AI on client trust, performance metrics, and search behaviours. It was refreshing to hear that many of the challenges we face – such as attributing paid and organic performance- are being felt industry-wide.

Of course, no trip to Brighton would be complete without the traditions we’ve come to cherish. A seafood pizza feast at VIP Pizza (thank you Melissa for the recommendation), sunrise coffees with flaky pastries, a daring early morning sea dip by the old pier, and that all-important selfie with the brightonSEO seagull—newly rebranded in its pink cape and as iconic as ever.

But while the seagull was a highlight, it was the sheer velocity of change across AI, search, and user behaviour that left the biggest impression on me. 

Here’s a look at what we learned, how SOZO is adapting, and what these exciting changes mean for your SME in today’s ever-shifting digital landscape.

AI isn’t replacing search, it’s reshaping it

One of the loudest themes throughout the conference was the seismic shift AI is creating—not by replacing search, but by redefining how users discover and engage with content. Rather than panic about ChatGPT or Google Gemini overtaking traditional search, the message was clear: search is evolving, not disappearing.

The emergence of AI-powered results (like Google’s AI Overviews) has had a measurable impact. Several speakers cited a 60% drop in click-through rates (CTR) and a 30% reduction in organic traffic due to zero-click outcomes, as users get more answers directly from search engine results without ever visiting a website. Source Impact

Yet, there’s a silver lining here for SMEs. Conversational AI platforms are pulling data from both Google* and Bing, and over 51% of ChatGPT’s search-derived queries now reference Google’s index. That means optimising your content for traditional search still has a direct impact on your visibility in AI tools. [*Exploring relationships between AI answer engines and organic SERPs]

At SOZO, we’re already integrating these insights into our new AIO (AI Optimisation) service, helping clients ensure their content is discoverable across both classic search engines and emerging AI-powered platforms.

You can learn more about our AIO services here.

Intent is everything: know what your audience actually wants

Knowing your audience isn’t a new concept. Yes, you can see their name, their gender, and their location – but what do they ACTUALLY want from you. What are their pain points and what are their triggers to buy?

Ade Holder Founder 427 put it thus; “Don’t play fast punk to a ska crowd.”

Too often, brands focus on traffic volume rather than relevance; chasing broad keywords instead of the terms that match user intent.

This was reinforced in a session around how CRO (Conversion Rate Optimisation) complements SEO. It’s no longer enough to get found, you have to get chosen. That means prioritising clarity, messaging, and conversion paths as much as rankings.

So, while AI might change the format of discovery, it doesn’t change the need to connect with your audience on a human level. AI can support creativity, but it can’t replace it. SMEs should think of AI as a co-pilot, not the captain.

At SOZO, this reinforces why we always lead with intent. Whether through our SEO or PPC strategies, or our holistic 360 Marketing approach, we build campaigns around what your audience actually wants, not just what algorithms prefer.

Beyond Google: multi-channel visibility is now essential

BrightonSEO 2025 made one thing crystal clear: search is no longer confined to search engines.

Reddit, LinkedIn, TikTok and YouTube, are increasingly being indexed and referenced within AI models and traditional SERPs. 

As of 2025, YouTube hit an all-time high of 2.7 billion active users per month, according to SEM Rush Reddit is now the sixth biggest site for web traffic, while, following its March 2025 Core Update Google is bringing more and more social content into its search results.

This shift means SMEs must show up across multiple touchpoints. A standalone SEO strategy won’t cut it anymore. You need content, social, paid media, and email marketing working in unison. That’s exactly what our 360 marketing service is designed for – to help clients grow visibility and trust across the entire funnel, not just at the top.

Discover how our 360 marketing combines SEO, content, social and more.

Measurement is changing (and that’s a good thing!)

Historically, we’ve relied heavily on metrics like traffic and rankings to judge success. But with AI Overviews, cookie consent banners, and zero-click SERPs, these numbers are becoming much harder to track, and less useful in isolation.

Instead, SMEs should focus on macro KPIs like ROI, nCAC (new Customer Acquisition Cost), and MER (Marketing Efficiency Ratio) to understand the true impact of their digital efforts. 

A recent blog from Rand Fishkin summed this up; Traffic Is Down; Revenue Is… Up? – SparkToro.

This is a mindset shift we’re embracing at SOZO. 

Our SEO strategies are increasingly intertwined with CRO, UX, and business performance data. We’re also exploring new reporting models and tools to help our clients understand how both their organic and paid strategies are actually performing in this AI-influenced era.

Discover how our SEO services, website design and content strategies can improve your rankings.

What does this mean for your SME business?

For our clients, and any UK-based SME reading this, here are the biggest takeaways you should keep front of mind in 2025 and beyond:

Key search insights for SMEs

• AI is here to stay, but traditional SEO still matters. Your content can influence results on both Google and ChatGPT.
• Search is more interconnected than ever. Be present across all channels including social, video, organic search, and AI tools.
• Understand your audience’s intent, not just the keywords they type.
• Zero-click is growing. Invest in brand awareness and visibility, not just site visits.
• Focus on business outcomes. Try asking yourself, what level of profit is your traffic actually driving?
• UX and CRO are vital. SEO gets you found, but CRO gets you chosen.
• Don’t abandon Google just yet. While AI is rising, Google still has over 1 billion daily users.
• Multi-channel visibility is essential. You need to understand how YouTube and other platforms can support your growth.

Interesting BrightonSEO stats that caught my eye

• ChatGPT has 400 million weekly users, but Google still serves 1 billion users daily.
• 50% of organic searches are expected to start via AI tools by 2028.
• CTR from Position 1 in Google can now be as low as 0% due to AI Overviews.
• 80% of Netflix content watched is driven by personalised suggestions, hinting at where AI-curated content is heading.
• 4 in 10 adults in the UK now use ChatGPT monthly.

Looking ahead: what’s next for SOZO?

The biggest shift we’re making at SOZO following BrightonSEO 2025 is the integration of AI Optimisation (AIO) into all areas of our strategy.  But to be clear, we’re not replacing what works, we’re just futureproofing it.

We’ll continue investing in SEO, CRO, and content-led strategies, but we’re also focused on helping clients stay visible across AI platforms, measuring new types of success, and building more connected campaigns through our 360 service.

If you haven’t already, take a look at how our SEO services and PPC campaigns are evolving to meet this new landscape.

And finally, we’re already looking ahead to BrightonSEO 2026. It’ll be fascinating to see how much the industry will change over the next 12 months, especially as AI adoption matures further and new tools continue to reshape how we search, optimise and convert.

If you’d like to talk through what these changes mean for your business, or explore how our AI Optimisation or 360 marketing strategies can help your brand grow, we’d love to chat.

Contact us today to see how we can help grow your business