TL;DR: “SEO is dead” is really “lazy SEO is dead”. Search engines, AI tools and customers still rely on search. What has changed is how you earn visibility.
This article is written for business website owners who want a clear, realistic view of whether SEO still works and how to adapt their strategy in 2025.
Table of Contents
1. Is SEO dead, or has it simply changed?
2. Why do people keep claiming SEO is dead?
3. What does modern SEO look like in 2025?
4. How does AI affect SEO strategy for UK businesses?
5. What still works in SEO today and what really is dead?
6. Practical example: how QED benefits from modern SEO
7. How should UK businesses adapt next?
If you spend any amount of time on LinkedIn, you’ll come across Tech Bros who’ll tell you ‘SEO is dead’, and then try to sell you some kind of course or audit on GEO / AEO / AI Search or whatever made-up term they are using right now.
This is how I came across this individual, Karim Meziti. He’s not particularly unique in his fearmongering on trying to sell his ‘GEO services’ using exotic-sounding technical terms; he’s just a snakeoil salesman, and there are plenty of them about.
Yes, I could spend the entire post dismantling his nonsense line by line using sources like MiT, Anthropic & OpenAI.
For reference, this is the type of scare tactics he uses;
Did you know searches on ChatGPT have up to 9 times higher purchase intent than regular Google searches?
They don’t. 99.8% of ChatGPT users still use Google, and will revert back to the search giant when they have buyer’s intent. That’s not opinion, it’s just counting.
I’ve written a fuller, in-depth post on ChatGPT/AI Search for more reference points on how misleading people like Karim are.
Is SEO dead, or has it simply changed?
The short answer is no, SEO is not dead. Search engines still surface results, businesses still compete for visibility, and people in the UK still use Google every single day to find services, products and information.
What has changed is how search engines evaluate quality, intent, speed and trust. Older tactics such as mass link building, thin content and keyword stuffing no longer work. The reason people say SEO is dead is that those shortcuts have died. Genuine optimisation has not.
Why do people keep claiming SEO is dead?
Google updates feel brutal when you rely on old tactics
When Google rolls out a core update, sites that rely on outdated or manipulative tactics often see traffic collapse. It is tempting to blame the whole field instead of the weaknesses in the site. Many of the websites hit hardest by recent helpful content updates have thin pages, weak authority or duplicated material.
That does not mean SEO itself stopped working. It means poor SEO, built on shortcuts, stopped working. If your content is helpful, well structured and technically sound, updates are far more likely to help you than hurt you.
AI tools changed how people find information
AI assistants such as ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google’s AI Overviews now answer many questions directly. Some users get what they need without clicking through to a website. That shift has sparked a new round of “SEO is dead” headlines.
In reality, those AI tools still rely on high-quality websites to quote and summarise. At
QED, we see this directly. Our article on the Online Safety Act is cited by ChatGPT because it is clear, factual and well structured. You cannot be cited if your content offers nothing worth using.
Old SEO tricks never were sustainable
Buying links, spinning articles from templates and targeting dozens of near-identical keywords once produced quick wins. Google has got much better at detecting these patterns, so they now fail or even backfire.
Good SEO, built around real expertise and user value, has survived. It is the gimmicks that have died, not the discipline.
What does modern SEO look like in 2025?
Helpful content at the centre
Modern SEO starts with content that answers real questions clearly. Google and AI systems both look for clarity, accuracy and usefulness. A page that gives a straight answer will beat one that dances around the topic.
Your blog posts should focus on solving problems, not hitting a keyword count. This is the same approach we use across the
QED blog, including articles on SEO crawlers harming performance and AI citation strategies.
Technical foundations that do not get in the way
Speed, stability and structure matter more than ever. Fast hosting, compressed images, clean code and stable layouts all feed into ranking signals and user experience. Slow, bloated sites struggle to compete.
When we rebuilt the events system for
The Pickled Crab, we focused on usability and performance at the same time. Reducing page weight improved load times and supported stronger rankings.
Trust signals across your site
Trust is now a core part of SEO. Real author details, transparent policies, clear contact information and external citations all help search engines see your site as credible.
Our guide on the Online Safety Act on
weareqed.com performs well because it gives verifiable, UK specific information backed by sources. That is exactly the sort of content search engines want to reward.
How does AI affect SEO strategy for UK businesses?
AI rewards well-structured information
AI platforms crawl and compare huge volumes of content. They favour pages that answer a clear question early, use headings logically, add context with real examples and cite credible sources. If your site does that, AI tools are more likely to reference you.
This is where SEO and “AI optimisation” overlap. Structured, honest content works for both Google and AI assistants, which gives you more than one route to reach users.
Local search is very much alive
For cafés, trades, hotels and independent shops, local SEO is often the most profitable channel. People still search for “near me” terms, directions, opening times and reviews. Google Business Profiles, review quality, and local structured data remain essential.
Many of our hospitality and service clients see their biggest gains from improved local visibility. Ranking in the map pack and being mentioned by AI tools can directly translate into bookings and enquiries.
SEO has expanded rather than disappeared
Modern SEO covers classic Google results, map listings, AI Overviews, “People also ask” boxes and conversational responses from tools like ChatGPT. SEO is not dead, it has simply broadened into more touch points that all need accurate, helpful content.
What still works in SEO today and what really is dead?
What still works
High-quality content that answers real questions is still the core of SEO. Use headings, examples and specifics. Avoid filler. This very article is written with those principles in mind.
Strong internal linking also still works. Pages that help users move around your site tend to perform better. Linking related articles, such as between AI citation strategies and GA4 ChatGPT referral analysis, helps both humans and search engines understand your structure.
Clean technical setups are still powerful. Fast, lightweight sites with sensible caching, fewer plugins and sustainable hosting options gain an advantage. This is especially important for WordPress builds, where performance can suffer if you add too much bloat.
Ethical link building remains valuable. Links from press coverage, partner sites, suppliers and genuinely useful resources carry far more weight than any paid scheme.
What really is dead
Keyword stuffing is dead. Repeating the same phrase over and over will harm your rankings. Search engines are good at understanding language. You do not need to force exact matches into every line.
AI generated content without expertise is also effectively dead. Search engines and users both spot generic writing quickly. AI is a writing assistant, not a shortcut to authority.
Spammy link building has very limited value now. Buying links, using private blog networks or blasting automated outreach is more likely to cause problems than results.
Thin pages are on their way out. Short, shallow pages that add nothing new rarely rank. Quality beats volume.
Practical example: how QED benefits from modern SEO
At QED we do not rely on tricks. Instead, we publish content that explains real issues such as AI citations, GA4 referral quirks and SEO crawlers harming performance. Because these posts offer genuine value, they attract organic traffic, earn shares and are sometimes cited by AI tools.
This creates a loop. Helpful content builds authority. Authority improves rankings. Better rankings and citations bring more visitors and enquiries. It is SEO that works in 2025, not the quick fix SEO that died years ago.
How should UK businesses adapt next?
Audit the basics
Start with a simple audit. Check your site speed, heading structure, mobile usability and duplicate content. Many SEO problems come from technical debt rather than any Google conspiracy.
Publish content that reflects your real experience
If you run a deli, write about sourcing produce, menu planning or food safety in the UK. If you run a hotel, share information on accessibility, local transport tips or sustainability. Real experience cuts through generic content and builds trust.
Keep your website lightweight
Performance is both a user issue and an SEO issue. Choose efficient hosting, compress assets, avoid unnecessary scripts and be cautious with plugins. At QED, sustainable, low carbon web design is part of our SEO strategy, not a separate project.
Use data and AI sensibly
Track your traffic with GA4 and Google Search Console. Look at what queries you are appearing for and which pages are growing or shrinking after updates. Use AI tools to help draft outlines or brainstorm topics, then inject your own expertise and examples.
SEO is not dead. It has grown up. If you focus on clear content, solid technical foundations and trust, your site can still perform strongly in search engines and AI driven platforms.
Need help applying this?
If you want tailored advice, an SEO audit or a new site that is built for both performance and search,
get in touch with QED. We specialise in sustainable, search-friendly web design for UK businesses.
