2025 Search & Marketing Predictions

At Rise at Seven, we’ve been keeping a close eye on how search and marketing are evolving, and we’ve pulled together our predictions for marketing 2025. Multichannel search is here to stay. Will AI search take centre stage? How will Google’s focus on user experience reshape strategies? And what role will e-commerce giants play in the fight for customer conversions?

Our team has shared insights from across SEO, digital PR, social media, and client services. These aren’t just trends - we’re already adapting to these changes. Here’s what we think the future of search and marketing might look like.

Will - SEO Director

2025 will probably feel like the year of AI search, maybe in the way that it felt like the year of voice search about 3 years in a row. Certain brands will see traffic from AI tools and AI search rise significantly - and I suspect the main AI search brands will look to win recurring users by investing in either big budget ATL campaigns or by piggy backing onto other brands (i.e. Samsung x ChatGPT Search). There's always the potential for a few big acquisitions in this space too. Ultimately they'll either need to decide to run with subscription models or bite the bullet and working out to include ads in a way that works. Getting search data from those tools for clients would be lovely, but I'd be surprised if we get that - we're using a dashboard we setup to monitor traffic from them but seeing the themes of the queries would be good too. For me the big benefit of AI search is the voice features and the conversational style...but it's likely to only impact those types of searches - not things like "men's white trainers". They're probably safe(ish) for now.

Laura - Client Services Director

Brands and clients won't be able to ignore holistic search marketing, Google is now less about the algorithm and more about the user journey and experience. Real people and opinions matter, we're seeing search results in Google change significantly in the last year, to bring in new SERP features and different forms of content, through AI, Images, Social Content and Forums and Discussions. It'll be vital for brands to understand user behaviour and the searches between each platform to help inform their multi search strategy.

Tom - Senior Data & Insights Manager

I've recently seen some "senior" SEOs saying the fundamentals of SEO won't apply in 2025. I don't agree. Google isn't physic. Websites will still need to provide its algorithms with the indicators it needs to join the dots. That means keyword optimisation will remain important. The quality, helpfulness and relevancy of content will still apply and linking (both externally and internally) will impact performance in the SERPs. Unless Google completely overhauls its approach to search, the basic fundamentals of SEO will still apply in 2025.

Ray - Global Head Of Marketing

Cross-platform stacking is the move. We can’t rely on a single platform anymore. The key is creating a connected story across multiple platforms - like running a poll on one, sharing the results in a video on another, and choosing these based on where your audience hangs out. A separate strategy for each, but one cohesive story whilst wrapping it up with multichannel search, and you’ve got real impact.

Bronia - Social Media Manager

I predict that brands will shift focus away from follower count in 2025 and focus on the strength of their existing community. We're already seeing this with broadcast channels on Instagram! Vanity metrics out, community in!

Carrie - CEO

When people come to search on Google, they'll get more than an AI answer. They will get an entire AI-organised page custom built for them (personalised audience, interests, demographic) etc. and their question. This means that what we see today WILL still change.

Kate C - Digital PR Executive

For PR I'd say my prediction in the industry is a focus on connections between PRs and journalists. With the rise of AI writers and journalists receiving hundreds of emails a day, it is becoming increasingly important to build personal connections with journalists, and build relationships. The rise of AI has many benefits, however also highlights the importance of human connection. The Rise Live team has been finding it beneficial building these relationships, and we'll continue to do so in 2025!

Phil - Managing Partner Of Craft

The increased usage of black box paid solutions will continue to diminish creative control for brands and creep up the funnel. More brands will seek to take back control of their targeting and their content in favour of forming greater connections with audiences and brand building. Search and social will become more blended than ever and brands will seek great visibility over social search behaviour as traditional organic traffic declines. In the same vein of seeking greater control over creative, there will be a critical need to bridge social and search content strategy.

Kate L - Associate PR Director

PR predictions for 2025 - brands will need to do something different to get attention in the media space. People are consuming news quicker than ever and engagement will continue to shorten as we continue to swap to video and other short form content to consume news. Brands will need to have the ability to pull their PR, marketing, brand and social closer than ever to make sure they’re capturing the attention of their audiences using a combination of strategies to ensure they’re doing relevant activity, quickly, but that it’s unique enough to garner attention. Traditional PR tactics aren’t enough to cut through the noise, brands will need to be bigger and bolder to dominate their industries and continue to build their brand reputation. The digital PR landscape is changing and becoming even more competitive in 2025, with even more focus on social and search demand, brands will need to PR themselves in different channels and cross-channel to be seen and discovered.

Ryan - Head Of Operations

Everything will become commercialised. TikTok, Instagram shop, Amazon vs Google - ecomm will be having a big old battle when it comes to converting customers. Google and website Will become a conversion channel but struggles to compete with “one click” journeys like Amazon/tiktok shop

Curious about how these trends could impact your brand?

Let’s chat about how you can stay ahead in 2025.