10 SEO Predictions for the Rest of 2025: Midyear Check-In

We are halfway through 2025, and the SEO landscape looks different than anyone predicted back in January. Some of our early 2025 predictions hit the mark. Others missed entirely. And a few new trends have emerged that nobody saw coming.

Here is our updated crystal ball for the rest of the year.

1. AI Overviews Will Appear on 60%+ of Google Queries by December

At the start of 2025, AI Overviews showed up on roughly 30% of searches. As of July, that number has climbed past 40%. Google is clearly committed to making AI-generated answers the default experience, not the exception.

By year-end, we expect AI Overviews to appear on more than 60% of queries, including a growing number of local and commercial searches. If you have not started optimizing for AI citation yet, the window is closing. Our guide on adapting to AI Overviews is a good starting point.

2. Perplexity Will Become a Legit Traffic Source for Local Businesses

Perplexity crossed 100 million users and is not slowing down. With the launch of business profiles (more on that later this summer), Perplexity is actively building a local business ecosystem.

We predict that by Q4 2025, businesses with optimized web presence will start seeing measurable referral traffic from Perplexity. Not Google-level traffic, but enough to justify the optimization effort.

3. Voice Search Will Finally Get Its Moment

We have heard “this is the year of voice search” for a decade. But the combination of better AI models and smart home adoption is actually making it happen in 2025. Roughly 40% of adults now use voice search daily, and the queries are getting more specific and action-oriented.

For local businesses, voice search optimization is becoming a real ranking factor, not just a nice-to-have. Conversational keywords and FAQ-style content are the foundation.

4. Google Will Launch Another Helpful Content Update

Google rolled out a significant helpful content update in early 2025, and based on their pattern, we expect at least one more before year-end. This update will likely continue penalizing thin, AI-generated content that does not add unique value.

The businesses that invest in original, experience-based content will benefit. The ones relying on auto-generated blog posts will take a hit.

5. Schema Markup Will Become Table Stakes (Not a Competitive Advantage)

In 2024, having comprehensive schema markup put you ahead of the pack. By late 2025, it will be the minimum expectation. Google and AI engines are increasingly dependent on structured data to understand content, and businesses without it will be at a measurable disadvantage.

If you have not implemented schema yet, our schema markup guide covers everything you need.

6. Local SEO Competition Will Intensify in Mid-Size Markets

Major metros have always been competitive for local SEO. But in 2025, we are seeing a surge in competition in mid-size markets (populations of 100K-500K). More businesses in these areas are investing in SEO for the first time, which means the easy wins are disappearing.

If you operate in a mid-size market, now is the time to level up your strategy before more competitors enter the game.

7. AI-Generated Content Penalties Will Get Smarter

Google is not banning AI content outright. But its systems are getting better at identifying content that was generated by AI without meaningful human input. The pattern we see: AI-assisted content (human-directed, AI-accelerated) will continue to perform well. Fully automated AI content farms will get hit.

The distinction is important. Using AI as a tool in your content process is fine. Using AI as a replacement for your content process is risky.

8. Review Signals Will Carry More Weight in AI Recommendations

Both Google’s AI Overviews and standalone AI search engines are leaning harder on review data when making recommendations. The volume, recency, and specificity of your reviews will become even more important for AI visibility.

Businesses with active review management strategies will see a growing advantage. We covered this in our post on how reviews impact local SEO.

9. Multi-Platform Search Optimization Will Become Standard Practice

Optimizing only for Google is a 2023 strategy. By the end of 2025, forward-thinking businesses will be treating ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and other AI platforms as distinct search channels that require their own optimization approaches.

This does not mean creating separate content for each platform. It means building a web presence that is structured, authoritative, and clear enough to perform everywhere. Our coverage of GEO vs SEO explains how these strategies work together.

10. Small Businesses That Move Fast Will Win Big

Here is the honest truth: the vast majority of small businesses have not adapted to any of these changes. They are still running the same SEO playbook from 2022. That creates an enormous opportunity for the businesses willing to invest in modern search optimization right now.

Six months from now, the early movers will have established visibility across multiple search platforms while their competitors are still figuring out what GEO stands for.

Checking Our January Predictions

For accountability, here is a quick scorecard on our January predictions:

• AI Overviews expansion: Called it. They are expanding faster than most expected.
• Perplexity growth: Spot on. The user base has more than doubled.
• Content quality premium: Accurate. High-quality, original content continues to outperform generic AI output.
• Local SEO importance: Correct, but the intensity surprised us. The competition increase in mid-size markets was faster than anticipated.

The second half of 2025 is going to move fast. The businesses that stay ahead of these trends will own the search landscape heading into 2026.

Want to make sure your business is ready for what is coming? Schedule a strategy session and we will build a plan that keeps you ahead of the curve.