Written by the Gekkoshot team, SEO specialists helping Belfast businesses grow online for over 10 years
If you’ve heard rumors that search engine optimisation (SEO) is dead in 2025, you’re not alone. Many business owners in Belfast and beyond are skeptical about SEO’s value nowadays. At Gekkoshot, we’ve spent years working closely with local businesses across Northern Ireland, so we’ve seen these doubts before, and we’ve also seen what actually works.
The truth is, SEO is far from dead, but the old ways of doing SEO are. In fact, organic search remains one of the biggest drivers of web traffic (about 53% of all website traffic comes from organic search), and nearly half of all Google searches are looking for a local product or service. So why the confusion? Let’s debunk the myths, look at what’s changed, and see how modern SEO can still send local customers in Belfast to your doorstep.
SEO in 2025: Evolving, Not Obsolete
“Is SEO dead?” becomes a popular question whenever there are major changes in the online space. It’s true that SEO in 2025 is very different from a few years ago. Google’s search results have evolved (with features like rich snippets and AI-generated answers), and users can also find information on platforms like TikTok, YouTube, or voice assistants. These shifts make it seem like traditional SEO doesn’t matter as much.
However, what’s really happening is that SEO is evolving, not dying. Google still processes billions of searches per day, and it’s still the primary way people find information online. The businesses who feel “SEO is dead” are often the ones who haven’t updated their strategies. Struggling to get traffic? It’s likely your tactics need a refresh, not that SEO is dead. Search engines have gotten smarter, and they now reward quality over quantity (or gimmicks).
Outdated SEO Tactics to Leave Behind in 2025
One reason people think SEO has stopped working is because the tricks that worked 5-10 years ago aren’t effective anymore. To succeed today, you need to let go of these outdated SEO tactics:
- Keyword Stuffing: Repeating “Belfast plumber Belfast plumber cheap plumbing Belfast” all over your page used to fool search engines, but now it only hurts you. Google’s algorithms can tell when content is unnaturally packed with keywords. Modern search algorithms prefer natural language and content that actually helps the user, not pages that “feel made for search engines”. If your content reads like a string of keywords rather than a helpful answer, it won’t rank well.
- Low-Effort or Thin Content: Publishing lots of short, low-value blog posts or using auto-generated articles might have been enough in the past, but not anymore. Today, quality beats quantity. Pages that have nothing useful to say (or just copy others) are often filtered out. Google’s updates in recent years, like the “Helpful Content” updates specifically target content created just to game the rankings. In fact, Google announced in 2024 that their algorithms were improved to “reduce unoriginal content in search results”. That means if your website is full of generic or scraped content, it’s likely invisible on Google now.
- Over-Reliance on Backlinks Schemes: Don’t get us wrong, backlinks (other sites linking to you) are still important for SEO. But how you get them matters. Buying a bunch of spammy links, or submitting your site to 1000 directories, used to boost rankings; today, it can earn you a penalty. Google values quality over quantity when it comes to links. A few genuine links from respected local websites will beat hundreds of unnatural links. If your SEO strategy is solely “get as many links as possible” without considering content or relevance, you’re doing it wrong. Modern SEO link building is about earning links with great content and relationships, not link farms.
By moving away from these old habits, you’ll stop spinning your wheels on tactics that no longer deliver. It clears the path to focus on what does work now.
What Modern SEO Looks Like in 2025 (What Does Work)
So if keyword tricks and spammy links don’t cut it, what does successful SEO look like in 2025? The answer is a more holistic, user-focused approach. Here are the key ingredients of modern SEO that drive results today:
Excellent User Experience (UX)
SEO isn’t just about keywords, it’s also about your website’s user experience. Google wants to rank sites that users love visiting. That means your site should load quickly, be mobile-friendly, and easy to work through. A poor UX (slow, cluttered, not mobile-optimised) can hurt your rankings because it frustrates visitors. For example, if a Belfast customer visits your site and it’s too slow or confusing, they’ll leave, and search engines notice that. Focus on clear design, fast loading speeds, and making information easy to find. A good rule of thumb: If your users are happy, Google likely is too.
In-Depth, High-Quality Content
Content is still king, but only if it’s good content. Modern SEO is built on creating valuable, informative content that addresses your audience’s needs. Instead of churning out lots of thin pages, invest time in content depth. This could mean detailed blog posts answering common customer questions, comprehensive guides, or up-to-date articles related to your industry. If you’re a local bakery, for instance, a helpful blog about choosing wedding cake designs or a guide to bread types can attract visitors searching for those topics. High-quality content establishes you as an authority and keeps people on your site longer. It’s also more likely to earn organic backlinks naturally (because people share and reference useful info).
Search Intent Focus
Modern SEO isn’t about what you want to rank for, it’s about what the searcher truly wants. Every Google search has an intent behind it (looking to buy, seeking information, wanting a local service, etc.). Successful SEO in 2025 means aligning your content with search intent. For example, if someone searches “best cafes in Belfast”, their intent is likely to find a place to eat nearby (so a list of top cafes with reviews/address would meet that intent). If someone searches for a question like “how to fix a leaky faucet”, they want a step-by-step solution (so a helpful DIY article or video is ideal or a gentle nudge to your plumbing services if it’s too complex!). By matching the content format and tone to what the user is looking for, you have a much better chance of ranking. This user-centric approach shows search engines that your page is exactly what people need.
Technical Optimisation
Under the hood, you still need a technically sound website. Technical SEO involves making sure search engines can easily find, crawl, and understand your site. This includes basics like having a proper site structure (categories, subpages that make sense), using descriptive page titles and meta descriptions, and creating XML sitemaps for Google. It also means fixing broken links, avoiding duplicate content, and ensuring your site is secure (HTTPS). Technical optimisations might not be glamorous, but they lay the groundwork for everything else. Think of it like keeping the lights on and the doors open for Google’s crawlers. For local businesses, an important technical aspect is optimising for local search: make sure your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) are consistent online, and that you’ve claimed your Google Business Profile. This helps you show up in local map results when people nearby search for services you offer.
E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness)
Google has an acronym in its quality guidelines called E-E-A-T (which stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness). These principles are a cornerstone of modern SEO. In simple terms, E-E-A-T means your website should demonstrate that you know your stuff, you have firsthand experience in your area, you’re a legitimate authority, and you are trustworthy. How do you show that? Some practical ways include:
- Featuring author bios or credentials on your blog posts (to show who is behind the content and why they’re qualified).
- Showcasing customer testimonials, case studies, or reviews (proof that you deliver quality in real life, building trust).
- Keeping content updated and accurate, especially if you’re in fields like healthcare or finance where authority really matters.
Earning mentions or links from other reputable sites or local news (which boosts your perceived authority). - For a Belfast business, E-E-A-T might mean highlighting your years of experience serving the local community, any awards or certifications you have, and encouraging happy customers to leave Google reviews. All of these send trust signals. Bottom line: SEO today is not about tricking Google; it’s about proving to Google (and users) that you are the real deal in your field.
By focusing on the above, you’re aligning your SEO with what search engines currently reward. It’s all about making your website useful, user-friendly, and credible. Do that, and you’ll find SEO is very much alive and delivering results in 2025.
Google’s Algorithms Reward Quality (Stay Up-to-Date)
It’s also important to note that Google continuously updates its algorithm to better serve searchers often multiple times per day. The aim is usually the same: improve search results by rewarding high-quality content and weeding out spam. Google itself has stated, “We’re enhancing Search so you see more useful information, and fewer results that feel made for search engines.” In March 2024, for example, Google rolled out a core update that specifically targeted pages that “have a poor user experience or feel like they were created for search engines instead of people”. These kinds of updates show that if someone’s SEO strategy is stuck in the past (stuffed keywords, doorway pages, low-value content), their rankings will suffer. On the other hand, websites that focus on helpful, people-first content often see gains when Google updates its algorithms.
Staying up-to-date with Google’s official SEO guidance is key. Google’s own documentation and announcements (like their Search Central blog and guidelines) consistently emphasise creating content for people, following best practices, and avoiding sketchy shortcuts.The takeaway for local businesses is: SEO isn’t a one-and-done task. It’s an ongoing process of aligning with what Google and your users expect. When you keep your site updated, secure, and full of genuinely useful information, you’re doing SEO the right way. Not only will you avoid penalties, you’ll actually benefit from algorithm improvements that favor quality.
SEO Isn’t Dead, You Just Need a Modern Strategy
To sum it up, SEO in 2025 is alive and well, but it belongs to those who adapt. If your business in Belfast isn’t seeing results from search, the answer isn’t to abandon SEO; it’s to abandon the old tactics and embrace a smarter SEO strategy. Focus on your users, build trust through quality content and experience, and keep your website in tip-top shape technically. Do this, and you’ll find that SEO can drive more organic traffic and customers than ever.
Feeling unsure about how to make SEO work for you today? We can help. At Gekkoshot, we specialise in modern SEO strategies that align with the latest best practices (and avoid the pitfalls of outdated techniques). Don’t let the “SEO is dead” myth hold back your business growth. With Gekkoshot, our friendly Belfast-based team will review your website and put together an SEO game plan that actually delivers results in 2025. Contact us today to start getting found by the customers who are already searching for what you offer