How are keyword strategies changing in 2025?

Keyword strategies are focused on driving organic traffic from search results to your website. But, as with every part of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) these strategies are evolving and adapting. But how are keyword strategies changing in 2025? And how can your business stay up to date with these changes?

What are keyword strategies?

When thinking about the SEO for your website, a keyword strategy will be something that you read about frequently. But what exactly is it? Well, this is the process of identifying search terms and phrases that are relevant to your business. This can range from short and direct phrases like “plumbers in Preston”, to longer phrases like “how to choose a new boiler”, or “why is my sink leaking?”.

As you can tell, these are phrases that potential customers or clients may enter into Google or other search engines to either directly find a business in their area, or to find more information about a topic relevant to a service or product that you provide. By targeting these keywords, you can aim to appear as high up as possible in search results when someone searches for something related to what you offer. This means that your keyword strategy should include a combination of keyword types, both short and long, to drive the most traffic to your website.

A good keyword strategy will take into account what your potential customers or clients are searching for, and you should analyse which of these terms can actually drive more traffic and sales to your business. It’s also important to ensure that these keywords fit naturally into your content. This can be achieved by grouping keywords by topic, and applying these across your website, blogs, and social media.

How are keyword strategies changing in 2025?

While the general rules of a good keyword strategy still apply, keyword strategies are changing and evolving in 2025 in a number of different ways, including:

Search intent- One of the biggest changes to keyword strategy is search intent. Google no longer uses exact match for connecting a search term to the relevant websites, and instead focuses on the search intent behind the query. This is something that you must incorporate into your keyword strategy by focusing on creating content that targets your users needs, questions, and goals.

Long tailed question keywords- While long tailed keywords have always been important, their role has shifted in recent months. With more people using voice assistants, AI assistants, and mobile search, natural, sentence style keywords are now essential for your business to appear in a range of search results, not just Google’s index.

The role of AI and machine learning- Google’s AI tools (like BERT and MUM) better understand context and meaning. This means that your keyword strategy will need to focus more on topics and themes, rather than just repeating key phrases.

Topical authority- Websites that cover a topic in-depth and build trust in their niche are more likely to rank. It’s not about one keyword per page anymore, it’s about building a content cluster around related keywords.

Local searches- Especially on mobile, users are searching for local results. This includes using location-based keywords that you should be targeting as part of your SEO strategy. For this, keeping Google Business Profiles updated is essential.

Why are keyword strategies changing?

So why are these keyword strategies changing? And what do you need to be aware of to succeed online? Well, there are number of reasons, including:

The rise of AI tools like ChatGPT- People are increasingly using AI assistants to ask questions and get instant answers, rather than typing short phrases into Google. This changes how content is discovered, and means that your keywords now need to reflect real, conversational language.

Voice search is on the rise- With smart speakers, mobile devices, and wearables, more people are speaking their queries out loud. That means searches are longer, more natural sounding, and often phrased as questions. Keyword strategies need to adapt to match this tone.

Search engines are getting smarter- Tools like Google’s BERT and MUM updates understand context better than ever before. They can tell when content is genuinely helpful, so outdated tactics like keyword stuffing no longer work. Instead, it’s more important to focus on relevance and depth.

User expectations have changed- People no longer expect to wade through a list of websites that may have the relevant information they are looking for. Instead, they expect fast, accurate answers, sometimes without even clicking through to a website. This is why optimising for featured snippets, FAQs, and structured content has become a key part of keyword strategy.

How can your business stay on top of keyword changes?

As keyword strategies evolve, it’s essential that your business adapts if you want to stay visible and competitive. So what can you do? Well, there are several steps to take, including:

Regularly reviewing and refreshing your keyword research- Trends shift quickly, so revisit your keyword list often. Use tools like Google Trends, SEMrush, or Ahrefs to spot changes in what your audience is searching for. Keep an eye on new questions, long-tail keywords, and seasonal shifts.

Focus on user intent, not just search volume- Instead of just targeting high traffic terms, tailor your content to the user intent, by creating content that solves real problems or answers common questions in your niche.

Update and expand your content- Don’t just publish once and forget it. Regularly update your web pages and blog posts with fresh information, better structure, and new relevant keywords.

Optimise for voice and conversational search- Include question-based phrases and natural language in your content. Think about how someone might say their query aloud, especially with tools like Alexa or Siri.

Stay informed- Follow SEO blogs, join webinars, or work with digital marketing experts who keep track of algorithm updates and industry shifts.

Here at Pumpkin Web Design, we are Preston’s leading web design and web marketing experts. From SEO to content, we are the team you can count on for your businesses online success. Why not get in touch today to find out more?