TL;DR: SEO and WordPress in 2025: Lessons Entrepreneurs Must Learn
2025 ushered in transformative changes for SEO and WordPress, with AI reshaping search and content landscapes significantly. Entrepreneurs had to pivot quickly to adapt to these innovations.
• SEO shifts: AI-focused strategies like GEO (Generative Engine Optimization), thematic content, and brand trust became critical, as Google’s AI-powered overviews reduced clicks.
• WordPress adaptation: WordPress 6.9 introduced AI tools like Abilities API and AI workflows, boosting efficiency but sparking controversy with platform restrictions.
• Challenges: Marketers faced issues like blocked rank trackers, declining click-through rates, and confusion around AI optimization standards.
To stay competitive in 2026, entrepreneurs should prioritize branding, thematic content creation, AI tools, and multi-channel strategies. Want effective tips? Join a community of trailblazers at Fe/male Switch.
Check out other fresh news that you might like:
AI News: How Startup Lessons and SEO Tips from Search Central Live Dubai Drive Innovation in 2026
Startup News 2026: Guide with Tips and Benefits of Recursive Language Models for Founders
Startup News: How to Boost AI SEO in 2026 with Hostinger’s Playbook and Key Mistakes
Startup News 2026: How to Earn Respect by Avoiding These 8 Conversation Mistakes
Review of 2025: Highlights & Lowlights for SEO (& WordPress)
2025 marked a transformative year for SEO and WordPress, with artificial intelligence (AI) driving seismic shifts in digital marketing and content strategies. As someone who has navigated the challenging world of entrepreneurship, I can firmly state that this year challenged even the most seasoned professionals. To stay ahead, entrepreneurs and creators needed to adopt sharp strategies and embrace rapid changes. Let’s dive into the pivotal moments that reshaped the world of SEO and WordPress in 2025. This review doesn’t just analyze trends, it offers lessons and insights you can use to future-proof your business.
What Were the Key SEO Changes in 2025?
SEO continued its evolution, but 2025 posed some distinct challenges and opportunities for digital marketers and entrepreneurs alike. Here’s a breakdown of the most notable developments:
- GEO (Generative Engine Optimization): The rise of AI in search caused the industry to coin the term GEO, which focuses on optimizing for next-gen AI-powered search models like Google’s AI Overviews. While many debated whether this warranted a separate framework, businesses that implemented GEO strategies saw significant gains in AI-generated visibility.
- AI Overviews Changing the SERP Landscape: Google pushed AI-powered summaries to the forefront, significantly affecting traffic patterns. Publishers noticed an increase in impressions but a sharp decline in clicks, making zero-click search strategies more crucial than ever.
- Thematic Search Evolution: Keywords took a backseat to thematic and context-rich content, driven by Google’s adaptation of large language models (LLMs). Search results were grouped into themes, meaning brands needed to create interconnected and semantically rich content.
- Google Gets Selective About Brands: Danny Sullivan of Google emphasized that branded searches and online reputation are key signals. This meant businesses needed to focus on building trust and authority digitally rather than relying on outdated SEO tricks.
Entrepreneurs must now think beyond traditional SEO tactics and prepare for a future where context and brand trust drive rankings. As outlined on Search Engine Journal, GEO wasn’t just a buzzword, it became a necessity for staying relevant in AI-driven search results.
How Did WordPress Adapt to AI in 2025?
WordPress proved its resilience by stepping into the AI spotlight. The launch of WordPress 6.9 introduced groundbreaking tools aimed at making AI integration seamless for creators. These updates didn’t just simplify workflows, they redefined how websites deliver dynamic, personalized experiences.
- Abilities API: This new API enabled plugins to register specialized features in a way AI tools could easily discover. Imagine a plugin automatically optimizing for conversational assistants, this became reality.
- AI Workflows for Content Creation: Entrepreneurs and freelancers could now benefit from AI-powered content suggestions directly within WordPress, reducing repetitive tasks and improving productivity.
- WordPress vs WP Engine Feud: 2025 wasn’t devoid of drama. When Automattic locked WP Engine users out of premium plugins, the digital community erupted. While their aggressive tactics hurt their image, WordPress pushed forward to become even more creator-centric.
Businesses using WordPress now had access to cutting-edge features, but not without controversy. As an entrepreneur, I see these tools as powerful aids, but also as reminders to diversify and avoid dependency on any single ecosystem.
What Were the Biggest SEO Lowlights in 2025?
Not everything progressed smoothly in 2025. While AI brought incredible innovations, it also introduced challenges. Here’s what didn’t work as planned:
- Blocked Rank Trackers: Google’s modifications to search parameters restricted external tools, leaving marketers with limited insight into rank tracking. This frustrated businesses that relied on real-time SEO analytics for adjustments.
- Declining Click-through Rates: The push towards AI summaries left less incentive for users to visit websites. Publishers and SEOs across the board reported dropping traffic, forcing businesses to rethink their conversion strategies.
- Confusion Around GEO Standards: While GEO optimization was promoted, a lack of clear definitions created widespread misapplication. Entrepreneurs, including myself, were left wondering which strategies truly aligned with new AI search paradigms.
These lowlights are stark reminders that over-reliance on external platforms is risky. As business owners, we must create multi-platform strategies that aren’t dependent on just Google or WordPress.
How Can Entrepreneurs Prepare for 2026?
If 2025 taught us anything, it’s that adaptability is essential. Here’s my advice for staying ahead of the curve:
- Invest in branding and trust signals. Becoming a recognized and trusted authority in your niche will protect your rankings as AI search evolves.
- Create context-rich, thematic content. Align your topics holistically to ensure AI understands the relationships between your content pieces.
- Adopt AI tools for efficiency. Leverage plugins and systems like those introduced in WordPress 6.9 to build productivity without compromising quality.
- Focus on multi-channel traffic sources. Organic search is crucial, but diversifying with email marketing, paid ads, and social platforms will provide stability if search traffic declines.
2025 may have been a year of challenges, but it also brought new opportunities to innovate. As entrepreneurs, it’s vital that we embrace change, leverage emerging technologies carefully, and build sustainable growth strategies. The lessons from this year will resonate for years to come.
Want to learn how to prepare your business for the future of SEO and content creation? Join me at Fe/male Switch, where we help visionary founders excel in the ever-changing world of tech.
FAQ on 2025: Highlights & Lowlights for SEO & WordPress
1. What was the biggest change in SEO strategies in 2025?
The introduction of GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) was a major shift. It reflected the optimization required for AI-driven search models like Google’s AI Overviews. This strategy helped businesses gain visibility in AI-powered search results. Explore details about GEO
2. How did AI Overviews impact website traffic in 2025?
AI Overviews significantly altered the SERP (Search Engine Results Page) by providing summaries directly on Google, leading to increased impressions but a marked decline in clicks. Zero-click search strategies became essential for publishers. Discover more about AI Overviews
3. What role did thematic content play in SEO during 2025?
Thematic content gained importance, as Google’s modification of large language models (LLMs) grouped search results by themes. Businesses had to create interconnected, context-rich content to improve digital visibility. Learn more about thematic content strategies
4. How did WordPress adapt to AI integration in 2025?
WordPress introduced version 6.9, making AI integration seamless with tools like the Abilities API, which enhanced plugin and AI compatibility, and AI-powered content workflows for creators. Explore WordPress 6.9 AI tools
5. What controversies arose within the WordPress ecosystem in 2025?
Automattic, WordPress's parent company, locked WP Engine users out of premium plugins, leading to widespread criticism. The feud showcased the risks of dependency on single platforms. Understand the WordPress vs WP Engine feud
6. What were the most significant SEO challenges in 2025?
Challenges included Google blocking rank trackers, declining website traffic due to AI Overviews, and widespread confusion about correctly implementing GEO standards. Check out these challenges in detail
7. How did Google prioritize branding in SEO rankings?
Google stressed branded searches and user trust as key ranking signals. Businesses had to focus on authority and digital trust rather than traditional hacks. Learn about Google’s branding focus
8. What SEO strategies should entrepreneurs prioritize for 2026?
Entrepreneurs should focus on branding and trust, thematic content creation, adopting AI tools, and diversifying traffic sources to prepare for future SEO trends. Discover tips for 2026 SEO strategies
9. Were there any notable Google patents or research papers in 2025?
Yes, advancements like thematic search grouping, history-based personalization, and the "MUVERA" algorithm showcased Google’s innovation in context-driven search and LLM integration. Dive into Google’s AI advancements
10. Is it possible to future-proof a business amid SEO changes?
Focusing on branding, contextually rich content, AI adoption, and multi-platform strategies can help businesses withstand the rapid shifts in SEO and search engine technologies. Learn how to future-proof your SEO strategies
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the “gamepreneurship” methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond, launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks and is building MELA AI to help local restaurants in Malta get more visibility online.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the point of view of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.