Written by Harsh Rathi – Digital Marketer
Founder @ Roundtable.harshrathi.com
Let’s be honest…
The old SEO playbook is officially in the trash.
You know the one:
- Stuff keywords
- Write 2,000 words
- Build backlinks
- Pray to Google
Congrats. That strategy now ranks you…
on page “nobody will ever see this again”.
Because in 2025, SEO isn’t really “Search Engine Optimization” anymore.
It’s Search Experience Optimization.
Google changed.
User behavior changed.
AI changed EVERYTHING.
So if you’re still trying to win using 2018 tips from random “experts” on YouTube…
Google is silently laughing at you 😂
Let’s break down what’s dead — and what actually works now 👇
What Used to Work (But Doesn’t Anymore)
I. High-Volume Keywords
Google is basically like:
“Bro, I know you’re trying to rank for best software, relax.”
Search is now hyper-personalized → every user sees a different result.
II. Generic AI Content
When everyone publishes the same ChatGPT mush → nobody wins.
Google wants receipts, not recycled blog soup.
III. Backlinks as the ONLY Authority
You can have 5,000 backlinks…
but if your brand has zero entity recognition → Good luck 🤞
IV. Static Content
2025 = Live data, realtime updates.
Static posts = dead on arrival.
What Actually Works in 2025
I. Become a Recognized Entity (Your Brand Matters More Than Keywords)
Google doesn’t rank pages anymore.
It ranks entities: brands, people, products.
So build:
- A strong author identity
- A real brand knowledge graph
- Connections across the web (mentions, citations, profiles)
If Google knows WHO you are → it knows what you should rank for.
II. Be the Source AI Trusts
AI Overviews are stealing clicks.
But if you’re the cited source → life is good 😎
How?
- Add original data
- Use schema everywhere
- Publish unique visuals & charts
- Run small studies and comparisons
If AI can’t rewrite your content → you win.
III. E-E-A-T Isn’t a Checklist — It’s Your Brand Soul
✅ Show your face
✅ Show your expertise
✅ Show your proof
Add:
- Photos of real work
- Screenshots of dashboards
- Case studies
- Author bio + links + social signals
People trust humans.
Google is learning that too.
IV. Optimize for People, Not Robots
Watch this now 👇
Good content:
✅ Makes people scroll
✅ Makes people click deeper
✅ Makes people take action
Google is now measuring:
- Engagement
- Satisfaction
- Conversions
If your page makes money → Google gives you more traffic.
Simple.
V. Realtime, Programmatic Content = Winner’s Weapon
Imagine:
- Auto-updated pricing tables
- Live fuel price data
- Fleet software comparisons
Google sees:
“Oh wow, fresh + useful + hard to replicate!”
That’s ranking juice 🍹
VI. Multimodal Search (Your New Competitive Edge)
Search isn’t just typing anymore:
- “Show me the best…”
- Snap a pic → find similar
- Voice search
- Short videos in SERPs
If you aren’t:
✅ Embedding videos
✅ Optimizing images
✅ Adding visual schema
✅ Uploading original media
…you’re leaving traffic on the table.
Final Word: SEO Isn’t Dead – Basic SEO Is.
The game evolved.
The tools evolved.
So should you.
If you want traffic, you must:
✅ Build a brand entity
✅ Publish proof-rich content
✅ Focus on user success
✅ Become the trusted source for AI
This is the new SEO.
The fun part?
85% of your competitors are still playing the old game.
So in 2025…
Smarter > Harder 💡
If you enjoyed this breakdown — follow my Roundtable where I’m decoding marketing that actually works:
👉 Roundtable by Harsh – Real strategies. Zero fluff.
Roundtable.harshrathi.com
Drop a comment:
Do you think AI will kill SEO or make it more powerful?
Let’s talk 👇🔥
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