Attending BrightonSEO is always a highlight of the year for our team at Innermedia, and the October 2025 conference certainly did not disappoint. The event once again brought together some of the brightest minds in digital marketing, offering fresh perspectives, innovative ideas and practical takeaways to help marketers stay ahead of the curve. It also backed up our recent blog by proving that SEO is nowhere near dead.
As you might expect, AI dominated much of the discussion this year, with speakers exploring how artificial intelligence is reshaping search, content creation and user experience. There was also a strong focus on trust, authority and the human element that underpins every successful SEO strategy.
AI and the Future of Search
It is clear that AI is transforming how people discover and interact with information online. Search is no longer limited to blue links on a results page. Instead, users are finding answers through AI assistants, social platforms and emerging answer engines that generate summaries directly within search results.
This shift highlights the importance of creating content that is conversational, current and built around genuine user intent. Search engines and AI tools are rewarding brands that anticipate multiple stages of a user’s journey rather than simply answering one question.
The Growing Importance of Backlinks and Brand Mentions
One of the standout insights from this year’s sessions was that backlinks are more important than ever. AI systems now value off-page citations up to three times higher than signals from your own website. In other words, what others say about your brand carries significant weight.
Building strong backlinks and encouraging credible brand mentions should remain at the heart of any SEO or digital PR strategy. This includes features in reputable publications, positive reviews and user-generated discussions across platforms such as Reddit and education forums.
Trust, E-E-A-T and User Signals
Despite advances in AI, only eight per cent of users say they always trust AI-generated results. That makes trust signals more valuable than ever. Websites that display reviews, awards, accreditations and clear authorship are more likely to be viewed as authoritative by both users and algorithms.
The focus on E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness) remains central to successful SEO. Ensuring that content is written or reviewed by identifiable experts helps both search engines and users to trust the information provided.
Keeping Content Fresh and Relevant
Another clear message was the need for consistent content updates. AI answer engines often prioritise newer material, with up to 30 per cent of ChatGPT responses checking for a year reference within the content. Including time-specific phrases such as “Best schools in 2025” can signal relevance and boost visibility in AI-generated results.
Regular updates to cornerstone content, along with timely posts that reflect current topics and trends, help keep websites competitive across traditional and AI-driven discovery channels.
Looking Ahead
At Innermedia, we will be incorporating these insights into our ongoing SEO strategies. BrightonSEO once again proved that while technology continues to evolve at an incredible pace, the foundations of good SEO remain the same: create valuable content, earn trust and build genuine connections with your audience.
We will be sharing more detailed insights and data from the conference with our SEO team in the coming weeks, along with video replays of the talks for anyone keen to explore further.
If you would like to discuss how these trends could shape your own digital marketing strategy, get in touch with our SEO specialists today.
