SEO insights from the Web Almanac 2025

Together, Jack, Chris and Amaka, discuss the process behind writing the SEO chapter of the web almanac, trends in SEO, impacts of AI and LLM crawlers, structured data adoption, and the importance of resisting hype in the SEO industry.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amaka-chukwuma-jubilee/

• Website: ⁠https://www.torquepartnership.com/⁠

• LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisgreenseo/⁠

• Bluesky: ⁠https://bsky.app/profile/chris-green.net

The SEO Chapter of the web almanac 2025: ⁠https://almanac.httparchive.org/en/2025/seo

The discussion opened with the notion that SEO fundamentals remain crucial amidst the rapidly evolving digital landscape. Techniques like structured data, metadata, and semantic markup continue to play a vital role in making content accessible and understandable for both humans and bots. Despite the technological hype, these foundational elements are essential for stability in SEO practices.

Chris Green emphasised that while the web shows maturity in adhering to these fundamentals, there’s still significant progress to be made. A surprising element in this year's data is the inconsistency in implementing markup across various sites, highlighting the persistence of legacy issues and the slow adoption of new standards.

A major talking point was the rise of AI crawlers and the implications of AI on SEO strategies. The panel noted a shift in focus towards controlling AI crawlers through robots.txt files, which indicates a growing awareness and reaction to AI’s expanding role.

Importantly, the discussion pointed out that the adoption of LLMs (Large Language Models) is still in its infancy, with a modest 2% adoption rate, suggesting that the tangible benefits and enforcement by major AI labs are yet to be fully realised.

Another critical area discussed was the influence of CMS platforms in shaping SEO standards.

The podcast highlighted how platforms like WordPress and SEO plugins like Yoast and All in One SEO significantly contribute to the implementation of schema and other critical SEO elements.

Their impact underscores the importance of CMS setups in the broader SEO context, often automating the 'tidying' of the web without the need for site owners’ direct involvement.

Despite the advancements, the Chris and Amaka acknowledged the persistence of microdata and other outdated practices, mostly stemming from unaddressed legacy configurations. The importance of updating and managing these elements was stressed, as they could potentially impact the evolving SEO landscape negatively if left unchecked.

Both Amaka and Chris raised important points about the future trajectory of SEO.

While AI agents pose challenges and raise questions about the no-website future, there's also the potential for a reshaping of how content is accessed and utilised across different platforms.

They suggest a careful approach to adopting new technologies, ensuring that they are implemented with best practices in mind.

In summary, the SEO chapter of the Web Almanac 2025 paints a picture of cautious optimism.

It underscores a period of stability where foundational practices still matter, despite the ongoing influx of new AI-driven technologies.

While the year 2026 promises further evolution and challenges, it also offers opportunities for SEOs to adapt, influence, and grow alongside these changes.