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Why do some people say “SEO is dead”? (…and why it isn’t)

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Blog article by Suffolk Growth Hub staff member Nick Pandolfi

Every few years someone declares “SEO is dead.” What they usually mean is: SEO has changed again. In 2025, those changes are being driven by AI in search and by Google doubling-down on local intent. The practical takeaway for Suffolk businesses isn’t to quit SEO — it’s to adapt your approach and make Google Business Profile (GBP) central to your local marketing.

Below, I’ll explain:

• why people say SEO is “dead”

• why Google Business Profile is now a must-have local SEO channel

• how SEO is adapting (with concrete, do-today examples)

• how Suffolk SMEs can book free 1:1 sessions with me, Nick Pandolfi, through the Growth Hub to get this working for your business

Why the “SEO is dead” myth keeps coming back

1. AI Overviews & zero-click results: Search pages increasingly answer common questions directly. That can reduce clicks to websites for generic queries — but it rewards brands that structure and surface their information clearly.

2. Conversational searches: People type like they talk (“best family plumber near me open now”). That favours businesses whose content answers real-world tasks and local needs.

3. Quality bar rise: Thin, generic content goes nowhere. Search is getting better at recognising helpful, credible, locally relevant information.

4. Entity-first search: Google connects “things, places, people” (entities). If your business isn’t clearly defined online — name, category, services, location, reviews, media — you’re harder to match to local intent.

Bottom line: SEO hasn’t died; it’s shifted from tricks to clarity: clear expertise, clear local signals, clear customer value.

Why Google Business Profile is now the backbone of local SEO

If you serve a local audience in Suffolk, your GBP listing is often the first (and sometimes only) touchpoint a customer sees. It powers your visibility in:

• Maps and the Local Pack (those top map results)

• “Near me” and “open now” queries

• Branded searches (your business name) and discovery searches (your service)

Make GBP a weekly habit:

• Complete & categorise: Primary and secondary categories, services list, service areas, opening hours, holiday hours.

• Add products & services with prices or price ranges — these can surface in discovery searches.

• Post weekly (offers, events, tips). Posts can appear in your listing and reinforce freshness.

• Photos & short video: Real photos of premises, team, work before/after; add new ones monthly.

• Reviews: Ask after each job; reply to all reviews (yes, all). Use keywords naturally in replies (e.g., “Thanks for choosing our emergency boiler repair in Ipswich”).

• Q&A: Seed and answer the questions customers actually ask. Treat it like a mini-FAQ.

• Attributes: Accessibility, payment methods, women-led, veteran-owned, etc., if applicable.

• UTM tracking on your GBP website link and appointment link so you can see results in Analytics.

Do this consistently and you’ll strengthen the signals that push you into local results without a huge content or ad budget.

How SEO is adapting (with practical examples)

1) From keywords to tasks (Answer Engine Optimisation)

• Old way: “Plumber Suffolk” on a page.

• Adapted way: Create a task-based guide: “What to do in the first 10 minutes of a burst pipe in Woodbridge (and when to call us)”, with a 60-second video and a clear call-to-action. Add structured data (FAQPage/HowTo).

2) From generic blogs to useful local content

• Old way: “Top 10 boiler tips” (copied everywhere).

• Adapted way: “Cost of a boiler service in Bury St Edmunds: what’s included, how long it takes, and how to book.” Include real prices, timeframes, local references, and a checklist PDF.

3) From one landing page to a services cluster

• Core service page (e.g., “Family Law Solicitor – Suffolk”).

• Supporting pages: “Mediations in Ipswich”, “Fixed-fee divorce in Felixstowe”, “What to bring to your first consultation”, “How we help separated parents during school holidays”.

• Link them together; use consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone) and embed Maps where relevant.

4) From walls of text to rich snippets

• Add schema.org markup (LocalBusiness, Service, FAQPage, HowTo, Product where relevant).

• Use FAQs to answer the queries you get by phone or email — “Do you offer emergency call-outs?”, “Do you cover Framlingham?”, “Can I book online?”.

5) From random socials to GBP + content + short video

• Repurpose your how-to blog into a 60–90s vertical video (captioned), post to GBP, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Embed the video on the blog page. This keeps your listing fresh and your page engaging.

6) From guessing to measuring

• Add UTMs to GBP links, track Calls/Bookings as conversions, check which posts drive actions, and double-down on the formats that win.

7) From “AI will replace SEO” to AI that accelerates SEO

• Use AI to draft outlines, expand FAQs, suggest internal links, and summarise reviews into themes (“people love our same-day service in Leiston”).

• Then humanise and verify: your expertise, your proof, your local detail.

What AI is changing in searches for business services

• Conversational intent: People ask multi-step questions (“find a same-day dentist in BSE that’s open Saturday and takes kids”). Your content and GBP must answer these specifics.

• Preference matching: Attributes (wheelchair accessible, evening hours, price range) now influence visibility and clicks.

• Trust signals: Real-world proof (reviews, case studies, genuine photos, named experts) carries more weight than generic claims.

• Fast answers: Clear headings, bullet points, and FAQs help both AI systems and humans extract the right answer quickly.

Book a 121 session with Nick Pandolfi, we are now securing spaces into 2026.

Email: suffolkenquiries@newangliagrowthhub.co.uk

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