SEO is NOT Dead in 2025: Why Photographers Shouldn’t Panic

Lately, I’ve been hearing a lot of photographers freaking out about SEO. “Google is dying! AI is taking over! My traffic is dropping!” Sound familiar? If so, take a deep breath. SEO is NOT dead in 2025.

This post was inspired by a recent chat I had with Marta May Photography. We talked about the rising panic among photographers who are seeing shifts in their website traffic and worrying that AI is replacing traditional search. But here’s the truth: your clients are NOT using AI search tools the way you think they are.

Photographers – especially those deep into marketing – tend to overestimate how tech-savvy their clients are. Sure, you might be playing around with ChatGPT or Perplexity, testing prompts, and analysing trends, but your clients? Most of them are still Googling “best wedding photographer in [city]” or “[venue] wedding photographer” just like they did last year.

The real problem isn’t that AI is killing SEO. The problem is that SEO is evolving (as it always has), and many photographers aren’t adapting. Instead of panicking over AI search engines, you should be focusing on making your brand discoverable wherever people are searching – whether that’s Google, Instagram, Pinterest, or even AI-powered search tools.

Why the “SEO is Dead” Myth is Wrong

Every few years, a new technology emerges, and people start shouting that SEO is dead. It happened when social media took off. It happened when voice search became popular. And now, with AI-powered search engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Grok, the same panic is making the rounds.

But here’s the reality: SEO isn’t dead – it’s just evolving. And photographers who adapt will continue to thrive.

Search behaviour is changing, but one thing remains the same: people still need to find photographers. Brides and grooms aren’t suddenly turning to AI chatbots to book their wedding photographer. Parents searching for a newborn photographer aren’t asking Grok to generate a photo session. People still rely on search engines to find real professionals, read reviews, and make informed decisions.

Yes, AI is reshaping how information is presented. Some search queries now get instant AI-generated summaries. But where does that information come from? From blogs, websites, and user-generated content – just like yours. AI doesn’t create knowledge from thin air; it pulls from what already exists on the web.

So, if you’ve been investing in high-quality content, optimised pages, and a strong brand presence, you’re already ahead of the game. SEO isn’t disappearing – it’s just shifting, and the photographers who stay visible across different search platforms will be the ones booking more clients.

The REAL Purpose of SEO (that hasn’t changed)

Alright, let’s get one thing straight – SEO is not just about ranking #1 on Google and feeling smug about it. It’s about getting the right eyeballs on your website and turning those visitors into paying clients. That’s the goal. Always has been.

But here’s where a lot of photographers get confused…

Some people will tell you that high traffic doesn’t matter if it’s not leading to immediate bookings. But that’s only half the story.

Let’s say you write a blog post titled “10 Dreamy Wedding Photo Poses”, and suddenly, you’re pulling in thousands of visitors a month. Are all of these people ready to book you? Probably not – many of them are brides looking for inspiration or photographers searching for ideas. But this kind of content still plays a massive role in SEO.

• More traffic = better engagement signals → Google sees that your site is active, useful, and relevant.
• More eyeballs = more shares and backlinks → If your content is valuable, people might link to it, boosting your domain authority.
• More visibility = brand recognition → Even if they don’t book today, they remember your name when they are ready.

Now, compare that to ranking for “Best wedding photographer in [your city]” – fewer clicks, but every single one is a potential client. This is what we call high-intent traffic, and it’s crucial.

So, what’s the best approach?

Both. You want a mix of content that:

• Drives broad traffic and builds authority (like tips, inspiration, and educational posts)
• Targets high-intent keywords that convert (like location-based or service-specific pages)

The key to winning SEO in 2025 isn’t obsessing over just one type of traffic – it’s being visible in multiple ways. Whether your dream clients find you through Google, an AI search engine, social media, or a well-placed backlink, the result is the same: they end up on your website, and they see YOU as the expert to book.

SEO hasn’t changed. It’s still about getting found, building trust, and making money. It just requires a smarter, more balanced approach than before.

AI Search Engines Still Need Content

AI-powered search engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Grok are shaking things up, but here’s the truth: they don’t create knowledge – they collect it from websites like yours. AI isn’t some all-knowing entity. It still needs real content from real experts to function.

So, if you stop blogging and creating content, AI won’t stop answering people’s questions – it’ll just pull information from someone else. And that someone could be your competitor. That’s why SEO isn’t dead – it’s just evolving.

An you know what… we always talk about Google, but when was the last time you checked Bing? Long story short ChatGPT most of it’s AI searches do via Bing… guess why

How Photographers Can Use AI to Their Advantage

Instead of worrying about AI taking over, make it work for you:

• Keep publishing valuable content – blog posts, guides, and galleries. The more quality content you create, the more likely AI search tools will reference you.
• Show up everywhere – Google, social media, online directories, guest blogs. AI pulls from multiple sources, so don’t rely on just one.
• Use AI as a tool, not a replacement – for brainstorming content ideas, improving marketing, or speeding up editing, but never at the cost of your unique style and expertise.

How Photographers Should Adapt Their SEO in 2025

SEO isn’t dead – it’s just playing a different game now. And if you adapt, you won’t just survive; you’ll thrive. Here’s how to stay ahead in 2025 without losing your mind (or your rankings):

The Bottom Line

If SEO didn’t work, do you really think I’d waste my time talking about it? I’d be off sipping margaritas somewhere, not building this community and giving you free courses like Posts Remastered. I wouldn’t be here banging on about keywords, Google updates, and AI search engines – I’d be doing literally anything else.

But here’s the thing: SEO works. It’s evolving, sure, but it’s still one of the best ways to get found, booked, and paid. That’s why I’m here, why wplove exists, and why I keep sharing these strategies.

So, the choice is yours: adapt and thrive, or ignore it and wonder why your competitors are getting booked instead. Your dream clients are searching. Make sure when they do, they find YOU. 🚀

Oh, and if you haven’t joined this free community yet, now’s the time. And yes – share it with your photography and videography friends. Or really, anyone who needs it. Just bear in mind – I’m laser-focused on my niche photography and WordPress, so if your mate Dave, superhero accountant, is struggling with his startup, he might be a bit lost. 😉