BrightonSEO 2025 offered more than fresh sea air, inspiring talks, and sunshine; it presented an attractive blueprint for how digital marketers, agencies, and brand leaders should think about search, content, and AI in the year ahead.
Digital visibility is shifting rapidly, and that was clear. However, the overall message was simple: what worked yesterday won't work tomorrow.
The brands and agencies that thrive will be those that evolve strategically, swiftly, and across multiple channels.
Here’s what stood out most to us at Ecrubox:
1. EEAT Signals Are the New Trust Currency
—Speaker: Emma Elizabeth Byne
EEAT (Expertise, Experience, Authority, and Trustworthiness) may not be a direct Google ranking factor, but it's undeniably influencing how content is perceived and surfaced.
To stand out, your content must feel human-first; rooted in real experience and presented by credible voices. Clear author bios, external references, and proof of real-world authority (like media mentions or case studies) are all signals that reinforce trust.
Our take? EEAT should be woven across your brand ecosystem, from blog content to social captions. Content credibility isn’t just for Google; it builds customer trust.
2. Search is No Longer Just Google
—Speaker: Ray Saddiq
Search has become multi-channel by design. Your audience might begin their journey on Google, but it might just as easily start on TikTok, Reddit, or YouTube.
What does this mean for marketers? You need to build a presence where your audience is asking questions, forming opinions, and looking for solutions. Each channel requires bespoke content, yet everything must tie back to a cohesive strategy.
At Ecrubox, we’re leaning into multi-format storytelling that serves both the searcher and the scroll.
3. The Rise of Conversational Search & LLMs
—Speaker: Baruch Toldano
The way people search is shifting from keyword stabs to long-form, nuanced questions. This is being driven in part by LLMs like ChatGPT, where users expect tailored, contextual answers rather than links to websites.
While traffic from these models is still unpredictable, brand mentions within AI responses are becoming valuable touchpoints. Savvy brands are already adapting content formats to ensure they’re part of this evolving conversation.
4. Agency Roundtable Insights: AI, Automation & New Business
Led by wavesconnects.com
Our MD, Sarah-Jane Walker joined an insightful Agency Leadership Roundtable, where 20+ founders shared open perspectives under Chatham House rules. Two key themes emerged:
AI Adoption:
AI is no longer a luxury, it's an operational must-have. Founders agreed: if you have a process, it can be automated. From advanced prompting to system-level API integrations, agencies are exploring how AI can streamline internal ops, enhance outputs, and reduce manual error. Platforms like Hugging Face are accelerating this shift, offering plug-and-play models ready for integration.
Lead Generation:
While some agencies reported strong growth, others are finding new business increasingly tough. AI-generated outreach has become white noise, making meaningful, human-led connections more important than ever. Podcasts, curated in-person events, and thought-leader-led panels are proving effective for nurturing genuine relationships.
At Ecrubox, this affirms the work we’re already doing, using our own Her Next Move podcast, live selling expertise, and in-person client events to connect, educate, and convert.
5. Unlocking the Power of Paid Social & Live Shopping
BrightonSEO 2025 didn’t shy away from the future of commerce this year, paid social and live shopping finally took centre stage. These channels are no longer “nice-to-haves”, they’re important drivers of both discovery and conversion in today’s fast-paced digital environment.
Our very own Marketing Director and resident live shopping expert, Lucy Norris, delivered a standout session that explored how brands can harness the unique power of live commerce to drive engagement, accelerate purchasing decisions, and build deeper brand loyalty. Her talk unpacked the full funnel impact of integrating live video into paid strategies, showing how the immediacy and interactivity of live shopping can outperform traditional ad formats, especially on platforms like TikTok, Meta, and YouTube.
With more consumers craving real-time connection and authenticity, the future of search and selling lies in blending entertainment with e-commerce. At Ecrubox, we're already helping brands innovate in this space, crafting scroll-stopping live content that performs and converts.
Final Word: Strategy Meets Sunshine
BrightonSEO continues to prove why it’s the UK’s premier search and content marketing event. Whether it was discussing the role of multi-channel strategies, the influence of LLMs, or how to navigate the real-world tension between AI and authenticity, the conference was rich in insight and soaked in literal sunshine.
Looking to adapt your marketing for this new era?
We’re already helping brands evolve their search visibility, streamline content workflows with AI, live shopping, paid ads and PPC that help to build authority across platforms. Let’s chat about how we can help you stay ahead.
Contact lucy@ecrubox.com