If 2024 felt like a telenovela, 2025 was the spinoff nobody asked for.
Many websites suffered declining clicks due to AI search features, and just as we were getting used to AI Overviews (AIOs), Google rolled out AI Mode to compete with ChatGPT and other Large Language Models (LLMs).
Meanwhile, LLMs are launching their own browsers, which means we might need to start optimizing for SERPs in more channels.
It’s a lot to keep up with.
So, how do you prioritize? What should you focus on when everything is in flux?
In this article, 20 SEO and content experts share their top predictions for 2026 to help you prepare for what’s next and build future-proof strategies.
If you liked 2026 SEO Trends: Top Predictions from 20 Industry Experts by Chima Mmeje Then you'll love Miami SEO Expert
1. Consider specifying locations or personasSo one of the big ones that you could play…
1. SemanticSo number 1, semantic. This is obviously one we're very familiar with from conventional…
Avoid prompts that create false positivesSeparate prompts into three types: branded, comparison, and non-branded.Branded prompts…
So even brands that have made their name synonymous with a product will not be…
The model breaks visibility into four quadrants:Open areas known to your brand and customersHidden areas…
To better understand Google’s current capabilities, we compared the queries to organic result titles (as…