Navigating the New SEO Landscape: 2025 Best Practices

Search Engines Are Changing—But the Goal Is Still the Same

Google and other search engines are always tweaking their algorithms. You won’t always know the exact details of what’s changed, but one thing’s clear: they’re getting better at figuring out what people are actually looking for.

And that means your job is to help them connect the dots between your website and what your customers need.

• They’re reading content more like humans do. Instead of focusing on individual keywords, search engines now try to understand the full meaning behind a question. So forget stuffing “best HVAC Portland” into every other sentence. Think more about how someone might ask a question—and then answer it clearly and naturally.
  
  
• They care more about credibility. Google wants to show people content they can trust. That means Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T) still matter—probably more than ever. If you run a local business, that could mean posting helpful guides, sharing your experience, showing customer reviews, or getting featured by local news or blogs.

• They’re cracking down on shortcuts. Tactics like keyword stuffing, shady backlinks, and other “tricks” won’t work in 2025. In fact, they’ll probably hurt you. Focus on building a solid foundation instead.
  
  
• They personalize more now. Search results are getting more tailored. If someone in Portland searches for “roof repair,” Google will prioritize nearby businesses—even if the searcher doesn’t type “Portland.” That makes local SEO even more important.
  

• Write like a human. If your content feels like something you’d actually say to a customer in person, you’re on the right track. Answer common questions. Offer insights. Be helpful.
  
  
• Get quality backlinks (the right way). You don’t need thousands of links—just a few good ones. Think local: partner with other Portland businesses, get listed in directories, or ask to be included in community roundups.
  
  
• Build topic authority, not just keyword lists. Instead of writing one blog post on “home insulation,” try writing multiple posts that explore different aspects—types of insulation, costs, benefits, how to choose a contractor. That tells search engines, “This site really knows its stuff.”
  
  
• Keep your site healthy. Broken links, slow load times, or messy site structures can hurt your visibility. Run regular checkups and fix problems before they impact your rankings.
  

Your Website Has to Work on Phones—No Exceptions

You’ve heard this before, but let’s say it again: if your website doesn’t work well on mobile, you’re losing traffic. And in 2025, that loss could be even bigger.

More than half of local searches happen on phones. That means when someone’s out and about, looking for a nearby service, you want your business to pop up—and for your site to load quickly, look clean, and work smoothly on a small screen.

• Mobile is now the default. Google doesn’t look at your desktop site first—it checks your mobile version. If something’s missing on mobile (text, images, links), that could hurt your rankings.
  
  
• People won’t wait. If your site takes too long to load, they’ll bounce. Fast-loading pages are non-negotiable now.
  
  
• Mobile design affects trust. Big buttons, easy-to-read text, no annoying popups—these little things make a big difference in how users feel about your site (and your business).
  

• Use responsive design. Your site should adjust automatically to any screen size. If it doesn’t, it’s time for a redesign.
  
  
• Test your site on different phones. Don’t just assume it looks good. Try it on an iPhone, Android, small screen, big screen. Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test too.
  
  
• Shrink image and video file sizes. High-res images are great—until they slow your page down. Compress them to keep things quick without sacrificing quality.



• Design for thumbs. Make sure buttons and menus are easy to tap. No one wants to pinch and zoom just to fill out a contact form.
  

Google Is Watching How People Use Your Site

It’s not just about having great content anymore. It’s about how people interact with your site. Search engines are looking at real user behavior to decide which pages deserve top spots.

If someone clicks your site in the results but immediately backs out, that tells Google something’s off. But if they stay, scroll, click around—that’s a good sign you’re delivering value.

• Click-Through Rate (CTR): CTR is the percentage of people who click on your listing in the search results. If your titles and meta descriptions aren’t compelling, you’ll miss out—even if you rank well.
  
  
• Bounce Rate: If people leave your site after one page, you need to figure out why. Is the content misleading? Is the page slow to load? Is it hard to read?
  
  
• Dwell Time: This is how long someone sticks around. Longer dwell time = better engagement = better rankings.
  
  
• Navigation: Can visitors easily find what they need? Confusing menus or too many clicks to get to key info can drive people away.
  
  
• Readability: Nobody likes walls of text. Use short paragraphs, headers, bullet points, and images to keep things easy on the eyes.
  

• Get inside your customers’ heads. What are they hoping to find when they land on your page? Give them that—right away.
  
  
• Use analytics tools. Google Analytics can tell you what’s working and what’s not. See where people drop off and adjust accordingly.
  
  
• Make your site easy to explore. Organize pages logically. Link related pages together. Make calls-to-action clear and inviting.



• Use visuals to break things up. Photos, charts, videos—all of these make your content more digestible.
  

Local SEO: Still Your Best Bet for Getting Found

If you’re running a business, local SEO should be a top priority. People don’t just search for “plumber”—they search for “plumber near me” or “plumber in NE Portland.” And if your site isn’t set up to answer those searches, you’re invisible.

So… What Should You Be Doing Right Now?

SEO in 2025 isn’t about gaming the system. It’s about being genuinely helpful, easy to find, and trustworthy online. If your website does those things, you’re already ahead of the curve.



Here’s your short list:

• Create content that actually helps people
  
  
• Make sure your website works perfectly on mobile
  
  
• Watch how visitors interact with your site and improve based on what you see
  
  
• Keep your Google Business Profile polished
  
  
• Think like a local—because Google does
  

Want Help Putting It All Together?

At Breakthrough Local, we know SEO can feel overwhelming—especially when you’re also trying to run a business. We help businesses build clear, effective SEO strategies that actually move the needle.

So if you're ready to stop guessing and start ranking, let’s talk.

Get a personalized 2025 SEO strategy from our experts.