In October 2025, Brian Forrester, CEO, and Reilly Phelps, SEO Manager, attended MozCon’s first conference in New York City. This conference had an incredible lineup of speakers from the SEO industry. From emerging trends in AI to actionable tactics within the world of digital PR, the conference provided insights that our team can apply immediately to enhance search performance and drive business growth.
In this blog post, we will break down our key takeaways from MozCon 2025 and highlight the ideas that stood out (and how we can put them into practice!).
Reilly’s Top 3 Takeaways
Focus on business impact, not vanity metrics like organic traffic. Multiple speakers noted that organic traffic is no longer a single measure of success, and brands need to shift their strategy to focus on conversions, leads, and ultimately, business impact. Rather than getting stuck on why traffic may be lower year-over-year, focus on what is leading to a better user experience and better conversions.
Digital PR is on the rise. Public relations is not just about getting your name out there; it can be used as a demand generation channel and should be used in tandem with SEO. Google can help content be seen, but it does not help it be believed or chosen. As search evolves and LLM citations continue to be volatile, building trust and credibility are incredibly important for success. Brands should strive to be the source of truth and publish original research or points of view.
People follow people, not companies. And they trust people over companies, too. If people aren’t converting or sharing content with others, your content is not providing value. With the rise in AI, people are craving human-created content and are looking for original research, internal data analysis, surveys, and more.
SEO is far from dead. In fact, it’s thriving. AI isn’t the major disruptor many people assume it is. We’re committed to continually testing and innovating so we can keep delivering exceptional results for our clients. Much of what SEOs know works in traditional search is already proving effective in AI-driven search as well.
Brian Forrester, Co-Founder and CEO
Looking Ahead
Moving forward requires a shift in focus from traditional SEO and vanity metrics to instead looking at strategic alignment with your business. By following a clear strategy, publishing original content, and building a strong brand presence, you can drive stronger outcomes that result in revenue for your business.
Interested in how these can apply to your company? Schedule a free consultation with us today to get started.
