Search engine optimisation - or SEO for short - has never followed set rules. On the contrary: the rules of the game are constantly changing under the influence of technological developments as well as user expectations. Those who want to score online need to offer relevant information in a variety of formats, adapted to the cultural context and with a trust factor – and all this across language borders.
Yet another challenge is due for 2025: search engines increasingly answer user queries with AI-generated summaries. These are so good that people often don’t need to click through to other websites anymore.
The key question is: how do you get your content into that smart AI summary? So, here they are: 3 SEO tips for 2025, to ensure you stay visible on the web in the future!
In this article, you’ll discover:
- Why even the best SEO strategy needs an update in 2025
- What to pay attention to when it comes to multilingual SEO
- How SEO localisation will benefit you in concrete terms
In 2025, international visibility is no longer just about offering a multilingual website. You need an SEO strategy that is multilingual and future-proof - one that is ready for the new way of searching. Find out below what matters now and what content really helps you get ahead. Anyone who applies our 3 SEO tips will become a front-runner rather than a follower. Merely trying to keep up with your competitors is not enough, it will keep you invisible in their shadow.
SEO tip 1: Optimise your content for multimodal searches - in 2025, it's about more than just text!
The days of purely text-based searches are gradually coming to an end. More and more people are using voice assistance to search online. Visual searches or searching within videos are on the rise as well. Meanwhile, search engines are ever better at understanding text, as well as images and audio - if you help them.
Suppose you're a heating system installer in Antwerp specialising in sustainable solar thermal systems. When someone searches via text or speech for terms like ‘solar thermal system solar heating installer Antwerp’, your content should be structured in such a way that the search engine immediately thinks of you.
Here’s how to put it into practice:
- Give your images alt-texts, describing what can be seen with relevant keywords - and in the right language.
- Us structured data (as suggested on Schema.org) to help search engines understand what you offer - from types of installations and brands to price ranges and services. This extra layer of information helps them categorise your content.
- Provide your videos with subtitles as well as a transcription – this makes them more accessible and easier to find. Read all about it in this blog post.
Practical example of voice search optimisation:
A Dutch heating system manufacturer publishes a video explaining their solar thermal system. The voice-over is in Dutch, with English subtitles underneath. Thanks to a transcription and structured data, this video can pop up in searches like ‘zonneboiler Nederlandse fabrikant’ in Dutch as well as in English (‘solar thermal system made in the Netherlands’). Without those optimisations, the video remains invisible to the search engine - and therefore to your customers.
SEO tip 2: Localise your keywords - translation alone will no longer suffice in 2025!
Are you being left behind by the competition on Google, despite putting considerable budget into high-quality content? A common reason is that your keywords do not match the real search intent of your target market. People do not google the same way everywhere - even if they actually mean the same thing.
Suppose you are a foreign producer of solar thermal systems wanting to enter the German market. You need to know that German-speaking users usually think of solar panels (photovoltaic systems) when they hear the word ‘Solaranlage’, and not systems that heat water. The difference lies in the nuance – and it's exactly that nuance you need to grasp if you want your localised content to strike the right chord.
Good to know:
- Do not translate relevant keywords literally, but leave international keyword research and localisation to professional language and SEO experts who are native speakers of the target language.
- Take cultural differences into account: is your target audience searching from a technical perspective (‘CPC vacuum tube collectors’) or are they taking a solution-oriented approach (‘green solar energy’)?
- Pay attention to regional variations: a keyword that does well in Germany may turn out completely different in Austria or Switzerland.
Case study:
As a Dutch manufacturer of solar collectors, you want to optimise your website for the Spanish-speaking market. The direct translation of ‘solar collectors’ yields ‘colectores solares térmicos’. Technically correct, but hardly anyone searches for it in Spain. Spanish users are more likely to google terms such as ‘paneles solares para agua caliente’ or ‘sistemas solares para calefacción’ - solution-oriented, practical and based on everyday life.
You can only truly tap into your SEO potential once you understand the search habits as well as the language sensitivities of your target audience. Localisation by native speakers exposes these differences and ensures that your content hits the mark.
SEO tip 3: Commit to valuable content for Google & EEAT Google - trust will be the ultimate deciding factor in 2025!
Search engines attach increasing importance to the reliability of your content - especially in a B2B context. The factors Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trust (EEAT for short) are the cornerstones of a sustainable SEO strategy in 2025. At a time when AI generates copy, images and videos in an instant, search engines reward content that showcases human experience, demonstrable knowledge and an authentic voice. Which is exactly where your opportunity lies: let your content speak with a human face and offer real expertise based on practice!
Good to know:
- Showcase the people behind your content, with a biography, photo and area of expertise. That way, search engines (and your audience) will know your expertise is real.
- Publish your own case studies, project examples or customer testimonials that make your achievements tangible.
- Refer to trade publications, industry events or certifications to underline your authority in your sector.
Case study:
As a Dutch solar thermal system manufacturer, you publish a multilingual case study on a large-scale project in the south of the Netherlands: a sports hotel switched entirely to solar energy for its hot water. The case study provides a detailed account of the planning, technical requirements, challenges involved in integrating with the existing heating system, and the energy savings achieved – including customer feedback and photos of the final installation.
Your multilingual content shows potential customers at home and abroad how your products work in practice, while proving that this is a Dutch company with experience, expertise and a demonstrable ability to offer solutions.
This kind of content ranks high on EEAT, which means it ranks high on search engines as well. This gives your B2B visibility a solid boost.
Your 3 keys to an internationally successful SEO strategy in 2025
- 1. Multimodal: make sure your content is findable as text, images, video and audio - in any language.
- 2. Local over global: don't translate literally; culturally adapt keywords and content.
- 3. Build trust with ‘helpful’ content: show real expertise, practical experience and professional knowledge - and make it visible and verifiable online.
Want to increase your international visibility and create content that is found in ALL your target markets? Contact ELAN Languages today for SEO-optimised multilingual content and localisation support.