In 2025, search is no longer just about matching keywords to content; it’s about understanding people. The emergence of AI-powered search engines, the rise of zero-click results, and the integration of generative AI tools like Google’s Gemini, ChatGPT, and Perplexity are forcing a fundamental shift in how we approach SEO.
If you’re still relying on outdated strategies like basic keyword targeting or writing blog posts just to tick the “content” box, it’s time for a rethink. At Digital Hothouse, we’re helping clients across New Zealand navigate this evolving landscape by focusing on intent, structure, and factual depth – the things AI and users now demand.
In this post, we’ll explore what evolving search intent looks like in 2025, why it matters, and how to create content that both AI search engines and humans love.
What Is Search Intent and Why Does It Matter More Than Ever?
Search intent is the “why” behind a query – what someone is trying to achieve when they enter a search phrase. That hasn’t changed. But how people express their intent has evolved dramatically.
In 2025, search intent isn’t just informational, navigational, or transactional. It’s layered. It’s contextual. It’s conversational. Users expect AI to understand nuance, and that means your content needs to meet them with answers, not just keywords.
As Aleyda Solis puts it:
“Understanding the ‘why’ behind a search query is essential for creating content that ranks and converts.”
Search Has Shifted: Key Stats for 2025
This post was first published back in January 2024. A lot has changed since then. These were the stats and facts relevant around 18 months ago:
- 70% of mobile searches have “local intent,” meaning users are looking for something nearby. (Source: Moz)
- 46% of voice searches are “information-seeking,” while 39% are “action-oriented.“ (Source: Bright Local)
- 55% of searchers abandon their task if they can’t find the information they need within 15 seconds. (Source: Google)
- Zero-click searches, where users find their answer directly on the search engine results page (SERP), now account for 60% of all mobile searches. (Source: Search Engine Land)
And these are the stats and facts relevant today:
- Zero-click searches are up: In March, 27.2% of U.S. searches ended without a click compared to 24.4% in March 2024; for the same period in the EU/UK, zero-click searches increased from 23.6% to 26.10% (Source: Search Engine Land)
- Around 58% of AI Overviews come from the top 10 SERP results. Surprisingly, the original search query doesn’t appear 86.85% of the time in AI-generated summaries, showing context matters more than keyword matching. (Source: Writesonic)
- 76% of mobile searches have local or contextual intent, with users expecting fast, relevant, and hyper-personalised results. (Source: Think with Google, 2025)
The takeaway? Searchers want accurate, complete, and fast answers, and they often never leave the SERP. Your content must earn its spot by being authoritative, relevant, and structured for AI.
Understanding the Layers of Intent in 2025
Instead of viewing intent as a static category, think of it as a fluid spectrum that maps to the user journey:
- Exploratory: “Best types of insulation for energy-efficient homes”
- Evaluative: “Heat pump vs gas heating pros and cons”
- Action-based: “Buy Mitsubishi OmniCore multi-room system NZ”
- Post-action: “How to clean OmniCore filters”
Today’s content needs to address multiple intent layers within a single session, because AI models will summarise, compress, and combine your answers.
Dr. Pete Meyers, Moz marketing scientist, nails it:
“User behavior analysis is pivotal in aligning content with the evolving search landscape.”
Structuring Content for Search and AI
Search engines in 2025 rely on AI models to summarise and interpret content, not just crawl it. That means structure matters more than ever.
Here’s what your content must include:
1. Semantic Clarity
Use clear, topic-rich headings (H1, H2, H3). Tools like ChatGPT rely on these to break down your content.
Example:
Don’t say: “More Thoughts on Heating”
Do say: “Benefits of Multi-Room Heat Pump Systems in NZ Homes”
2. Answer Completeness
Each section should answer a full question. Bullet points, lists, and bold text help.
Pro tip:
Use tools like AlsoAsked and Google’s “People Also Ask” to identify and answer common follow-up questions.
3. Factual Density
Don’t fluff. Pack your content with data, citations, examples, and sources.
Example:
“According to BRANZ (2024), heat pumps are now the primary heating source in 57% of New Zealand homes.”
This gives your content credibility and helps it surface in generative summaries.
4. Authoritativeness
Use external links to trusted sources (think: government, .edu, news outlets) and internal links to your own pillar content.
Related reading:
- AI Optimisation – Digital Hothouse
- What Is AI Optimisation—and Why Does It Matter?
- GEO vs Traditional SEO: What’s the Difference?
- What to Include in Your SEO Strategy in 2025
- Whitepaper: The Future of Search: Beyond Rankings and Traffic
Case Studies: Intent in Action
Case Study 1: Unlocking Intent Behind “How To” Queries
Company: Home Improvement brand
Challenge: Their website ranked well for keywords like “bathroom remodel,” but conversions were lagging.
Solution: Analysed user search data to understand the specific “how-to” questions behind those keywords. Created a series of in-depth guides targeting “how to install a bathtub step-by-step,” “choosing the right bathroom tile,” and “budgeting for your bathroom remodel.”
Results: Increased organic traffic by 30%, conversions by 25%, and average time on site by 5 minutes. Users found the precise information they needed, reducing bounce rates and boosting engagement.
Key Takeaway: Going beyond simple keywords to understand the “why” behind user searches led to highly relevant content that resonated with intent and drove conversions.
Case Study 2: From Awareness to Purchase with Micro-Moments:
Company: Travel agency specialising in adventure trips
Challenge: Users discovered them during initial trip research but booked with competitors for the actual tour.
Solution: Identified “micro-moments” throughout the travel journey – research, planning, booking – and created targeted content for each. Developed interactive quizzes for “find your perfect adventure,” personalised packing lists based on the destination, and highlight reels showcasing the thrill of their tours.
Results: Increased brand awareness by 40%, engagement on social media platforms tripled, and bookings grew by 20%. Micro-moment content captured users at the right stage of their journey, influencing their final decision.
Key Takeaway: Understanding the micro-moments within a broader user intent allowed for hyper-relevant content at every stage, guiding users seamlessly towards conversion.
Case Study 3: Leveraging Voice Search for Local Businesses:
Company: Family-owned bakery in a small town
Challenge: Struggling to compete with larger chains in online visibility.
Solution: Optimised their website and Google Business Profile for local voice searches. Created content around common voice queries like “what are the best bakeries near me,” “where can I buy birthday cakes for 12 year old girls,” and “where is the best place to buy freshly baked bread near me.”
Results: Increased local search visibility by 50%, phone calls from voice searches doubled, and in-store visits from nearby customers spiked by 35%. Understanding how people search locally through voice helped this small business shine in their community.
Key Takeaway: Optimising for the specific language and intent of voice search queries opened up a new customer acquisition channel for this local business.
Remember, intent-focused strategies are not one-size-fits-all. Analyse your unique audience, their search patterns, and the “why” behind their queries. By creating content that speaks directly to their intent, you’ll build a bridge between their needs and your offerings, unlocking the true potential of SEO in the age of evolving search behaviour.
Competitive Differentiation: What Most Agencies Miss
Many SEO agencies are still focused on:
- Keyword volume over keyword purpose
- Rankings over content satisfaction
- Blogging instead of experience-driven content hubs
At Digital Hothouse, we take a different approach:
- We align content with real-world user journeys
- We optimise for AI summarisation and SERP interaction
- We leverage intent clusters, not just single terms
Because in 2025, ranking isn’t enough. Visibility is fleeting if your content isn’t the best answer.
Future-Proofing for 2025 and Beyond
Search will keep evolving. Here’s how to stay ahead:
- Build content hubs structured by intent, not category
- Embrace generative engine optimisation (GEO) to optimise for AI interfaces
- Focus on entity-based optimisation, not just keywords
- Leverage authoritative backlinks and internal structures to signal trust
- Use schema markup, especially FAQ, SameAs and HowTo, to control how your content appears in SERPs and AI results
FAQs
What is search intent in SEO?
Search intent refers to the underlying goal behind a user’s query. It helps marketers create content that answers not just the query, but the context and expectations behind it.
How does AI search affect SEO?
AI search tools like Google Gemini, ChatGPT, and Perplexity summarise information from multiple sources. This means structured, trustworthy, and complete content is more likely to be surfaced and cited.
What’s the difference between GEO and traditional SEO?
Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) focuses on visibility within AI-generated answers, not just the ten blue links. Learn more in our post: GEO vs Traditional SEO
How can I optimise for zero-click searches?
Use featured snippets, FAQ schema, and concise answers to appear in rich results. Deliver value on the SERP, even if users don’t click.
Why is understanding intent better than just targeting keywords?
Because AI now rewards helpful content, not just optimised pages. Meeting a user’s need leads to higher engagement, trust, and conversions.
Ready to Get Ahead?
If you’re serious about future-proofing your digital presence, understanding and adapting to evolving search intent isn’t optional; it’s essential.
At Digital Hothouse, we specialise in AI-optimised content strategies that align with search behaviour today and anticipate where it’s going tomorrow.
Explore our AI Optimisation services or get in touch to learn how we can help your business win in the age of AI search.
About the Author
Gavin Hirst is the Head of SEO at Digital Hothouse, where he’s spent over a decade helping clients navigate the ever-evolving world of search. With more than 15 years of experience in digital marketing, starting out in general marketing before specialising in SEO and content strategy, Gavin brings deep expertise and a forward-thinking approach to every project. He’s especially passionate about the role of AI in shaping the future of search and how businesses can adapt to stay ahead.
This post was first published on 31 January 2024 and last updated 30 May 2025