At the start of the year we wrote: Don’t design for the future. Design for right now, for everyone. Six months in that idea feels more relevant than ever. The digital landscape continues to shift quickly but the needs of real people remain our focus. From the beginning, our 2025 priorities — accessibility, zero-click marketing and AI — weren’t about chasing trends. They were about anticipating change and shaping digital experiences that work today and adapt for tomorrow.
So how are we doing? The answer is both practical and promising. These three areas have pushed us to think more critically, work more intentionally and stay rooted in what matters. They’re not just shaping strategy, they’re shaping process.
Here’s how our predictions are unfolding at the halfway point and what we’re learning as we keep designing for now while building what’s next.
- AI: We continue to treat AI as a tool that enhances human insight, not a replacement for it. While generative AI has changed how people think, write, and build, we use it with purpose. Our team is focused on where AI is most valuable: analyzing large data sets, surfacing patterns in user feedback, and understanding search behavior. With Sitka Reports, we turn that capability into action. These reports go beyond keyword counts or manual comment reviews to highlight trends, group similar feedback, and identify content gaps based on search intent. The result is faster, smarter decision-making grounded in real user needs.
- Zero-Click: Zero-click search has fundamentally changed our SEO strategy. With featured snippets, knowledge panels, and AI overviews becoming the norm, more than two-thirds of Google searches now end without a click. Meanwhile, platforms like TikTok and Instagram are designed to keep users inside their apps. That’s why we’ve shifted focus from driving traffic to increasing visibility. We use structured data to enable rich results, write content around specific questions, and deliver concise, accurate answers. Whether we’re helping clients show up in map packs or AI summaries, our goal is the same: meet users in the moment and help them find what they need.
- Accessibility: Accessibility is a mindset, not a milestone. This year, our UX Research team has focused on testing websites to identify areas for improvement. We’re helping clients remove digital barriers and ensure their sites work seamlessly across devices and assistive technologies. Too often, accessibility is treated as a one-time requirement or something only large organizations need to address. That’s why we take a different approach. Our assessments uncover real usability issues, from color contrast to form error handling, and support more inclusive digital experiences for everyone.
Six months into the year, “design for right now, for everyone” still guides our work. The pace of change isn’t slowing, but staying grounded in real user needs continues to shape stronger, more adaptable digital experiences. AI, zero-click strategy and accessibility aren’t just ideas we’re exploring; they’re areas where we’re seeing impact, learning in real time, and helping clients move forward with clarity.
If you’re navigating similar questions or want to strengthen your digital presence today while planning for what’s next, we’d love to hear from you.
