Kevin MurphyIn today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, websites are no longer just digital storefronts—they’re intelligent assets that must perform exceptionally well for both human users and increasingly sophisticated AI systems.
To understand how businesses can navigate this new frontier, I sat down with Andrew Ruditser, CEO and co-founder of MAXBURST, a web design agency that has positioned itself at the forefront of AI-ready digital experiences. Our conversation explored the transformative shifts in web design for 2025, the critical importance of AI optimization, and how MAXBURST’s unique approach is helping businesses stay ahead of the curve.
Kevin Murphy: Andrew, thank you for joining me today. Let’s start with the biggest trends you’re seeing in web design for 2025. What’s fundamentally different about how websites need to be built today?
Andrew Ruditser: Thank you for having me, Kevin. The web design landscape has undergone a seismic shift in the past year alone. The biggest change is that we’re now firmly in what I call the “AI-first search era.” It’s no longer enough to design a website that looks great and ranks well in traditional search results—now, your site needs to communicate effectively with AI systems that are increasingly becoming the intermediaries between businesses and their customers.
When someone asks ChatGPT or Google’s AI about something related to your business, the question isn’t just whether your website appears in search results anymore—it’s whether your content is understood, trusted, and shared by these AI systems. This requires a fundamentally different approach to how websites are architected from the ground up.
Kevin Murphy: That’s fascinating. Many businesses are still focused on traditional SEO. Could you break down what “AI-ready” actually means in practical terms?
Andrew Ruditser: Absolutely. Think about AI crawlers like incredibly sophisticated readers that need to understand not just what your content says but what it means and how it relates to other information. An AI-ready website implements what we call enhanced content structure—semantic HTML, clear hierarchies, and comprehensive structured data markup that helps AI systems efficiently understand and process your content.
For example, we implement advanced schema markup and entity mapping that explicitly tell AI systems about the relationships between different concepts on your site. We organize content in ways that make it parseable not just by keywords but by meaning and context. The technical foundation includes clean code architecture and efficient crawl paths that enable AI to process your site more effectively.
Beyond that, we optimize specifically for generative search features—those AI-generated answers you now see at the top of search results. This means formatting content to work well as featured snippets, answer blocks, and in knowledge panels.
Kevin Murphy: It sounds like this approach requires significant technical expertise. How do you see the role of web designers evolving in this new environment?
Andrew Ruditser: The days of siloed web design teams are over. Traditional agencies often have designers working separately from developers, who are separate from SEO specialists. That approach simply doesn’t work anymore. At MAXBURST, we’ve developed what we call our Integrated IXO Team—that’s Intelligent Experience Optimization.
This team brings together digital marketing strategists, experience-focused designers, and IXO-certified developers who collaborate from day one. Our marketing strategists establish the foundation before design even begins—analyzing user behavior, developing AI-oriented keyword strategies, and mapping user journeys. Our designers then create interfaces informed by that behavioral data, and our developers implement future-ready technology with clean, semantic code optimized for AI crawlers.
The web designers of 2025 aren’t just focused on aesthetics—they’re part of an integrated team building digital experiences that excel in an AI-driven landscape.
Kevin Murphy: MAXBURST has a unique approach you call the S.T.E.P. process. Could you walk us through how that works and why it matters in this AI-first era?
Andrew Ruditser: Our S.T.E.P. process—Strategy, Technology, Execution, and Performance—is our framework for ensuring nothing falls through the cracks when building future-ready websites.
The Strategy phase is where we do our homework—comprehensive analysis of business goals, AI crawl path planning, content structure strategy, and user experience mapping. Many agencies skip this critical foundation work and jump straight to design.
In the Technology phase, we evaluate and select the right MarTech stack, plan the AI-optimized architecture, and develop the integration framework. During Execution, we implement AI-friendly development with mobile-first responsive design, structured data integration, and continuous quality assurance.
What really sets us apart is the Performance phase. Unlike traditional agencies that finish their involvement after launch, we position ourselves as long-term digital partners. We continuously monitor AI interaction and feature effectiveness, analyze search rankings, track user behavior, and optimize content strategy. This ongoing partnership ensures websites evolve with changing technology and business needs.
This comprehensive approach yields measurable benefits: higher user engagement rates, better search engine visibility, and stronger conversion rates compared to sites built by traditional agencies.
Kevin Murphy: Let’s talk about Google’s quality standards. There’s been a lot of attention on E-E-A-T and helpful content. How does MAXBURST approach these requirements?
Andrew Ruditser: Google’s Search Quality Rater Guidelines provide a clear roadmap for what they consider valuable, and our approach is directly aligned with these standards. The E-E-A-T principles—Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness—are woven throughout our development process.
We demonstrate experience through clear authorship identification and case studies. We establish expertise via professional credentials and specialized content sections. We build authority through industry partnerships and recognition, and we ensure trustworthiness through transparent policies and verified information.
For sites handling sensitive “Your Money or Your Life” topics like health or finance, we implement enhanced trust signals and higher accuracy standards with more frequent quality checks.
Google’s Helpful Content guidelines essentially boil down to creating content primarily for people, not search engines, while demonstrating genuine expertise. Our people-first approach naturally aligns with these guidelines because we’re focused on user satisfaction and real value, not just keyword rankings.
The irony is that by focusing on building genuinely helpful websites rather than chasing algorithm tricks, you actually perform better in search. It’s a virtuous cycle—better user experience leads to better AI understanding, which leads to better visibility.
Kevin Murphy: Many businesses are concerned about the cost and complexity of rebuilding their websites to be AI-ready. What advice do you have for organizations that might be overwhelmed by this shift?
Andrew Ruditser: That’s a valid concern, but I’d reframe the question. The real cost isn’t in rebuilding a website to be AI-ready—it’s in maintaining a site that isn’t prepared for where search is clearly heading. It’s like continuing to invest in a retail location that fewer and fewer people visit.
That said, the transition doesn’t have to be overwhelming. We recommend starting with a comprehensive audit of your current digital presence to identify the highest-priority areas for improvement. Often, implementing structured data and improving content organization can make a significant difference without requiring a complete rebuild.
For businesses planning a redesign in the near future, it’s crucial to work with a partner who understands this new landscape. Look for agencies that talk about AI readiness, structured data, and semantic HTML—not just visual design or basic SEO. The right partner will help you navigate this transition in a way that aligns with your business objectives and budget.
Remember that this is an investment in future-proofing your digital presence. An AI-ready website doesn’t just perform better today—it’s built to adapt to emerging technologies, preventing the need for costly rebuilds as search continues to evolve.
Kevin Murphy: Looking ahead, what emerging trends do you see on the horizon that businesses should be preparing for now?
Andrew Ruditser: The pace of change is only accelerating. I see several trends that forward-thinking businesses should be preparing for:
First, multimodal AI understanding is becoming increasingly important. This means websites need to optimize not just text but also images, videos, and other media to be properly understood by AI systems. We’re implementing advanced image optimization with proper alt text, structured data for videos, and careful attention to how multimedia content is organized.
Second, voice and natural language interfaces are continuing to grow. This requires websites to be optimized for conversational queries and natural language processing. We’re focusing on question-and-answer content formats, FAQ schema implementation, and content that directly addresses user intent in conversational ways.
Third, there’s a growing emphasis on first-party data and privacy-first experiences. As third-party cookies phase out, websites need sophisticated data collection and personalization capabilities that respect user privacy. We’re building privacy-centric data strategies and implementing advanced consent management systems.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, we’re seeing a convergence of web experiences and AI assistants. Smart businesses are already thinking about how their websites can serve as knowledge bases for AI systems to draw from when helping potential customers. This means structuring content to be easily consumed and accurately represented by AI assistants.
The common thread through all these trends is the need for a strategic, future-focused approach to web development. The businesses that thrive will be those that view their websites as dynamic digital assets requiring continuous evolution, not static projects to be completed and forgotten.
Kevin Murphy: Those are compelling insights. To wrap up, what final advice would you give to business leaders who are trying to navigate this new digital landscape?
Andrew Ruditser: My advice is simple: Don’t get caught playing catch-up. The shift to AI-first search isn’t coming—it’s already here. The businesses that thrive will be those that embrace this change proactively rather than reactively.
I’d also emphasize that this isn’t just about technical compliance—it’s about creating genuine value for your audience. The beauty of Google’s direction is that it rewards websites that truly help users. Focus on creating experiences that demonstrate real expertise and solve problems for your audience, and you’ll be well-positioned regardless of how search algorithms evolve.
Finally, choose your digital partners carefully. Look beyond aesthetics to find agencies that understand the technical and strategic requirements of AI-ready web development. The right partner should be able to explain not just how they’ll make your site look great but how they’ll ensure it performs exceptionally in this new landscape.
Remember, your website isn’t just a digital brochure—it’s increasingly becoming your most important business asset and representative in an AI-driven world. Invest accordingly.
Kevin Murphy: Andrew, thank you for these valuable insights. You’ve given our readers a lot to think about as they navigate the web design landscape in 2025.
Andrew Ruditser: Thank you, Kevin. It’s been a pleasure discussing these important shifts with you and your readers.
Andrew Ruditser is the CEO and co-founder of MAXBURST, a web design agency specializing in Intelligent Experience Optimization for the AI-first search era. Kevin Murphy is the Editor of Business Leader Post. For more information on AI-ready web development, visit maxburst.com.
Kevin Murphy
