Search me if you can: Fashion’s SEO shake-up

With seismic shifts transforming global economies and entire industries, women's fashion too is undergoing a quiet but significant evolution—one that's unfolding not on the runway, but in search bars.

Many of us grew up with fashion monoliths—Zara, H&M, and the like—dominating malls, high streets, and, more recently, our e-commerce carts. Their brand recognition was nearly synonymous with everyday fashion.

But a new digital reality is emerging: those very giants are slowly but steadily losing their grip on consumer discovery, thanks to a sea change in online search behaviour.

According to Google search data, direct brand interest in major fashion labels is declining. In FY 2023–24, Zara clocked a search volume of 3.05 lakh in India. That figure dropped to 2.79 lakh in FY 2024–25—a decline of 8.46%. H&M experienced a smaller but telling dip, from 1.72 lakh to 1.70 lakh searches (a 1.46% fall).

The more significant trend, however, is that 95% of fashion-related searches are now non-brand queries. Consumers aren’t typing in ‘Zara midi dress’—they’re typing ‘floral midi dress under Rs 1000’. This shift signals a waning of direct brand recall, with shoppers beginning their journeys with product-focused, price-sensitive, or occasion-led searches.

And this isn't just a Zara vs H&M story. Online marketplaces like Meesho and Flipkart are also witnessing steep declines in branded search traffic. Meesho's search volume fell from 8.05 lakh to 5.46 lakh (a 32.14% drop), while Flipkart slid from 5.85 lakh to 4.02 lakh—a decline of 31.35%.

Why this is happening

There are three intersecting forces at play here.

First, there’s a fundamental shift in consumer behaviour. Shoppers are now more value-conscious, less brand-loyal, and increasingly motivated by function and fit rather than logos or legacy. They search for what they need, not who makes it.

Second, Google’s algorithm has evolved to prioritise user intent and relevance. It increasingly favours content that directly addresses specific queries—often from niche, optimised e-commerce websites rather than sprawling marketplaces or brand websites trying to do it all.

Third, agile, digital-first fashion players are leveraging SEO with surgical precision to climb search rankings. In doing so, they’re intercepting traffic that once went directly to established brands.

Who’s winning and why?

The emerging winners aren’t necessarily flush with ad budgets or celebrity collaborations. They're those who’ve cracked the SEO code.

Take non-brand keyword targeting. For example, the phrase ‘short kurtis for ladies’ saw a 49.5% growth in search volume in FY 2025. Smart players who optimised their product and category pages for such keywords tapped into a wave of intent-rich traffic.

Next comes content-led SEO. Instead of simply listing inventory, forward-thinking brands are creating engaging, search-optimised content—think styling guides, fashion how-tos, or comparison pages. A blog titled ‘Top 5 Ways to Style Short Kurtis with Jeans or Palazzos’ doesn’t just boost rankings; it keeps users engaged, builds trust, and nudges them closer to purchase.

Then there’s local and voice search optimisation. ‘Near me’ queries grew by 37.37% in FY 2025. Consumers want instant gratification and geo-relevant options. Smaller players are outmanoeuvring legacy brands by optimising for these highly localised, mobile-first searches.

The ethnic wear exception—and what it tells us

An intriguing counter-trend is visible in ethnic fashion. Even as overall searches for ethnic wear decline, interest in specific categories like Anarkali suits is on the rise. This resurgence isn't being led by the large fashion brands—but by niche, often regional players who offer culturally resonant, occasion-specific attire that isn’t easily found on big-name platforms.

Their advantage? Focus, authenticity, and deep SEO integration that aligns perfectly with the customer’s search journey. These brands don’t compete on ad budgets—they win on relevance.

To remain competitive in 2025 and beyond, big fashion labels need to abandon the assumption that brand awareness alone drives traffic. In today’s landscape, product discovery starts with queries that don’t include your name.

To course-correct, legacy brands need to build a content ecosystem around search intent. A content-first approach—rooted in actual customer needs—can dramatically improve organic visibility.

Seasonal guides, ‘how to style’ articles, and product comparisons not only improve search performance but help shape purchase decisions. Think less campaign, more conversation.

They also need to optimise for local and voice search. The sharp rise in ‘near me’ queries means that location-based optimisation is no longer optional.

Brands must maintain updated Google Business profiles, implement structured data for store addresses, and ensure their sites are mobile-friendly and voice-search compatible. Being the closest relevant result can often trump brand recognition.

And the old adage about ‘first impressions being the last’ holds true even in the digital world. Hence, brands need to upgrade the technical foundation of their site.

A slick interface and aesthetic design mean little if your website doesn’t load quickly, isn’t mobile-responsive, or lacks clean navigation. Google rewards performance. Brands should prioritise site speed, schema markup, intuitive internal linking, and efficient image handling.

The real battle is for relevance

This isn’t just about SEO. It’s about understanding that today’s shopper begins their journey in a different place, with a different mindset. Relevance now trumps recall. Being found when someone is looking for ‘black linen jumpsuit for brunch’ matters more than being remembered as the brand that makes it.

Fashion brands that embrace this shift—and partner with SEO specialists who understand the nuances of modern search behaviour—stand a fighting chance. Those that continue to rely solely on legacy brand equity, however, may continue to slip quietly down the results page.

In the age of intent-driven commerce, the question isn’t ‘Do they know your brand?’ It’s “Are you showing up when it matters most?”

That’s the real runway battle—and it’s already well underway.

- Sarvesh Bagla, CEO and founder, Techmagnate.