SEO used to mean one thing: rank on Google. Now the same page can be crawled, rendered, quoted in an AI Overview, cited by ChatGPT, or read by an agent. That changes which best practices actually move the needle.
Three layers that decide visibility
Semrush’s updated guide frames modern SEO in three layers.
- Build the foundation: match search intent, build topical authority, structure content clearly, remove technical barriers and optimize images.
- Give systems a reason to choose you: demonstrate real expertise, publish original evidence and build recognition beyond your own site.
- Adapt and measure: make your site easier for AI agents to use, then track visibility across Google and AI platforms.
The first layer gets you into the running. The next two decide whether a search engine or AI system cites you.
Intent is still the entry point
Search intent, useful content, crawlability and trust still matter, but they are now evaluated by more systems at once. A page that only matches keywords can lose to one that answers the complete task.
Write for how people ask AI. Google queries tend to be short; ChatGPT prompts are longer and reveal price sensitivity, ease-of-use concerns and follow-up questions. Build those details into the page.
Authority is built on-site and off-site
Topical authority comes from covering a subject deeply across connected pages, linked like chapters. Google’s December 2025 core update seems to reward that specialization. Aleyda Solís said the update pushes for “reward specialization, expertise and showcase more commercially oriented content from brands or specialized retailers.”
But your own domain is not the whole story. AirOps’ 2025 research found about 85% of brand mentions in AI search came from third-party pages. Reviews, comparison pages, roundups and communities are now search real estate.
Make your content quotable
AI systems retrieve individual passages, not whole pages. Self-contained claims matter. “It can improve visibility” is weak. “Building topical authority can improve search visibility” works on its own. Semrush found AI-cited pages scored about 33% higher on clarity and 31% higher on E-E-A-T signals than pages that only ranked in Google.
Technical SEO is table stakes
Before diagnosing rankings, confirm that important pages are indexed. Check crawl blocks, canonicals, sitemaps, mobile performance and JavaScript rendering. For AI search, review robots.txt so you do not accidentally block search crawlers such as OAI-SearchBot or PerplexityBot while managing training crawlers separately. Structured data can clarify entities, authors and products; AI-cited pages scored about 22% higher on structured data elements than pages that only ranked in Google.
What to do tomorrow
Run a technical audit and check that you aren’t blocking AI search crawlers you want. Refresh existing pages that already earn impressions, links or mentions. Add original data, firsthand experience and expert depth rather than simply updating the date. Then build off-site placements where AI already looks.
Source: Semrush Blog
