Keyword optimisation was built for systems that matched words. AI-driven search interprets meaning, compares sources, and cites what it can summarise with confidence. Keywords still matter for rankings, but visibility now depends on semantic clarity, explicit entity definition, structured formatting, and cross-platform consistency.

Most SEO audits check speed, crawlability, and rankings, but modern visibility depends on whether a business can be understood, cited, and represented across AI systems and SERP features. If entity clarity is weak or messaging conflicts across platforms, you can pass an audit and still be invisible.

Search visibility is no longer a simple outcome of ranking first on Google. Modern SERPs, AI summaries, and zero-click searches distribute attention across features, not positions.