What Stays the Same (and What Doesn’t) in the Shift from SEO to AI Visibility

If you’ve ever stressed over header tags, alt text, or meta descriptions… take a deep breath.

Not everything you learned about SEO is going out the window. AI visibility is not a total rewrite…it’s an evolution. In fact, some of the “old-school” SEO practices? Still crucial.

In this post, I’ll break down:

  • ✅ What still matters in the AI era (hint: your H1 tags and structured content aren’t going anywhere)

  • ❌ What you can stop obsessing over (RIP, keyword stuffing)

  • 🔁 What you should start adapting now for AI discoverability

Here’s what’s staying the same:

  • Headers still matter. Clear H1s and H2s help both Google and AI tools understand your content structure.

  • FAQ sections are gold. AI loves Q&A-style formatting—it mimics natural conversation and voice queries.

  • Alt text is still powerful. Especially for AI image recognition and accessibility.

What’s shifting:

  • Keywords → Natural language. AI pulls from how people talk, not just how they type.

  • Clever branding → Clear offers. If a machine can’t “understand” what you do, it can’t recommend you.

Action Step:
Review your last blog post or website page. Does it answer questions clearly? Is it written like something someone would say out loud? Start there.

Heidi HapanowiczComment