GEO in 2025: Category Entry Points, Agentic Browsing, and the New Rules for AI Search Visibility

The race to appear in AI-generated search results is reshaping how marketers think about content, competitors, and even social media. A batch of new research and product updates points to a clear shift: brands now need to optimise not just for Google’s traditional index but for ChatGPT, Google AI Mode, AI Overviews, and AI browsing agents. Here’s what’s changed and what to do about it.

Key Takeaways

• Content built around category entry points (CEPs) consistently earns visibility across multiple AI search surfaces.
• Competitor keyword analysis now spans traditional search, AI results, and web conversations.
• SEO writing in 2026 demands a dual focus: satisfying both Google’s index and AI tool outputs.
• Google Lighthouse has added a dedicated agentic browsing audit, signalling that AI agent readiness matters for site visibility.
• Social media SEO is merging with generative search, making social presence a factor in AI-driven discovery.

CEP-Anchored Content Wins Across AI Search Platforms

Semrush ran a research experiment testing how content anchored to category entry points performs in ChatGPT, Google AI Mode, and AI Overviews. The results were clear. Content tied to the specific buying situations and mental triggers that lead consumers to a category showed up more reliably across all three AI surfaces.

Category entry points are the contexts in which a buyer thinks of a product category — things like “need a quick dinner” or “planning a home office.” When content directly addresses these moments, AI models pick it up as a strong, relevant answer. The takeaway for marketers: map your CEPs, then build content around each one. This isn’t just brand strategy anymore. It’s a search tactic.

More info: https://www.semrush.com/blog/category-entry-points-ai-search/

Competitor Keyword Research Now Covers AI and Conversations

Finding competitor keywords used to mean plugging a rival’s domain into a tool and scanning rankings. That’s no longer enough. Visibility gaps now exist across three layers:

• Traditional organic search results
• AI-generated answers (AI Overviews, ChatGPT citations)
• Web conversations — forums, Reddit threads, social discussions

Semrush’s latest guidance walks through how to audit all three. The practical step is straightforward: identify where competitors appear in AI answers that you don’t, then create or update content to close those gaps. Brands that only track classic SERP rankings are flying blind to a growing share of search traffic.

More info: https://www.semrush.com/blog/competitor-keywords/

SEO Writing Rules Are Splitting in Two

Writing for search in 2026 means writing for two audiences at once: Google’s ranking algorithms and AI models that pull snippets into generated responses. Semrush published 12 updated tips reflecting this shift.

Key changes include structuring content with clear, direct answers near the top of sections — the kind of format AI models favour when extracting information. Writers also need to use natural, conversational language that mirrors how people phrase questions to chatbots. Keyword stuffing was already dead; now, stilted or overly formal prose is a liability too, because AI tools prefer content that reads like a human expert talking.

More info: https://www.semrush.com/blog/seo-writing/

Google Lighthouse Now Audits Sites for AI Agent Readiness

Google quietly added an “Agentic Browsing” category to Lighthouse. This is a dedicated set of audits that checks whether a website is ready for AI agents — automated systems that browse, read, and act on web content on behalf of users.

The move signals that Google expects AI agents to become a meaningful source of site traffic. If your pages are hard for an agent to parse — poor semantic markup, missing structured data, slow responses — you could lose out on a new channel entirely. Developers and SEOs should run the new Lighthouse audits now and treat the scores as a baseline.

More info: https://www.semrush.com/blog/google-adds-agentic-browsing-category-to-lighthouse/

Social Media Profiles Are Becoming Search and AI Assets

Social media SEO is no longer a side project. Optimised social profiles and posts now surface in traditional search, platform-native search (TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn), and AI-generated results. Semrush’s latest breakdown shows how brands can treat social content as a search asset by using keyword-rich bios, alt text on images, and consistent naming across platforms.

The practical angle: AI tools scrape and cite social content. A well-optimised LinkedIn post or YouTube description can appear in a ChatGPT answer just as easily as a blog post. Brands ignoring social SEO are leaving visibility on the table across every search surface.

More info: https://www.semrush.com/blog/social-media-seo/

Taken together, these developments paint a clear picture. AI search visibility isn’t a single tactic — it’s a stack. Brands need CEP-mapped content, competitor intelligence that covers AI surfaces, writing adapted for both humans and models, technically sound sites that AI agents can navigate, and social profiles tuned for discovery. The companies that treat these as connected priorities, not isolated projects, will hold the strongest positions as generative search matures.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are category entry points in AI search optimisation?

Category entry points are the specific situations, needs, or triggers that cause a buyer to think of a product category. When content is built around these moments, AI search tools like ChatGPT and Google AI Mode are more likely to surface it as a relevant answer.

How do marketers find competitor keywords in AI search results?

Marketers can audit competitor visibility across traditional SERPs, AI Overviews, and web conversations using tools like Semrush. The goal is to spot where rivals earn AI citations that your brand doesn’t, then create targeted content to close those gaps.

Why does Google Lighthouse now include an agentic browsing category?

Google added the category because AI agents — automated systems that browse and act on web content — are expected to drive meaningful traffic. The new audits check whether a site’s markup, structured data, and performance are ready for these agents to parse effectively.

How does social media SEO affect AI search visibility?

AI tools scrape and cite social media content alongside traditional web pages. Optimising social profiles with keyword-rich bios, alt text, and consistent naming increases the chances of appearing in AI-generated answers across platforms.

What is the best way to write content that ranks in both Google and AI tools?

Place clear, direct answers near the top of each section and use natural, conversational language. This format satisfies Google’s ranking signals while also matching how AI models extract and present information to users.