By 2025, the SEO landscape has undergone a dramatic shift—driven by the rise of AI-powered search, voice and visual queries, and evolving user intent. Here's how SEO changed this year and what modern strategies you need to succeed in the AI-first era. 1. Rise of AI‑Driven Search & AEO/GEO Search is no longer just about keywords or backlinks. AI chatbots (ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Perplexity) now serve as front‑end interfaces, answering queries directly with concise responses and sometimes citations. This has launched new optimization approaches like Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) AEO focuses on structuring content to shape AI answers—using conversational language, FAQ layouts, and direct responses. GEO targets elements that help AI cite and reference your content in generative responses—think metadata, structured cues, and topical depth . 2. Explosion of Zero‑Click Experiences Between AI answers and featured snippet-styl...