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Google's search results pages have always been a mishmash of blog posts, business websites, and those strangely helpful Reddit threads from 2017. But since May 2024, AI Overviews have been bumping these familiar resources down the page. For example, search "are border collies friendly?" and you'll probably see an AI Overview front and center. Meanwhile, the content you'd usually expect — like the American Kennel Club's breed page — sits farther down.
From a business perspective, realizing you've been dethroned by AI can feel unsettling, but don't think of it as your arch nemesis.
Google uses existing content to create AI Overviews, and, like a diligent college student, it always cites its sources with direct links. If you get referenced in one of these blurbs, it's an opportunity for users to click on your site. Your content may be #9 in the organic search results, but if its position zero in the AI Overview, you're likely going to see increased traffic.
Of course, you can't force Google to spotlight your content. With the right strategies, though, you can boost your chances of getting summarized. This guide walks you through how to show up in AI Overviews for SEO and why it matters.
What Are AI Overviews?
Google AI Overviews use AI to automatically summarize the results for some (but not all) queries. They typically appear at the very top of the results pages, above organic content and other SERP features.
These snapshots began as a 2023 experiment called the Google Search Generative Experience (SGE). Google quickly rolled this feature out to all users the following year, and McKinsey predicts that 75% of searches will have AI-generated answers by 2028.
The takeaway? AI-driven content won't totally replace traditional web browsing, but it's definitely part of the future of SEO. As a marketer, you can prepare for the inevitable now by focusing on gaining AI search visibility.
Getting featured in one of these AI summaries does more than get fresh eyeballs on your content. Since Google's AI model tries to find relevant and reliable content for its blurbs, it also gives your brand more credibility and authority.
How AI Overviews Have Changed the SEO Landscape
If you want to learn how to rank in AI Overviews, it's time to rethink your regular SEO content strategy.
Google AI works differently than traditional search algorithms. It's designed to interpret and answer complex queries, not match users to content based on exact keywords. It does this by considering context, clarity, and domain authority. For instance, if you look up "is pad thai vegan?" the AI may assume you're making dinner plans and share a video tutorial for the dish.
Other factors that Google weighs include:
- Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T).
- Structured data for SEO, such as recipe and product schema
- Topical depth related to the user's query
You'll notice that ranking doesn't appear in this list. AI-generated summaries spotlight authoritative sources that share concise and valuable information. Sometimes those are the same pages at the top of the organic results, but not always. That means everyone has a fair chance of showing up in AI Overviews with the right content.
This shift does have a few downsides, though. AI summaries bump organic listings down the page, reducing their visibility. They've also led to the rise of zero-click searches, which means users only skim the summaries instead of clicking any results. If your traffic looks a little light lately, that might be the culprit.
How Google Selects Content for AI Overviews
Before you can create an SGE and SEO strategy, you need to know what Google AI looks for when it creates summaries. These factors influence AI rankings:
- Relevance: Google always aims to match queries with the most pertinent content. Think about your target audience's search intent, and try to anticipate more niche searches. "What is the best mop?" may have more competition than something like, "Can I mop with detergent?"
- Quality of the content: AI algorithms look for thoroughly researched, well-written content. Banish any typos, and back up your claims with reliable sources.
- Topical authority for SEO: Resist the urge to try to cover every possible subject. Google AI rewards sites that share in-depth resources about just a few topics instead of trying to be a jack-of-all-trades. Narrow expertise is the key to climbing the AI rankings.
- Updated information: In the AI race, recency is non-negotiable. Revise your pages frequently to keep them current and accurate.
- Clear and concise answers: AI Overviews tend to pop up when searchers phrase their queries as questions. Optimize for AI search by weaving these questions into your content and giving straightforward answers.
- In-depth coverage: Cover your chosen topic(s) as thoroughly as possible, and be sure to explore different subtopics. A dog toy company, for instance, may cover dozens of types of enrichment. This approach helps support E-E-A-T for Google and builds that coveted topical authority.
- Structured data: AI algorithms don't have human intuition, so they don't always grasp the right meaning. Schema markup optimization helps them understand your content, which makes them more likely to use it.
How To Rank for AI Overviews
You already know that your usual SEO strategy won't cut it for AI search, but that doesn't mean you need to scrap all your plans. Here's how to show up in Google AI Overviews with a few smart tweaks.
1. Structure Content Around User Questions
Users tend to phrase search queries like they're talking to a friend, especially if they're using speech-to-text. Mimic these patterns in your content with query-based H2 and H3 subheads, such as "What Is the Best Cat Toothpaste?" and "How To Get Bleach Out of a Couch." By matching actual search phrasing, you'll increase the chances of landing in the AI Overview.
Beneath each headline, answer each question directly in one to two sentences. You can add supporting details in the following paragraphs, but make those opening lines as summarizable as possible. Your response should also target related and high-ranking keywords.
Reinforce this question-friendly structure with FAQPage schema. It improves clarity and discoverability by guaranteeing that the AI won't mistake your Qs for, say, a product review.
2. Build Authority and E-E-A-T
Blog posts and how-to guides tend to perform best in AI Overviews, because they let you show off your expertise.
Creating topic clusters is one of the most effective AI search ranking strategies. Group related posts around central themes, and use internal links to build pathways between them. REI's blog, for instance, includes clusters for gear and local outdoorsy attractions. A spiderweb of well-researched content helps demonstrate the depth of your knowledge.
Back up your claims, too. Cite credible publications with external links, and include quotes from subject matter authorities at your company and beyond. You should also add author bios for each piece. This content demonstrates your expertise and trustworthiness much more effectively than vague, source-less pieces.
You should also update your content at least once a year. Replace stale statistics and add more recent sources as necessary.
3. Optimize for Scannability and Structured Data
Organizing your site for readability has always been a critical part of content optimization. If you want to show up in Google AI Overview, you also need to structure content for a different kind of audience: algorithms.
Google AI loves snappy lists. Break up content with bullet points, numbers, or summarized lists. If you're comparing products, make a skimmable table. These small formatting tweaks have a big impact on readability for both humans and AI.
Other formatting tips include:
- Add structured data types, such as HowTo and Article.
- Stick to around two to four sentences per paragraph.
- Use a logical HTML hierarchy (H1, H2, H3, and so on) and add semantic tags, such as header and section.
- Include alt text ("a woman sips from a coffee mug") and descriptive filenames for each image. Avoid keyword stuffing, though — people with visual impairments don't enjoy word salad captions any more than the rest of your audience.
4. Follow Technical SEO Best Practices
The nitty-gritty tech details may not feel very exciting, but they can go a long way to increasing AI visibility.
Design a mobile-responsive website, and protect your data with secure HTTPS. Use tools like PageSpeed Insights to help measure and improve loading times. When your site performs well, it's easier for search engines to crawl it.
Google frequently tweaks schema guidelines, so check them every few months. Update your structured data as necessary to keep it accurate and relevant.
To see if your hard work is actually paying off, you can use SE Ranking or another AI analytics tool to track when and how often Google AI summarizes your content.
Prepare Your SEO Strategy for the AI and LLM Era
It's safe to say the AI age is only just beginning. To learn more, check out our free webinar with Graphite on blogs and AI search. By understanding how to show up in Google AI Overview now, you can give yourself a head start before competitors master this technology.
Not sure where to start? Explore our expert SEO services and content writing services to learn how we can help you grow your expertise and show up in position zero more often.
