What is an AI overview?
Since May 2024, Google has changed the way that people carry out online searches. This means that when users type in a search term, Google generates its very own concise AI answer – and they appear at the very top of the search engine results pages (SERPS).
Currently, AI overviews are becoming increasingly important from an SEO perspective. Why? Because websites that are seen as authoritative are more likely to be referenced within these summaries.
In this blog, you’ll discover everything you need to know about how AI is changing SEO and how to keep up with these changes.
Why is it important to optimise for AI overviews?
Search behaviour is changing. More and more users are getting the answers they need directly from AI Overviews when typing in a question, without ever clicking through to a website. As a result, traditional click-through rates are starting to decline.
Therefore, it’s important to rank in AI overviews to gain visibility at the very top of SERPS. This can naturally increase brand visibility and build greater credibility in your niche. Even if users don’t click on your website, they’ll see your website as one to trust. And if they do happen to click, they’re far more likely to engage with your content.
AI isn’t looking to rank the biggest brands – it’s all about websites that deliver the most reputable answer. This means having clear, well-researched information that’s specific to the topic searched.
Three types of searches can trigger AI search optimisation:
- Informational answers: Users want answers to specific questions.
- Navigational queries: A search query when a user is trying to get to a specific website. (e.g., ‘Facebook login’)’. Summaries are shown to direct them to the correct page.
- Transactional queries: Transactional queries are searches where the user is ready to take an action, such as buying or booking something. (e.g. ‘Netflix subscription price’).
GEO vs SEO: What’s the difference?
As search continues to evolve, you may start to hear the term GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) alongside traditional SEO. While they’re closely related, their outcomes are slightly different.
SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is the process of improving your website so it ranks higher in search engine results pages. The goal is to drive users to your site through organic clicks – e.g. link building and keyword optimisation.
GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation), on the other hand, is focused on optimising your content so it can be picked up by AI Overviews.
The bottom line is that AI isn’t replacing SEO in any shape or form. But it’s slightly reshaping how it works. Search engines are now using AI to deliver direct answers to the searcher, so that it doesn’t have to browse through loads of different websites to get what they need. That’s why any content that’s produced should be easily readable and straight to the point, so it features in AI overviews.
How to rank in an AI overview
Here are a few key steps on how to optimise for AI overviews:
Answer their questions
First and foremost, Google wants you to write content that your audience needs. Think about the questions your audience is asking; consider the problems they are trying to solve; then, write helpful content that adequately meets their specific needs.
A simple question-and-answer format
Present a clear question as a heading, followed by a concise answer. This makes it easier for AI systems to extract and display your content as a trusted response. With this in mind, avoid overcomplicating your content with industry jargon, unless it’s necessary, and use terms your target audience will understand.
Structure
Structure also plays a key role for Google to pick up your content for AI overviews. Use:
- Direct short headings
- Bullet points
- Short, digestible paragraphs
- Put the most important information at the top of the page
Try to be helpful
Content that genuinely solves a problem will naturally perform better. As a rule of thumb, your content should be created with real people in mind, not just to satisfy search engine requirements. When your content consistently proves useful, it signals quality, and that’s exactly what AI Overviews are looking to achieve.
Create Google accessible content
For your content to appear in AI Overviews, your website needs to meet a set of core technical standards. At a basic level, search engines must be able to crawl your site without restrictions. This means ensuring that important pages aren’t blocked by settings in your robots.txt file or restricted by noindex tags. Each page should also return a valid HTTP 200 (success) status code.
Provide a great webpage experience
Even informative, well-written content can fall flat on AI overviews if the page itself is frustrating to use. When someone lands on your site, they expect to find what they need quickly and without effort. The page should be clear – and not buried underneath competing elements. It’s also important that your site works smoothly across all devices and loads in seconds, for a better user experience.
How can an SEO agency help with ranking in AI overviews?
If your website isn’t showing in AI-generated results, it’s time to act now. Here at Logica Digital, we improve your website visibility through SEO strategies that value GEO.
We have helped many businesses appear in AI overviews – and you could be next. We’ll tailor our strategy to your business and the way your customers actually search – ensuring your content is positioned front and centre.
By staying up to date with emerging SEO and GEO trends, we continuously refine our approach to align with the evolution of AI-driven results.
Still got questions like ‘How is AI affecting SEO and how do I keep up with the trends?’ Get in touch with Logica Digital to find out more about how we can support your online growth with AI in SEO. Or, check out our fully inclusive SEO packages.
