What are AI Overviews + How To Optimise For Them

Google is changing how we find information. For years we have used the classic list of ten blue links but now we have a new feature called AI Overviews. AI Overviews are becoming increasingly essential our digital world, especially for businesses aiming to improve their online presence. These summaries appear at the top of the search results giving you quick answers to your questions. This guide explains what AI Overviews are, how they work and what they mean for website owners.

How Do AI Overviews Work?

When you search on Google, especially for complex topics, you might see an AI-generated summary at the top of the page. This is an AI Overview. It uses Google’s Gemini model to understand your query and gather information from multiple websites. It then pieces together the most relevant points into a single, easy-to-read answer.

The goal is to help you understand a topic quickly without needing to click on several links. These overviews often include links to the websites where the information was found so you can read more if you want to. They can answer questions, provide definitions, offer step-by-step instructions or compare products.

The Evolution from SGE to AI Overviews

Before they were called AI Overviews, this feature was an experiment known as the Search Generative Experience or SGE. SGE was available in Google Search Labs, where users could opt-in to test the new technology and provide feedback.

The transition from SGE to AI Overviews marks a significant step. It shows Google’s confidence in its generative AI technology. The feature is no longer just an experiment but a core part of the main search results page. This change means businesses need to adapt their digital strategies to stay visible.

What AI Overviews Mean for Your Website and SEO

AI Overviews are changing the way users interact with search results. This has important consequences for anyone who relies on Google for website traffic. Understanding how to adapt your search engine optimisation or SEO strategy is essential.

The Impact on Website Traffic

One of the biggest concerns for website owners is the potential loss of traffic. Since AI Overviews provide direct answers, users may not need to click through to a website to find what they are looking for. This could lead to a decrease in organic traffic, especially for websites that rank for informational queries.

However, being featured in an AI Overview can also be an opportunity. The overview includes links to its sources, and a link in this prominent position can drive highly qualified traffic to your site. It positions your website as a credible source of information.

The Importance of E-E-A-T

Google’s concept of E-E-A-T, which stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness, is more important than ever. AI Overviews pull information from sources that Google deems to be reliable and high quality. To have your content featured, you must demonstrate strong E-E-A-T signals.

This means creating well-researched, accurate content that is written by experts on the subject. It also involves building your website’s authority through backlinks and positive mentions from other reputable sites.

How to Optimise for AI Overviews

There are clear steps you can take to increase your chances of being featured as a source in the AI Overviews. These steps are:

• Answer questions clearly and concisely.
• Use structured data like schema markup to help Google understand the context of your pages.
• Always create helpful, reliable, people-first content
• Understand what your audience is searching for and provide direct answers.
• Create content that anticipates user queries and addresses them thoroughly.
• Use header tags, bullet points, and lists to make content easier to scan.
• Ensure that your content is up-to-date and factually correct. AI relies on accuracy to pull information for its overviews.
• Use authoritative sources and include references where applicable to increase credibility.
• From our experience, we have had success with answering the query/question clearly and concisely at the very start of the content helps to get companies to be cited in AI Overviews.

An Insight into AI SEO with Accentuate

We use SEMrush as our go-to tool for measuring brand performance on AI, we are able to identify areas of improvement to get mentioned by AIs, track you vs your competitor to see where they are having AI success and to get incites about what people are searching to optimise our clients websites to be more visible online.

Why Choose Accentuate Agency

Navigating the changes in Google Search can be challenging. At Accentuate Agency, we focus on explaining complex ideas clearly, a skill our Managing Director, Kelly Rayduta, developed during her time as a teacher. We carry this through to our business, ensuring our clients understand our strategies and their results.

We believe that regular communication and being genuinely helpful matters more than ever in the future of SEO. Our approach is built on a foundation of data analysis and a commitment to testing what truly works. We treat your business as if it were our own, providing honest, straightforward advice to help you succeed. Whether it is adapting to AI Overviews or implementing GEO (generative engine optimisation) strategies, we partner with you to achieve your goals.

Frequently Asked Questions about AI Overviews

Are AI Overviews available for all searches?

No, AI Overviews are not available for all search queries. They are more likely to appear for complex questions where a user might benefit from a summary of information from multiple sources. For simple, factual queries or we find for ecommerce product categories you are more likely to see a traditional search result as well as related searches.

How can I see AI Overviews?

AI Overviews rolled out in the US in May 2024 and in August 2024 for the UK. Though they are not available for all search queries you commonly see them appear for common questions people search.

Can I turn off AI Overviews?

During its experimental phase as SGE, users could opt-in or out. Now that AI Overviews are a standard feature of Google Search, there is no official way to turn them off.

Do ads appear in AI Overviews?

Yes, ads can appear in or around AI Overviews. Google has stated that Search and Shopping ads will continue to appear in dedicated ad slots throughout the results page.

About The Author

Kelly Rayduta is the Managing Director at Accentuate Agency. An SEO specialist since 2014, Kelly’s career began with a broad marketing skill set that included building websites, running Google Ads campaigns and managing international software development teams. This diverse experience taught her valuable lessons in leadership, clarity and communication.

Before starting her own business, Kelly was a secondary school teacher specialising in product design. Her passion for teaching and explaining complex ideas simply is a core value she has embedded within the agency. Today, she prides herself on clear communication and creating strategies that are easy for clients to understand. Outside of work, Kelly is a lifelong Man United fan and enjoys coding, DIY projects and learning French on Duolingo.