You may have seen it: a small box that pops up at the top of the Google results page and gives a quick, AI-generated answer to whatever query you’ve typed in.
Google AI Overview is a potential game changer in the world of search. So what does this mean for website owners and content creators looking to attract organic traffic through Google?
In this guide we’ll analyse the impact of AI Overview on search, and how you can ensure the introduction of this new feature doesn’t negatively affect your online prospects. In fact, it could enhance them.
What is AI Overview in Google?
Google AI Overview uses artificial intelligence – or more specifically, a large language model (LLM) – to generate summarised responses to user queries.
AI Overview was launched in May 2024. Unfortunately for Google, the new feature initially made news for all the wrong reasons, including telling users to eat rocks and glue their pizzas together. These glitches are somewhat expected with such an experimental technology, but it wasn’t a great look for a tool that has built its entire reputation around delivering its users relevant, high-quality and trustworthy results.
The new feature represents a significant pivot for Google. Up to this point the search engine was simply a conduit through which users could find relevant third-party content. With Google AI Overview, it now creates its own.
How does Google AI Overview work?
Google AI Overview works in the same way as other large language models like ChatGPT. It ingests vast amounts of text data, and uses deep learning techniques to understand grammar, patterns and context.
LLMs use this ‘knowledge’ to answer user queries, by predicting the most likely word to come next in a sequence. The resulting answers are surprisingly coherent and human-sounding, although as mentioned above, they aren’t always 100% accurate.
Unlike ChatGPT, AI Overview explicitly states a few of the sources it has used to generate its summaries. And this is where the opportunity lies for anyone looking to earn brand exposure and organic web traffic through Google.
What is AI Overview’s impact on SEO?
How will generative AI impact search? Let’s hear the answer straight from the horse’s mouth:
“AI Overviews show links to resources that support the information in the snapshot, and explore the topic further. Google’s systems automatically determine which links appear. There is nothing special for creators to do to be considered other than to follow our regular guidance for appearing in search, as covered in Google Search Essentials.”
The ‘links’ and ‘resources’ that Google refers to are the sources featured below the AI Overview.
In some ways AI Overview can be seen as the natural progression from rich results like “Featured Snippets” and “People Also Ask”. Those results are designed to quickly answer user queries and link to the source. AI Overview does much the same – it just rewrites the answer and links to multiple sources. Your aim is simply to be listed as one of those trusted sources.
As such, you should continue to implement the same proven SEO techniques as usual:
- Conduct research to understand the information that your target audience is searching for, and the specific queries they are using to find it.
- Write clear, concise, high-quality content, and keep it up to date.
- Conduct deep research on content topics and include backlinks, references and citations to trusted, authoritative sources.
- Create content that showcases your experience, expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness (E-E-A-T).
- Use structured data to help Google gain a deeper understanding of context within your content.
While Google has indicated that there’s “nothing special” that you need to do in terms of AI Overview SEO, one potential impact may be in the increased use of natural language within search queries, as AI Overview makes searching a little more conversational.
For example, you might consider optimising content for voice search to capture the audience who are increasingly conducting searches through their microphones rather than their keyboards.
How do I turn on Google AI overview?
Wondering how to get generative AI in Google? While the experimental version of the tool was initially only available in the US, users in other countries could still access it through Search Labs on their Android devices. Google has announced the tool will soon be available in 120 countries, but hasn’t offered any specifics on the rollout.
Your question might not be how to get Google AI Overview, but “can I turn off Google AI overview?” The short answer: no. This may be a feature that Google adds later, but for now you have no way to opt out.
But if you’re interested in capitalising on whatever opportunities AI Overview might present, it isn’t particularly wise to opt out. In order to be featured as a trusted source under a summary, you need to understand how these summaries work, and the best way to do that is by seeing them in action.
Alternatively, you could bring in a team of experts who can do the research, strategic development and implementation for you: a team like Growth Partners.
Growth Partners: digital growth and transformation experts
At Growth Partners we have built a reputation for helping organisations grow by solving real-world business problems with targeted data analysis, strategic marketing thinking and best-in-class digital implementation. We work hard to understand the latest developments in the digital space, then help businesses to capitalise on them sooner.
As proven digital growth experts, we’ve spent years helping growth-focused businesses answer the questions “What is digital transformation in marketing?” and “how can I digitally transform my business?”. We use a complete suite of strategies and technologies to transform your online presence and gear your business for growth, ensuring your business is able to capitalise on the opportunities at hand.
To achieve the results we’re known for, we’ve developed DigitalArchitect® – a proprietary system that uses deep data to highlight online expansion opportunities and determine the strength of your business case for digital marketing investment, laying the foundation for continuous, sustainable growth.
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DigitalArchitect has given us a strategy to create more leads than we thought was possible… and led to the best ever sales results in our 106 year history!”
- Harvey Cottle; Operations Manager, SmartShelters
Ready to look at how best to transform your business to drive future demand? Reach out to us to kickstart your growth journey.