Google’s AI Overview: Initial Impressions

It’s here. Google’s biggest foray into AI in its search engine. After a long period of user testing, it appears Google’s AI Overview has finally been introduced to the mainstream public. 

Initially, SEO analysts were struggling with Google’s software update. Google’s AI Overview was showing sources outside the top 10 organic results. This meant some less-than-authoritative and trustworthy sources were appearing in AI Overviews, at the top of searches. 

In retaliation to this, Google got called out for providing incorrect and misleading information, which lead to them reducing the software’s visibility while they improved it in the background over the past three months.

Now, seoClarity have found that the sources cited in Google AI Overviews now match one or more of the webpages from the top 10 Google organic search results 99.5% of the time.

Google has shared that they’re still refining and improving their technology, with plans to add the following:

Video search – moving past voice search technology, users will be able to take a video and get an answer or solution without typing a single character.

‘Break it down’ – users will have three options to adjust the information, with the choice of ‘original’, ‘simpler’ and ‘break it down’, the information-filled response. Read our article on AI SEO to see how search visibility is changing in the LLM era.

What does this mean for SEO?

This is great news for SEO experts. If Google are incorporating more traditional search ranking signals as part of its AI model, then search optimisation can continue as usual. Despite the initial concerns that Google AI Overviews would impact website traffic, for now at least, this is not the case. 

Please be warned: it will be vital to monitor the evolving impact of AI Overviews on search traffic, as it could influence SEO strategies and content visibility in the long term.

Adapting your SEO strategy to AI search

Google AI Overviews doesn’t mean that SEO strategies need to take a U-turn. In fact, it’s the opposite. We’re recommending to our clients that SEO strategies should still follow the same principles.

1. Focus on E-E-A-T 

E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authority and Trust) continues to be an important factor for SEO. Make sure you stay consistent in prioritising these principles.

2. Valuable content for the end-user

Create high-quality, human-written content that meets the needs of users in competitive sectors like hospitality, not crawlbots. What unique insights, or experience-based advice can your brand give, that others can’t?

3. Featured snippets 

As Google AI Overviews are used for search queries, similar to snippet results, you should optimise you content for featured snippets and ‘people also ask results’. 

4. Strong technical performance

A high performing website sets the premise for your content, so it’s important that you incorporate technical SEO in your strategy.

In Summary…

If preparing for Google’s AI Overview, or any area of SEO is daunting, we are a fully equipped digital agency ready to help you. Whether your goal is reaching the top of search pages or increasing website traffic, set your goals and understand how we can achieve them together.

Contact us today to discuss your project and see what Propeller can do for you.