At ROI Revolution, we have been experimenting with AI Overviews, previously called SGE (Search Generative Experience), since it became available in Search Labs. We have found several key ways to help content rank in this new SERP feature.
Learn how to optimize your content by focusing on these key areas:
- Exact match titles targeting specific long-tail keywords
- Content quality and structure
- Content readability
- Building brand credibility
What Is an AI Overview?
An AI Overview (AIO) uses generative AI to provide a snapshot of key information about a topic or question that a user types into Google’s Search bar. Linking to its sources, the AIO allows the user to dive deeper into its answer.
Being featured in an AI Overview is a significant indicator of trust and authority from Google and can translate into brand recognition and search impressions. The AI Overview is considered the new “position one,” occupying a prime, above-the-fold location on the search results page.
This prominent placement can lead to increased brand visibility, traffic, and search impressions, making it a highly desirable and worthwhile goal for any e-commerce brand aiming to improve its organic search presence.
The Foundational SEO Checklist
Ranking in AI Overviews is significantly easier if your site already performs well in traditional organic search results. This requires a solid SEO foundation focused on fundamentals like
- Technical SEO: Your site must be fast, mobile-friendly, and free of crawl errors.
- High-quality content: AI Overviews prioritize content that is helpful, well-researched, and trustworthy. You must have well-established content that demonstrates E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness)
- Strong UX: A good user experience includes clear navigation, scannable text, and logical site structure.
These factors act as prerequisites. While they don’t guarantee a spot in an AI Overview search result, they are essential to even be considered a viable source.
How to Optimize Content for AI Search?
1. Focus on topics, not just keywords
When AI tools like Gemini or ChatGPT answer a question, they break down your main topic into a series of smaller, related sub-topics to provide a more thorough and helpful response. To make sure your content gets noticed by these tools, you should focus on creating comprehensive content that addresses all the smaller, related questions someone might have about a subject. By creating focused, high-quality content that answers sub-topic questions, you’re accomplishing these three things:
- Positioning your brand as a comprehensive, authoritative source
- Improving your chance of being cited
- Potentially increasing your brand’s visibility across multiple AI-influenced queries
Unlock your brand’s authority with our guide to building topical authority for SEO.
2. Create High‑Quality, Authoritative Content
To ensure your content is seen as credible and helpful by search engines and AI tools, it must align with Google’s E-E-A-T framework: Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. As AI-generated content becomes more common, demonstrating these qualities is essential for standing out.
AI tools are prioritizing content backed by data and first-hand experience. Here are a few examples of what that might look like:
- Case studies
- Statistics or data from surveys
- Expert quotes or analysis
- High-quality images or video that demonstrates the content
Creating content that feels human, trustworthy, and helpful is a key aspect of AI search optimization strategy.
3. Structure Your Content for AI
Use headings, subheadings, bullet points, numbered lists, and short paragraphs to make your content easy to scan and digest for both humans and AI. Avoid jargon and unnecessary fluff, and instead, focus on clear and concise language that is easy for AI to understand and summarize.
4. Diverse Media Formats
Utilize videos, infographics, and other media formats to enhance engagement and make your content more discoverable by AI. Visual formats help clarify complex information. To make your content both user and AI friendly make sure to include these formats:
- Infographics
- Tables
- Tutorial Videos
- Graphs, Charts, and Data Visuals
Ready to Increase Your Search Visibility?
By focusing on a strong SEO foundation and adapting your content strategy to be comprehensive, authoritative, and well-structured, you can proactively position your content to be a source for AI Overviews. This forward-thinking approach ensures your brand remains visible and relevant in the age of generative AI.
Want to see how your website stacks up against GEO best practices? Reach out to our expert SEO & GEO team today!
