What is Google’s AI Overview and why it matters for your SEO strategy
18 September 2025
Google’s AI Overview is changing the search game. By providing instant, AI-powered summaries at the top of search results, it gives users fast answers, opening new doors for brands to stand out. While there’s debate around its reliability, what matters more is how you respond. This shift brings both uncertainty and real opportunity for your SEO strategy.
How does Google’s AI Overview work?
Google’s AI Overview (AIO) uses generative AI to summarise key information in response to a search query, right at the top of the results page. Instead of directing users to individual websites, it pulls insights from multiple sources to give a quick, informative answer.
That means:
- Users get instant, direct answers.
- Website clicks may decrease as more queries are answered directly on the results page.
- Your brand’s visibility may increase if your business is cited in AI Overviews.
This shift is redefining how people engage with content, which means it’s time to rethink how we measure and optimise for search success.
Why Google’s AI Overviews matter for SEO
Google’s evolving search experience brings a fresh mix of challenges and opportunities. Understanding the landscape helps you stay ahead:
- Changing click behaviour: Some queries are answered immediately, leading to fewer site visits, but more intent-led engagement.
- Shifting visibility: AI Overviews may not always link back to your site, so brand recognition becomes even more important.
- Content quality counts: AI relies on reliable, original content, so your best work still wins.
The good news? By leaning into these changes, your brand can thrive in an AI-first search environment.
How to optimise for Google’s AI Overview
Appearing in an AI Overview isn’t just about technical SEO – it’s about your brand presence.
A recent study from Ahrefs, analysing over 75,000 brands found that the strongest indicators of visibility in AIOs were off-page brand signals:
- Brand mentions across the web
- Branded anchor text
- Branded search volume
In short, the more people are talking about your brand online, the more likely Google is to feature you in an AI Overview.
We all know that SEO isn’t just about filling your content with keywords, it’s a variety of strategies working together to help optimise your website. From backlinking and on-page optimisation to brand mentions, SEO is a web of disciplines that work together. Think of AI search optimisation as just another strand to consider.
Another tactic that can be highly effective is Digital PR. This can be used as part of your SEO strategy to help get your brand known. By earning brand mentions and backlinks from credible, relevant websites, Digital PR can help contribute to getting featured in Google AI overviews.
Does technical SEO still matter?
Absolutely. While off-page signals are powerful, your technical foundation is still critical.
Many of the strategies recommended for increasing your chances of appearing in AI Overviews are also considered SEO best practices.
Is JavaScript optimal for AI Overviews?
If your website relies heavily on JavaScript to display key content, Google might struggle to read it – limiting your visibility in both traditional search and AI Overviews.
Top tip: Make sure your most important content is rendered in raw HTML and can be crawled easily.
How to use Google AI search to your advantage
To stay ahead of the curve:
- Strengthen your brand presence with PR, content marketing and partnerships
- Ensure your brand is being searched for by name
- Use schema markup to help Google understand your content
- Build backlinks using branded anchor text
FAQ’s about AI Overviews
The main focus is to improve your trust signals. This can be done through E.E.A.T, which stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. It’s a concept Google uses to evaluate whether content is accurate, reliable, and created by people who know the topic well.
Some common strategies include getting expert opinions through quotes and citations, adding in FAQ’s and article summaries. For more information on how to appear in AIO find out more in our best practices here
AI Overviews are generative AI-powered summaries that appear at the top of some Google search results. They give users fast, direct answers from across the web.
While often helpful, the AI isn’t perfect. Mistakes happen, which is why credible content written by real people remains imperative.
It rolled out to select users in 2023 and has gradually expanded throughout 2024 into 2025.
Access predictive analytics, revenue forecasting, and real-time reporting to identify opportunities and spot trends faster.
Google’s AI Overview is changing the rules – but it’s also creating new opportunities. To stay visible, think beyond rankings. Build a brand people search for, talk about, and trust.
The AI landscape is evolving fast, but so can your strategy.
As a digital marketing agency, we have a team of SEO specialists who understand the evolving landscape of search. From technical SEO to brand visibility, our team can help you navigate Google’s AI Overview and turn challenges into opportunities.
Get in touch with our expert SEO team to see how we can support you with strategies that keep your brand front and centre – no matter how search evolves.
Want to learn more about using AI for your marketing efforts? Check out our latest article to learn more about how to use AI as an extension of your team.
