The Impact of Google AI Overview on Modern SEO

Google has begun rolling out its AI Overview feature, and it’s already sparking conversations across the SEO community.

Many are predicting significant changes for businesses that rely on organic search traffic, with some even declaring it the "end of SEO" as we know it. As an SEO Agency we decided to explore and share our findings.

Rather than seeing this as a doomsday scenario, we think AI Overview could offer some significant benefits to businesses. In this article, we’ll explore what Google AI Overview is, how it compares to other AI tools like ChatGPT, and why it might not be as threatening to SEO as some believe.

What We'll Cover:

What is Google AI Overview?

SERP results for "what is a bull market"

Google AI Overview is the latest evolution in how search engines deliver information to users. Essentially, it’s an advanced version of the Featured Snippet but with more AI-driven enhancements.

When a user types a query into Google, instead of just showing a list of links or a traditional Featured Snippet, the AI Overview provides a more comprehensive summary of the information requested. This summary is generated using Google’s AI, which sifts through available data and content to present users with what it considers the most relevant information.

The idea behind AI Overview is to keep users on Google’s platform by providing them with answers directly on the search results page. While this may seem like a move to reduce traffic to individual websites, there are potential upsides that businesses can leverage.

AI Overview vs ChatGPT: How Do They Compare?

At first glance, Google AI Overview and tools like ChatGPT might seem similar—they both use AI to generate responses to user queries. However, there are some key differences between the two.

ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, is a conversational AI model that generates text based on prompts. It’s often used for tasks like writing content, answering questions, or even creating dialogue.

While it’s incredibly powerful, ChatGPT has limited direct access to live web data (with the new SearchGPT rolling out). Instead, it normally generates responses based on a vast amount of pre-existing information it was trained on up until a certain cutoff date.

Google AI Overview, on the other hand, is directly connected to Google’s search engine and the live web. This means it can pull in the most up-to-date information and provide a summary based on the current state of the web.

For businesses, this connection to live data means that AI Overview has the potential to be more relevant and timely than ChatGPT, especially for queries that require the latest information.

The Shift from Featured Snippets to AI Overview

Featured Snippets have long been a double-edged sword for SEO professionals.

While they offer prime real estate at the top of the search results page – often leading to increased visibility for the content featured – Featured Snippets pull information directly from websites and display it on Google’s platform, which can significantly reduce the number of clicks to the original source.

This can be problematic for brands looking to drive traffic and engagement directly to their websites.

Example: The Query "What is Marketing?"

Let’s take the example of the query, “What is Marketing?” In the current Featured Snippet setup, when a user searches this term, they are presented with a brief definition at the top of the page.

Alongside this, Google displays a “People Also Ask” section and an image carousel related to marketing.

However, there’s a significant downside: the organic search results are buried below these features, often requiring users to scroll down to find them.

The Featured Snippet acts as a barrier between the user and the original content, leading to low impressions, limited brand visibility, and reduced click-through rates (CTR).

For many users, there’s no immediate incentive to scroll past the snippet, meaning they may never see the brand behind the content unless they’re particularly motivated to dig deeper.

AI Overview: A New Approach

Let’s contrast this with Google’s new AI Overview. When the same query, “What is Marketing?” is entered into a search with AI Overview enabled, the user experience is noticeably different.

The AI Overview delivers a ChatGPT-like response, providing a comprehensive and conversational summary of what marketing is.

However, what makes AI Overview beneficial for brands is what appears alongside this response.

SERPs results for "What is marketing" with boxes highlighting results from Hubspot

To the right of the AI-generated summary, there’s a visible list of references. These references not only cite the sources of the information but also include direct links to the original content.

Below the summary, we can actually now see the 1st organic search result (presumably because the AI overview takes up less pixels on the screen than before).

This is a significant shift from the Featured Snippet approach.

In this instance, the brand that provided the original content—let’s say “HubSpot”—is prominently displayed both in the reference list and in the #1 organic search result that is still visible on the page.

This dual exposure of appearing both in the AI Overview and in the organic search results represents a substantial improvement in brand visibility.

Users can see at a glance who the authoritative source is and can easily click through to learn more directly from the brand’s website. For HubSpot, this means increased visibility, a higher likelihood of clicks, and a stronger presence in the search results overall.

Why Google AI Overview Could Benefit Your Brand

Despite the concerns that AI Overview might reduce click-through rates (CTR) from Google searches, there are several reasons why businesses might benefit from this new feature.

1. Increased Visibility

One of the primary advantages of AI Overview is the potential for increased brand visibility. When Google’s AI pulls information from your website to create an overview, your brand is directly associated with the content presented.

This could lead to greater recognition and credibility, especially if your brand is repeatedly featured as a source of valuable information.

2. Enhanced Brand Awareness

As AI Overview becomes more common, users will start to recognize the brands that consistently appear in these summaries.

Over time, this repeated exposure can lead to increased brand awareness. Even if users don’t click through to your website, seeing your brand name associated with authoritative information can help establish your business as a leader in your industry.

3. Potential Increase in Website Impressions

Snippet of GSC showing total clicks and impressions

While Featured Snippets have historically reduced click-through rates, AI Overview might not have the same effect. In fact, it could lead to an increase in impressions for your website.

Since AI Overview often references the top organic results, users who want more detailed information may still click through to your site after reading the summary.

How to Optimize for Google AI Overview

With the introduction of AI Overview, SEO strategies will need to evolve. Here are a few tips on how to optimize your content to increase the chances of being featured in Google AI Overview:

1. Focus on High-Quality, In-Depth Content

Woman sitting on a monitor while working on her laptop

Google’s AI is designed to pull information from the most relevant and authoritative sources. To increase your chances of being featured, ensure your content is comprehensive, well-researched, and provides real value to readers.

This might mean investing more time in creating longer, more detailed articles that thoroughly cover the topics you’re writing about.

2. Optimize for Keywords and Questions

A man and a woman pointing at a monitor and some graphs. The woman is holding a huge magnifying glass

AI Overview is particularly focused on answering user queries. By optimizing your content for question-based keywords (e.g., “What is AI Overview?”), you can increase the likelihood that Google will choose your content to include in its summaries.

3. Use Structured Data

Graphic representation of what schema markup is and does for a website

Structured data helps Google understand the content on your website better.

By using structured data, you can make it easier for Google’s AI to identify key information on your site, increasing the chances that your content will be selected for AI Overview.

The Future of SEO with Google AI Overview

As with any major change in SEO, the introduction of Google AI Overview will require businesses to adapt their strategies.

While some may fear the potential loss of clicks, the increased visibility and brand awareness offered by AI Overview could be a net positive.

It’s still early days, and the feature will undoubtedly evolve over time. However, by staying informed and adjusting your SEO tactics accordingly, you can position your business to take advantage of the opportunities that AI Overview presents.

Conclusion: Embracing the Change

Rather than viewing Google AI Overview as a threat, businesses should see it as an opportunity. By optimizing your content to align with this new feature, you can enhance your brand’s visibility, increase awareness, and potentially boost website impressions.

SEO is always changing, and those who adapt to these changes are the ones who will thrive in the long run. So, keep an eye on AI Overview, stay flexible, and be ready to embrace the future of SEO.