When ChatGPT emerged and generative artificial intelligence began to gain traction, the SEO world went on high alert. For over two decades, the rules of search engine rankings had barely changed — but the arrival of this new technology called into question many principles that were once seen as unshakable. Reassuring voices quickly appeared, many of them linked to the search engines themselves, claiming that content traditionally ranked well would continue to do so in the age of AI.
However, reality is starting to show that the landscape is shifting. Features like Google’s AI Overviews, which offer AI-generated responses alongside links to sources, are altering user behaviour. While impressions remain steady, clicks have dropped dramatically, causing a notable fall in CTR. Traditional SEO can no longer be understood without factoring in the growing impact of AI.
In this new context, it's crucial to adapt SEO strategies and take a fresh approach to optimise content for AI Overviews.
How can you optimise content for AI Overviews?
Although overall clicks are decreasing with the introduction of AI Overviews Google claims that featured links in this space receive more clicks than they would in traditional results. As a result, some SEO experts see this not as a threat, but as an opportunity to attract more qualified traffic with higher conversion potential.
AI Overviews mainly appear for informational searches- especially those posed as questions or related to planning, e-commerce, personal finance, or health. Therefore, optimising your content for this format can be key to increasing both visibility and high-quality traffic.
Here are a few key recommendations to improve your chances of catching Google AI’s attention:
1. Follow Google’s best practice guidelines
Google has outlined certain criteria for content to appear in AI Overviews (AIO). Unsurprisingly, these are largely based on the same best practices Google has always promoted for search ranking.
This includes placing the keyword at the start of the text, optimising the title for SEO, using well-optimised images, and including both internal and external links that add value and context.
2. Prioritise the user experience
Providing a good user experience (UX) alongside a well-defined SEO strategy is essential in an AI-driven search environment, where the goal is to answer the user's actual need with precision.
Understanding search intent is critical. While SEO tools can help identify what users are really looking for, professional intuition and experience still play a vital role. In this context, having an AI agent trained specifically in SEO can become a powerful strategic ally.
3. Create content that covers a topic in depth
Link cards in AI Overviews highlight not only direct answers, but also content that explores related subtopics in a meaningful way. That’s why creating rich, well-structured content that tackles the subject from multiple angles is so important.
One useful tactic is to manually search for your target keyword on Google, analyse what’s being shown in the AI Overviews and identify which subtopics are covered. This can help you find opportunities to enrich your content and add unique value to improve its visibility in these new formats.
Need help improving your SEO in the AI era? At PGR Marketing & Technologia, we’re here to guide you every step of the way.
