If you've searched on Google recently, you've probably noticed something new at the top of the page: an AI-generated summary that answers your query before you even click a link. These are Google AI Overviews, and they're changing how users interact with search results.
What Are AI Overviews?
AI Overviews are AI-generated summaries that appear at the top of Google search results for certain queries. They pull information from multiple web sources and present a synthesized answer directly on the results page.
For businesses, this means your content can be surfaced in a new way — not just as a blue link, but as a referenced source inside the overview itself.
Which Queries Trigger AI Overviews?
AI Overviews tend to appear most frequently for informational queries — the kinds of searches where people are looking for explanations, comparisons, or how-to guidance. They're less common for navigational queries (where someone is looking for a specific website) or simple transactional searches.
Common triggers include:
- Explanatory questions ("What is...", "How does...")
- Comparison queries ("X vs Y", "best options for...")
- Multi-step processes and how-to questions
- Health, finance, and technical topics where accuracy matters
What Content Gets Referenced?
The key to appearing in AI Overviews is largely what already makes good SEO: well-structured content, clear headings, direct answers to user questions, and strong topical authority.
Pages that provide comprehensive, accurate information on a subject tend to be referenced more often. Clear content structure, FAQ sections, and content that directly addresses search intent also help.
Some patterns we've observed:
- Direct answers — Content that clearly and concisely answers a question tends to be cited more frequently.
- Depth and comprehensiveness — AI Overviews pull from sources that cover a topic thoroughly, not superficially.
- Authority signals — Sites with established topical authority and credibility are preferred sources.
- Recency — For topics where freshness matters, recently updated content has an advantage.
AI Overviews Are Not Replacing Organic Results
This is worth emphasizing. AI Overviews sit alongside traditional organic results — they don't replace them. Users still see the familiar list of blue links below the overview, and many users still click through to read the full source material.
That said, AI Overviews do change user behavior. Some users get their answer from the overview and don't scroll further. This means being referenced in the overview becomes a new form of visibility worth optimizing for.
What Should You Do?
If your content already follows SEO best practices — clear structure, comprehensive coverage, direct answers — you're in a good position. The additional step is to audit how your brand currently appears in AI Overviews for your key topics and identify gaps where competitors are being referenced instead.
Want to know how your site performs in AI Overviews? Get a free AI visibility audit from our team.