Understanding Google AI Overviews

Google AI Overviews began rolling out to Google search results in May; perhaps you’ve noticed. 

This new search outlet leverages large language models (LLMs, like Google’s own Gemini or OpenAI’s ChatGPT) to deliver specific responses to a given search query. This intent is that this AI-driven “overview” of search results will provide a more holistic interpretation of whatever it is you seek (and it works best with searches posed as questions). This overview appears at the top of the search results page.

For example: On June 24, I searched “tips for greenhouse design.” Google AI Overviews brought back a coherent set of simple advice and six links to various commercial websites (see image). 

Currently, Google AI Overviews appear in about 15% of searches, with significant variability across different verticals and user intents. "It’s rolling out starting in the US in English, and they hope to have it rolled out to billions of users this year," says Dave Coppedge, SEO strategist and founder of Ponderosa Digital. 

This rollout is important for small businesses to monitor because organic search is a powerful tool for business growth. It’s the backbone of effective content marketing, in fact. If you don’t understand the delivery mechanisms for all the great content your website has to offer, you’re in trouble. 

"Typically, you’ve got a lot of stuff going on in the search results, but really, when it comes down to it, what we’re all used to is clicking links to get to websites,” Coppedge says. “Now, Google is essentially taking what they know based on how this model has been trained and showing a summary within the search results itself," 

This development changes the dynamic of how businesses approach SEO. For small business marketing teams, understanding this shift is crucial to adapting their strategies.

Impact on Content Strategy

Creating unique, helpful content has never been more important. For the past few years, Coppedge points out, Google has been incrementally updating its algorithm to privilege helpful content (going so far as to label some of those updates, literally, “helpful content updates”). The four tenets of that overarching idea are: experience, expertise, authority, and trust. If your content demonstrates those ideals, you’ve got a nice shot at ranking well in the eyes of Google and, likely, its AI-driven search results. 

With Google AI Overviews beginning to supplant or even replace generic summaries, businesses need to focus on delivering valuable insights that cannot be easily replicated by AI. Consider this a fundamental bit of advice on top of those helpful content tenets. If your content can be replicated by AI, that’s not good for anyone. 

"Google is leveraging personalization as part of this,” Coppedge says. “So, how do you differentiate your content and make it more helpful? Provide valuable insights based on experience and expertise within that content and really optimize as you would to provide the best user experience.”

It’s a new twist on the same old best practices. 

To maintain visibility, content must be original and engaging–period. This means moving beyond simple summaries and offering in-depth analyses, expert opinions, and unique perspectives. Use interviews to drive your content. Prioritize audio and video. Instead of just listing the top 10 widgets for an industry, provide detailed reviews, comparisons, real-world applications, and perspectives from experts. 

This depth engages users and positions your content as a valuable resource that AI might struggle to replicate. Remember, with content marketing you are writing for both humans and algorithms. 

AI in Flux

Bear in mind, however, that this entire subject is a moving target. We’re originally publishing this article in June 2024. By the time you read it, perhaps in July 2024, a lot will have changed. 

Here’s one facet of that issue: An early challenge with AI Overviews is the variability in their visibility. Different users might see different results based on their behavior and personalization settings. 

"There’s a differentiation between users who are already rolled into this large experiment in AI overviews, differences between one user seeing it and one user not," says Coppedge. This personalization underscores the importance of creating content that resonates on a personal level. Because it’s difficult to pin down how this content is differentiated from one user to the next, this topic remains up for further study.

But for SEO strategies, for now, this means a renewed focus on high-quality, personalized content that speaks directly to the user's needs and preferences. Ensuring that your content is seen by the right audience involves understanding these personalization trends and adapting your strategy accordingly. Begin by revisiting your audience persona(s) and developing targeted content for them. 

While the introduction of AI Overviews presents challenges, it also offers new opportunities for small, niche businesses. 

"What these AI overviews are providing is a chance for a bit more full-funnel visibility that might have been taken away or that might not have even existed," Coppedge says. 

By leveraging AI-driven insights, small businesses can improve their content marketing efforts and achieve better visibility. 

For instance, a small business specializing in eco-friendly products can create comprehensive content around a very specific topic within that broader sustainability topic, which AI Overviews might highlight as authoritative and valuable.

Strategies for Adapting to AI Overviews

Google is not alone here. While we often use “Google” as a stand-in for “search,” broadly, there are new players in the search game. Those entrants, like Perplexity, are pushing the market toward AI-driven insights–and fast. 

"Google’s definitely not the first, but what we’re also seeing is there are AI-first and AI-only search engines that are starting to enter the market," notes Coppedge. 

To maintain a balanced strategy, businesses should continue investing in both organic and paid search efforts, adapting their approaches as AI technologies evolve. Paid ads remain a crucial component of digital marketing strategies, even with the advent of AI Overviews. Google is experimenting with integrating ads into AI overviews, ensuring that paid ads still play a significant role. 

To thrive in the era of AI Overviews, small business marketing teams should focus on creating helpful, user-centric content, leveraging best SEO practices, and building a strong digital footprint. Ensuring your content provides real value and answers user queries effectively is paramount. 

Google AI Overviews mark a significant shift in the landscape of search engine optimization. For small business marketing teams, understanding and adapting to these changes is crucial. By focusing on creating high-quality, user-centric content, leveraging SEO best practices, and maintaining a balanced approach to paid ads, businesses can navigate this evolving landscape successfully.

In summary, small business marketing teams must stay informed and adaptable to harness the power of AI Overviews. Creating content that offers unique insights, understanding personalization trends, and balancing organic and paid strategies will be key to achieving digital marketing success in this new era.

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