The SEO Game Has Changed

For over two decades, SEO was straightforward: write good content, build some backlinks, rank higher in search results.

But in 2024, Google began replacing search results with answers.

Enter: AI Overviews.

Now, instead of showing users a list of blue links, Google’s AI gives instant, generative summaries. These often combine information from multiple sources. Your brand’s visibility in this new world depends on a completely different set of rules.

This article explains what AI Overviews are, why they’re rewriting the SEO playbook, and what to do next to stay visible.

What Are AI Overviews?

AI Overviews are Google’s generative answers that appear at the top of search results for certain queries. They combine information from various web sources to generate a complete summary and cite those sources directly.

They are powered by Google’s Gemini models and are part of the broader Search Generative Experience (SGE). According to Google, AI Overviews are now live for hundreds of millions of users across the US and other markets.

“By the end of 2024, AI Overviews will be the default experience for most informational queries.” — Google I/O 2024

Why This Changes Everything for Brands

AI Overviews reduce clicks.

Users often get what they need without visiting your website. That means:

• If you’re not cited, you’re invisible

• If your content lacks structure, it’s ignored

• If your site isn’t machine-readable, it’s bypassed

In traditional SEO, ranking was everything. In the AI era, it’s about being cited and trusted.

How Google Chooses Sources for AI Overviews

Google hasn’t published a full guide, but analysis of thousands of Overviews reveals key trends:

1. Sites with schema markup are more likely to be used

2. Trusted publications and directories dominate citations

3. First-party expertise (such as author bios and about pages) strengthens inclusion

4. Concise, fact-rich language is favoured over vague or promotional copy

5. Topical authority beats generalist content

AI doesn’t choose the best-written content. It chooses the most understandable and trustworthy to machines.

What You Can Do to Get Featured

1. Optimise for Structured Data

Add schema markup (such as Organization, Article, FAQ, Product, and Person) to help Google interpret your content correctly.

2. Focus on Citable Content

Write in a way that AI can lift and reference. Use clear facts, actionable steps, and concise summaries. Avoid jargon and fluff.

3. Build Authoritativeness

Earn mentions on reputable blogs, business directories, and industry sites. The more “known” you are online, the more likely AI is to cite you.

4. Align with Entities

Ensure your brand, founders, products, and services are consistently represented across your site, social profiles, and PR. This strengthens your entity profile in AI’s knowledge graph.

5. Claim Your Knowledge Panel

For individuals or organisations, having a Google Knowledge Panel increases trust signals and improves chances of being included in AI-generated answers.

Final Thought: The Rise of Answer Engine Optimisation

We are entering a new phase: AEO, or Answer Engine Optimisation.

If SEO was about getting seen in search, AEO is about getting named in the answer.

That means a new approach:

• Technical hygiene

• Credibility signals

• Structured storytelling

• Entity clarity

• AI visibility strategy

At AI See You, we help brands become AI-visible, citable, and trusted so they don’t disappear from the digital landscape.

Want to know where your brand stands?

Book an AI Visibility Audit today.