Google AI Overviews: What the Future of AI-Powered Search Means for SEO

[Update] It's not long ago that we, as a B2B agency, reported on Google's Search Generative Experience (SGE). However, the rapid development of AI tools like ChatGPT and Google's Gemini is also influencing the evolution of Google Search.

Following the keynote in May 2024, it is now clear: SGE was merely the testing phase for what, according to Liz Reid, Head of Search at Google, will be rolled out this year: AI Overviews.

Google AI Overviews: What's coming our way?

One thing becomes quickly apparent when looking at the expanded feature list: Google is leveraging its own AI model, Gemini, to handle search queries. This brings numerous new search options for users, such as the ability to ask multipart questions, plan ahead, or initiate complex searches through voice and video recognition. In response, users will receive not just a list of links but a comprehensive overview with all the essential information related to their query, including links to relevant sources.

In the words of Liz Reid: Google is doing the Googling for us. SEO managers should take note because if users no longer search various websites for information but receive a convenient overview from Google, this will impact the expected website traffic and set new standards for effective SEO.

The beginning of a new era?

Artificial intelligence is already deeply integrated into our daily lives beyond Google Search. AI assistants like Co-Pilot, ChatGPT, and Gemini help us with various tasks, altering not only our expectations but also our user behavior. This could signal the end of the internet as we know it.

What does this mean for B2B?

While Google enables a completely new form of search with AI-based overviews, it remains business as usual for B2B: stay adaptable! With the rollout of AI Overviews, many websites will see a decline in traffic, as the sought-after information will already be presented on the SERP, with the source behind it perceived merely as a footnote. SEO managers will need to adjust their strategies to the new user behavior to remain relevant and secure a spot in the AI Overviews.

Update May 2024

[First published on 03.04.2024]

Google is set to make another significant leap, transforming from a search engine to a genuine "answer engine." To this end, the tech giant has been diligently working on an AI-driven search technology that will revolutionize how information is displayed on the SERP. And it's succeeding. After months of testing, Google will roll out the AI Overview later this year.

We take a closer look at what Google's AI-based overview means for your B2B marketing. Additionally, we explain what requirements the AI-driven search could pose for your SEO.

What Are Google AI Overviews?

The AI-based overviews are built on the most innovative technologies in machine learning and artificial intelligence. Google's integration of Gemini into the search process introduces fundamental changes to the SERP. Moving forward, Google will not only deliver relevant search results based on user keywords but will also generatively create content based on those search terms.

In plain terms, Google is no longer just scanning the content of all websites on the internet to list the most relevant pages for users on the SERP. On top of that, the search engine itself becomes a content creator, generating content that directly answers search queries.

Google anticipates the questions users might have and generates answers in real-time based on this understanding. To create this content, Google taps into various online sources to gather the necessary information.

Importantly, unlike ChatGPT, Google doesn't just produce a list of recommendations or search results; it continues to link to its sources and websites containing relevant information.

In a nutshell: What AI-Based overviews achieve.

• Generative Answers: Instead of merely presenting a list of links, Google now offers summarised answers compiled from multiple sources.
• Optimised Context Understanding: The technology better understands the context of a query, providing users with more precise and relevant information.
• Increased Interactivity: Users can formulate questions in natural language and ask follow-up questions based on Google's generated answers, enabling conversational interaction between humans and the search engine.
• Enhanced Complexity: Google can now handle multipart questions and search for various pieces of information simultaneously, summarising them neatly in the response.

Google AI Overviews and SEO: The impacts.

The gradual introduction of AI-based overviews is likely to lead to significant changes in search engine optimisation. The following aspects suggest that your SEO approach will need to adapt to Google's integration of Gemini in search:

1. User search intent becomes more important.

With AI-driven search, Google enhances its ability to understand the actual intent behind user queries. This means that SEO strategies previously focused mainly on keyword density and placement might become less effective.

SEO Tip: To continue achieving good rankings after the launch of AI Overviews, you should focus more on understanding the search intent of users and what answers they are looking for. Your content should be even more tailored to the needs and possible questions of your B2B audience. Additionally, offer a wide range of content formats like text, images, videos, or FAQs to meet diverse search intents.

2. AI Overviews emphasise featured snippets and rich answers.

Since Google aims to deliver answers to users' queries faster with AI search, the search engine will increasingly use Featured Snippets and Rich Answers. These compact formats, located at the top of the SERP, contain summaries deemed most useful by Google to answer key user questions on a topic.

SEO Tip: To have your content appear in the Featured Snippets and Rich Answers section, you should provide optimally structured and question-based content. Put yourself in your audience's shoes and formulate questions they might ask. For this, you can use tools like "Answer the Public." Then, provide concise and informative answers to these questions on your website. This increases the chances of Google selecting your content for Rich Answers or Featured Snippets.

"The fact that Google is integrating Gemini in particular into the search with AI Overviews will bring fundamental changes to the SERP."

3. Trustworthy content takes the lead.

The existing E-E-A-T guidelines still play a crucial role in Google AI Overviews. Especially the T for Trustworthiness is taken seriously by Google when creating generative content, with a rigorous check on whether the sources tapped for content creation contain valid information.

SEO Tip: Ensure that your website offers information about your B2B company that is easy to find and transparent. If your company runs a blog, make sure that published articles list the names of authors and include source references when they rely on external content. For the latter, ensure you refer to reliable sources to maintain the trustworthiness of your online presence.

4. Longer and more complex search queries are the future. 

Google's AI search considers that users will increasingly use search functions where questions are not typed traditionally on a keyboard or display. With the improvement of NLP technologies (Natural Language Processing), users will use longer and more complex search queries that sound more like natural conversations. Longer search queries particularly benefit the B2B sector, which offers more complex and explanatory products than B2C.

SEO Tip: Optimise your text-based content towards long-tail keywords to align with changing search habits. Additionally, ensure your content is more conversationally structured. For example, use questions in headlines that users might ask in a similar wording and provide the appropriate answers.

5. The More Up-to-Date Your Content, the Better for Google AI Overview

Google AI Overviews can generate content quickly and dynamically adapt existing content. This means that user search queries at different times can lead to different results – depending on the context, location, or date of the search. Therefore, the timeliness of website content becomes increasingly important for achieving top rankings.

SEO Tip: Keep your most important content and websites always up-to-date and make adjustments whenever relevant changes occur. B2B companies with product offerings subject to legal norms and regulations should, for instance, quickly update their content when changes occur.

Conclusion: Standard SEO no longer suffices for Google AI-Based Overviews.

The rollout of Google AI Overview is currently only scheduled for the USA with a start date. However, it is already clear that it is only a matter of time before the new features arrive in Germany, and existing SEO and content strategies will need to be reconsidered.

The direction of Google AI Overview suggests that more emphasis should be placed on content value, timeliness, and conversational content in SEO. This does not mean that traditional keyword optimisation in SEO will suddenly become obsolete. However, to achieve good rankings and online visibility in the future, B2B companies will likely need to put more effort into their strategies.

Do you need support with your SEO strategy or content creation? Then contact us directly!