1. Check out what's already there
Start by searching your keyword and seeing what Google’s AI Overview is already showing. What sort of questions are being answered? How is the content structured? Take notes and make sure your own content covers similar ground, but with your own spin. Unique, insightful and human-written content is key!
2. You don’t have to be top of the pile
Surprise! You don’t need to be in the number one spot to get featured. Based on our own findings, Google often pulls from anywhere on the first page, so focus on being helpful and relevant, not just chasing that top spot (although that’s what we all aim for of course).
3. Answer questions clearly
Google’s AI loves direct, clear answers. Use headings, short paragraphs and bullet points to break things up and make your content skimmable. If someone’s asking a question, make sure your answer is easy to spot. It’s not just good for Google’s bots but humans will appreciate it too!
4. Use lists and summaries
Short on time? So are the people reading your content. Lists, quick tips, and summary sections make your content easy just like this article
5. Keep it fresh and trustworthy
Update your content regularly with new facts, stats and expert-insight. The more up-to-date and trustworthy you are, the more likely Google is to pick you, and people are to trust you.
6. Don’t forget the techy stuff
Make sure your site loads quickly, works on mobile, and is easy for Google to crawl. Using schema markup can also help Google understand your content even better.
7. Build your brand’s reputation
Google likes to feature sites it trusts. Get your brand mentioned on other reputable sites, encourage reviews, and keep your social media active.
8. Try, test, and tweak
Google’s AI Overview is still relatively new and is evolving, so experiment with different formats and see what works for your brand to dominate. If you get featured, brilliant! If not, tweak your approach and try again.
But...Google’s AI Overview isn’t necessarily a game changer for your traffic
Compared to traditional organic results and featured snippets, click through rates are the elephant in the room when it comes to AI Overview’s. Why? AI Overview is exactly that, an overview (or answer) of the subject you searched. There is not necessarily the need to click if you’ve got the answer staring you in the face.
Ready to give it a go? Let us know how you get on or explore our SEO services.