In the last half of this year, we have seen Google make changes to its algorithm, now compiling results at the top of the SERP in what it calls its “AI Overview.” We have seen Google publish blog content recently discussing the top ways to ensure your website’s content performs well in Google’s AI Overview. Google is running strong with its AI program and claims it still has every intention to ensure that it helps users find the best result to their query. But how do you shift your SEO strategy to perform well in the AI results?
In this blog, we will break down the changes being made and how Google recommends you maximize your SEO & AIO.
What is Google Saying You Should Do
When it comes to writing content, Google isn’t saying you should necessarily shift much from what they typically suggest for SEO content. Focusing on valuable quality content is the first suggestion they make.
One of the very first things that Google’s May 2025 blog lays out relates to the focus and need to generate valuable content “for people,” which is based on what people are searching for online. This varies from creating content that’s “what Google wants.” It’s odd, but Google is saying the AI will reward content that’s clearly written for humans and is valuable and unique.
Google is also asking to prioritize the value of your visitors. They suggest you consider “indicators of conversion on your site, be it sales, signups, a more engaged audience, or information lookups about your business” as laid out by the May Google blog. What are your visitors interested in the most? That… that is the most important question! This is because Google claims users are searching and asking longer and more specific questions as they have gotten more acclimated to interacting with ChatGPT and other AI tools.
The Importance of a Good Website User Experience
There are some other things that we and Google both think you could do to help make this AI system recognize your website pages. It’ll mainly come down to how well you can make the experience of the page come off to the user.
A cluttered and difficult-to-navigate page could be an instant turnoff for the user. Making sure that it connects with their interests instantly is a net positive. Comprehensive and easy to read information, appealing visuals through the design and layout or something as simple as putting some images in it showcase the product being sold. This is what Google says will be rewarded in AI Overview results.
How to Make Sure Google Sees Your Content
Being able to learn and research the best methods for how you can rank in Google’s AI search results will allow you to understand SEO to its greatest potential. Because of several recent changes to Google AI, it’s important that we let you know how to navigate this new version of their system.
If you are a company and want customers and clients to search for you with the help of certain keyword search terms, then that’s your best bet for Google filtering you into the search results. It’ll make sure to match everything together based on the phrase you want to rank for.
You’ll want to make sure that all content you create is easily searchable by being simple, effective in tone, and gets to the point where the information on hand is given to the user as quickly as possible. This is a key factor in ranking in AI results, getting to the point quickly in your articles or pages.
The best aspect of this Google AI system is that it doesn’t just prioritize an AI-generated answer for your questions, but it also makes sure to display the links of websites that create the AI answer. Normally, the AI answer can take chunks of information from these links and show it immediately, but if you want to dig deeper, it gives you the other websites to show where the information comes from for a more accurate description of it. It essentially compiles multiple sources into one answer. You want to be one of those sources.
Another detail that some people might miss when trying to rank their content is forgetting to index or re-index their content’s URLs within Google Search Console. It’s a free web service offered by Google that helps website owners monitor, maintain, and troubleshoot their site’s presence in Google Search results. You must ensure that your content is able to be accessed by Google, so as long as you’re doing the right things there you can help your case to show up in AI overview results.
By implementing your links into this system, you help put your website in the results even better, and let you track its analytics. An effective tool for running a business!
Learn more about Google Search Console here!
How We Look at Google AI To Help Businesses
Google is always changing, and we are always on the lookout to see how we can compete at a higher level in Google search. AI becoming a part of SEO can be good if you are playing SEO the right way. Ultimately, you need to remember that all the bells and whistles can be distracting, but when it comes down to it Google is trying to provide the best result possible in organic results and now in AI results. Write quality content that is unique and findable, and provide a great page experience, and you should find yourself up at the top in the AI overview!
If you or someone you know is looking for guidance in how to navigate AI in SEO, give us a call and reach out when you can! We are more than happy to help those who want a better understanding of digital marketing.