AI Overviews

AI Overviews are summary answers at the top of Google’s classic search results. They aggregate content from various sources and can partially replace traditional rankings. In this section, you’ll find more information on what they mean, how to continue to reliably measure visibility, and what steps you need to take now.

AI Overviews Hero

AIO: What does it mean?

Google’s AI Overviews are changing the SEO landscape – a large percentage of SERPs now get an AI-generated response. Instead of relying solely on good organic positioning, visibility now also depends on content citation within an AI Overview. Since these overviews often take up the entire visible area of ​​the screen, organic search results are less prominent.

For website owners this means that content strategies must be reviewed. In fact, it’s no longer just about getting a high ranking in search results, but about being precise and complete from a thematic point of view. The famous concept of E-E-A-T remains essential as Google favours pages with high authority on a given topic.

The effects on website traffic are not yet clear. Early data from the United States indicates that click-through rates could halve compared to search results without AI Overviews, dropping from 15% to 8%. Interestingly, users seem to actually find what they’re looking for in AI Overviews, completing their searches more quickly. In the future, therefore, success will no longer be measured solely by clicks, but also by mentions or citations in the SERPs.

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What changes now for SEOs?

The introduction of AI Overviews radically changes the relationship between Google and SEOs. Until now, the agreement was clear: SEOs made content public, and Google, in exchange, guaranteed its dissemination through search. This exchange is now losing stability as new AI features allow Google to directly respond to a significantly greater number of user queries. It’s increasingly less necessary to click through to external sites, so traffic stays on Google.

This has consequences on visibility and on search behavior in general. Users get instant answers without having to click further. Google is increasingly focusing on user-generated content from platforms like Reddit, and increasingly treats “normal” sites as replaceable sources.

Many SEOs will be wondering how to remain visible in the future. Whether it’s exclusive content, new business models, or optimizations aimed at AI systems, it is clear that the previous principle of “visibility vs reach” is faltering.

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Development in the UK

AI Overviews have been appearing nationwide in the UK since late 2024. The distribution figures for recent months are now stable. AI Overviews are currently visible in around 15 percent of all search queries.

SERPs with an AI Overview

Approximately 15% of all keywords in the UK currently display an AI Overview. This new SERP integration has spread rapidly in just a few months and continues to grow.

Top domains in the AI ​​Overviews

Among the top domains, health portals such as nih.gov, nhs.uk and healthline.com dominate, while public broadcasters such as bbc.co.uk are also strongly represented.

Analyse AI Overviews with SISTRIX

Google is increasingly responding directly to searches. Find out instantly if your site appears in the AI ​​Overview and where your competition ranks.

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Track AIOs with SISTRIX

Keyword filter

A new filter in the keyword table allows you to specifically identify queries for which a domain is cited as a source in the AI ​​Overviews.

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AIO in the “SERP” section

A feature in the “SERP” section shows all the keywords for which a domain appears in the AI ​​Overview, along with its ranking within the feature.

Analyse keywords with AIO

Expanded SERP Archive

The ‘SERP archive’ has been further expanded to show the full content of the AI ​​Overview, including linked sources and recognized entities.

View the contents of the AIO

The SEO of the future

AI Overviews have shifted the focus of search engine optimisation to new horizons. Visibility no longer comes solely from Top 10 rankings but from thematically relevant content that precisely answers user questions. However, the foundation remains the same – they must be understandable, useful, and written for people, not machines. Technical optimisation, a clear structure, and structured data correct continue to be indispensable.

It’s important to structure content in a modular way so that individual sections can be meaningfully referenced by AI. Meta tags, images, and videos can further boost visibility. Those who say SEO is dead are wrong – without SEO it is still very unlikely to appear among the top results, both in traditional search and in AI Overviews.

In practice, content must answer concrete questions in depth, integrate personal experiences, and delve as deeply into the topic as possible: short definitions are no longer sufficient, as Google provides them directly. It is essential that content is recognised by AI as a reliable source. At the same time, the monitoring of it becomes essential to verify whether the pages remain visible in the AI ​​Overviews or are supplanted by the competition.

SEO for AI Overviews: The Checklist

Frequently Asked Questions

Can AI overviews contain incorrect or outdated information?

Yes. AI Overviews may contain incorrect or outdated information if the underlying sources are flawed, incomplete or out of date. Since the answers are generated automatically, misunderstandings can also arise, for example due to imprecise wording or incorrect weighting of content. Regularly reviewing and updating your own content increases the chance that correct information will appear in the AI Overview.

How do AI Overviews differ from the generative search results on Bing or Perplexity?

Bing Copilot and Perplexity are interactive AI search systems that provide answers in a chat-like interface and can be controlled by follow-up questions. Both combine a language model with a search index and generate answers dynamically based on the question asked.

AI Overviews, on the other hand, are static results in Google Search. They are automatically generated for certain search queries and only change when Google re-evaluates the content or sources, but not through direct interaction with the user.

How fast does the content in an AI Overview change?

The content in AI Overviews can change very quickly. Google continuously adjusts the selection of sources and wording depending on new content, user behaviour and tests. Changes are often visible within a few days, sometimes even faster. It is therefore worth checking relevant keywords regularly.

How does Google decide which sources are cited in the AI Overview?

Google evaluates which content best covers the question addressed in the AI Overview. Preference is given to pages that answer all the important aspects of the search query, are clearly structured, offer trustworthy information and are thematically specialised. The sources often come from pages with high authority on the respective topic and up-to-date, well-prepared information.

Why is my domain not listed in the AI Overview, even though I am in the organic top 10?

Google does not select the sources in the AI Overview solely based on ranking. Pages that answer the search query completely and accurately are often preferred, especially if they are considered particularly relevant or trustworthy. Thematic coverage, topicality of content and clear wording can also be decisive factors. It is therefore worthwhile to tailor content specifically to the aspects covered in the AI Overview.

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25.09.2025