How to Win at AI Overviews (Without Losing Your Soul)

Practical tips for making your site show up in Google’s AI Overviews written in plain English, for humans.

Google’s AI Overviews (the Search Generative Experience / SGE) are changing how people get answers. Instead of a list of blue links, users increasingly see a concise AI summary at the top of the results which can be brilliant for UX but nerve-wracking for site owners who rely on clicks. The good news? You can optimise for AI Overviews without sacrificing your SEO and you don’t need a PhD in machine learning to start. Here’s a practical playbook.

Quick context:

Google has been rolling out AI Overviews broadly and building these features into Search; they’re designed to help users understand topics faster and are being tested across many regions.

Google Search on a mobile device, with an AI Overview being generated at the top

1) Write the answer first then expand

AI Overviews love clear, concise answers. When a user asks “How long does website redesign take?” the AI looks for a small, factual summary it can present immediately.

  • Front-load the answer: Put a short, punchy answer in the first 40–60 words of the page or the start of a dedicated FAQ item.
  • Then expand: Follow with detailed sections, examples, case studies and links – that’s what will keep users clicking through.

This mirrors Google’s own advice to create helpful, unique and satisfying content for people not just search engines. Aim to satisfy both the short-form answer and deeper reader intent.

2) Use structured data properly

AI systems and Google both consume structured data to better understand and present content. Adding JSON-LD schema for FAQ, Article or Product increases the chances of being cited and shown with richer elements.

  • Add an FAQ block for common questions (each Q + immediate A).
  • Use clear headings (H1, H2) so AI parsers and crawlers can find the short answer easily.
  • Validate with Google’s Rich Results Test.

Structured data isn’t a silver bullet, but it’s a hygiene factor that helps machines parse your content. If you use WordPress, plugins like Yoast can generate JSON-LD for you but always check the markup.

3) Build topic clusters and own the entire conversation

AI Overviews favour sites that demonstrate topical authority. That means not one page on “web design Bristol” – it’s a hub of content: service pages, process pages, case studies, guides, FAQs.

  • Pillar page (broad topic) → Cluster pages (specific subtopics).
  • Interlink heavily and logically.
  • Make sure the pillar gives the short, authoritative answer an AI might pull into a summary.

Search pros call this “fan-out” coverage: anticipate the follow-up questions and answer them in separate, linkable pages. Google’s guidance suggests building unique, non-commodity content that fulfils user needs so you’ll be in a better spot for AI features this way.

4) Be the obvious source. Cite and show expertise (E-E-A-T)

AI systems prefer reputable, verifiable sources. Show you’re the expert:

  • Add author bylines and short bios (experience matters).
  • Link to reputable references and research.
  • Add case studies with dates, client types and outcomes (avoid vague platitudes).
  • Use high-quality, original content not thin pages stuffed with keywords.

Google’s resources continually emphasise quality and helpfulness over trying to “game” the system. Strong E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) remains critical.

5) Technical fundamentals still matter (speed, indexing, mobile)

AI Overviews draw on indexed, crawlable content. Keep your house in order:

  • Use Google Search Console to monitor coverage, performance and how Google views your pages. The new Insights and SGE-related reports can show how your content appears in AI features.
  • Improve Core Web Vitals. If users abandon pages, AI may prefer other sources.
  • Ensure pages are indexable (robots.txt and sitemaps), canonicalised and not blocked by noindex tags.

Pro tip: if you have a key page you want the AI to reference, make sure it’s fast, clean and clearly summarises the main answer near the top.

6) Make content machine-friendly but human first

Machines like plain text. That doesn’t mean bland. It means you should:

  • Provide a clear one-sentence answer at the top
  • Use bullet lists and short paragraphs, easy for both humans and models to parse.
  • Include labelled data (dates, locations, numbers) in a predictable format.

Also consider a /llms.txt or curated content feed if you want to help LLMs find your best content quickly but treat this as optional and experiment carefully.

7) Track differently: watch citations, not just clicks

AI Overviews can be zero-click. That means traditional metrics need nuance.

  • Track impressions and where you appear (Search Console + Performance reports).
  • Look for increases in branded queries and later-stage actions (signups, contact form submissions).
  • Use session quality metrics (time on page, pages per session) to see whether AI-sourced visitors convert similarly to organic searchers.

Remember: some sites lose clicks but gain higher-intent users. It’s not always doom and gloom. Google has said AI Overviews haven’t decimated traffic across the board; results vary by site type.

Overview Checklist

  • Put a short, clear answer at the top of each key page.
  • Add FAQ structured data where appropriate.
  • Build topic clusters around your core services.
  • Show author and company credentials (E-E-A-T).
  • Keep pages fast, mobile-friendly and indexable.
  • Use Search Console to monitor AI-related impressions and placements.
  • Consider llms.txt

Final (key)word: be helpful, not clever

AI Overviews will keep evolving. The safest, smartest long-term strategy is the one it’s always been: make great content that helps real people, present it clearly for both humans and machines and keep an eye on your analytics. Do that and you’ll sleep easier even if the AI gives the short answer on the SERP.

Want us to review a page for AI-overview readiness? We’ll give it the DCOED treatment: quick, honest and slightly irreverent, with practical fixes that actually work.

Sources & Further Reading:

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About the Author: Jen is a trailblazing web designer with a flair for innovation, an unwavering commitment to creativity and has a love of all things tech. And cupcakes.