Google's AI Overviews are changing how traditional SEO approaches are showing up in results. Here are ten strategies for supporting traditional SEO approaches to help you embrace Google's AI strategy.
You've probably seen the headlines all over Facebook and in your inbox: "AI is changing SEO", or "SEO isn't enough anymore". But what do these really mean?
The AI overview that appears as the first result of most Google searches is generally what those headlines are talking about. It's no longer enough to rank high for your chosen keywords, now you must also try to appear in the AI overview.
The AI overview, generated by Google's Knowledge Graph and Gemini - Google's AI, typically consists of two sections: an overview and a more detailed section. The more detailed section usually has sources for its information, and if you notice what those sources are, you'll quickly get the hint where you need to be posting to appear in the AI overview. It's also a useful tip for where to get backlinks for your website.
So far, I've noticed that the main websites AI overview sources its information from are Medium, Quora, Reddit, and Wikipedia. After those, it includes all the other websites it crawls and indexes. So you can rest assured that your SEO efforts will not go unnoticed. If your website is optimised well enough for the right keywords, the AI overview will find it and mention it.
Don't forget that those AI overviews are just that, overviews. Not everyone will be looking for an overview. When people are looking for a service or a product, they will be looking for you - the one who best meets their needs. Whether they're looking for someone nearby or for someone with that specific widget that you sell, the right keywords in the right places still matter.
What you can do
- Optimise your website for SEO like you know how to do. This still works. If you don't know how, let's talk.
- Include a summary paragraph at the beginning of key pages.
- Write like you mean it. How you talk about what you sell matters. Whether you push all the right buttons in your dream client's psyche will make or break that web page or blog post. What are your ideal clients really looking for? What problems are you solving for them? If they're not clear on it from reading your content, they won't click that Buy Now button.
- When you are writing copy for your website, be authoritative, Google likes to know that the website it's crawling has been written by an expert.
- Syndicate your blog posts to Medium, be active on Quora and Reddit. There are niches for everyone on these.
- Take advantage of and be active on your Google Business Profile. Local SEO is still important.
- Have a FAQ page on your website.
- Create Authority-Building Content - long-form content that genuinely answers people's questions; include original ideas, insights, or visuals and show expertise (E-E-A-T: Experience, Expertise, Authority, Trustworthiness).
- Focus on brand recognition - this includes appearing on podcasts, getting featured in industry publications, guest blogging, etc.
- Create interlinked content on your website to show the depth of your knowledge.
