You’ve probably noticed a difference in the results you receive when researching via a search engine, and there is no question as to why this shift has occurred – Google AI Overviews. This new feature puts AI search results above existing website content, being the first thing people see and read after searching. Before we set off all the panic alarm bells and smash the fire escape windows, there are strategies you can implement to get your content featured in these AI Overviews – increasing reach exponentially if done right.
Change can be scary, but for the same reasons it is scary it is also exciting. These are many SEO tactics to learn and unlearn as all eCommerce business owners embrace the newest way consumers find their products and services. AI Overview brings with it new potential audiences, and if you stay ahead of the curve, major opportunities for driving organic traffic to your website. All you need to do is understand the new research habits of users, and how they interact with a Google results page with these new changes.
Keep reading for our top strategies on how to tackle all the AI Overview changes that will affect you the most from now into the future.
Suddenly, users are relying on AI Overview generated content to find the answers to their pressing questions, as well as locate products and services they need. The interactions between the results page and user are changing, and we need to create short form content designed specifically to help Google AI Overview find our content and choose it above all others – therefore making our content the Featured Snippet.
Featured snippets are simply content that is intentionally worded for Google search results. A featured snippet is often found as the first result at the top of your Google Search results page, but now it appears after an AI Overview result. The content that AI Overview pushes is often the very first thing a user sees, therefore it is crucial to be included in these results.
Google AI will often quote the featured snippet in its result, essentially nullifying the usefulness and general demand for featured snippets all together. However, for this moment in time we need to create short form content that can easily be found and used in a featured snippet to increase our chances of showing up in AI Overview results.
To show you why AI Overview increases SEO opportunities instead of quelling them, we have the below example.
Maybe, like me, you haven’t changed a light bulb in many years and forgot how. (This is a judgement free zone.) You can see how when you click on Safety, multiple websites are quoted and linked on the right-hand side.
Instead of aiming for solely a top 5 or top 10 Google ranking, it’s time to shift your focus to content that will appear in AI Overview results. The potential for organic traffic for all websites, not just those with a top ranking, is exponential. AI Overview loves content that is high quality, and includes all the buzz words needed to fulfil the users request.
Communities like Reddit, and online sources like Wikipedia, play a major role in the source material Google pulls from for its AI Overview. If you want to maximise your reach and visibility in search results, creating a name for yourself and providing information on Reddit will go a long way.
You’ll notice how many Reddit threads with questions and answers appear in the top results of Google search results, especially for niche or specific content or products. If you dedicate time to creating thoughtful posts with useful, searchable information and engaging with communities it helps to feed the SEO machine, pushing your business further up the rankings ladder.
Wikipedia is a similar game – creating a page and maintaining current links will help your visability and overall credibility.
If you haven’t already, this is your official reminder – optimise your Search Engine Results Page (SERP) titles! Consider the titles of all your pages, and the content that follows, and design each title in a way that draws in users. You do not want to lose out on crucial click throughs because of a misaligned or confusing title.
Test your Click Through Rate (CTR) often and frequently. With AI Overview entering the game and shaking up all we know about SEO, we need to ensure that what we do works and will reap good results for our business.
We don’t want to imagine that anyone out there would intentionally taint the reputation of another business, but it does unfortunately happen. With AI Overview grabbing content from across the web without verifying it, there is potential for those who want to steal your business to more easily interfere and taint results with false information.
Be sure to keep on top of any negative information that may be falsely spread about your brand, or rival companies using your name and brand to draw attention to their products. To combat any of this potential negatively, we recommend building a strong brand foundation from the ground up across all platforms and conduct brand “health checks” to ensure that all the organic traffic you deserve is coming your way and that there are no fake reviews or accounts floating around.
For those who are outside the top 10 Google result rankings, AI Overviews are great news. For those already ranking well, it is simply another opportunity to be at the top of each and every search.
The main take away for any eCommerce business owner should be that quality, targeted content is your ticket to success. Content that can easily be used in featured snippets, but also content that is well written, educational and intentional, will set your business apart. Continue what you’re doing in regards to backlinks and brand mentions: backlinks are still an important element of SEO, and AI Overviews value brand mentions.
It is time to shift our focus from focusing on traditional SEO strategies, and turn to the future: where brand identity, high quality content and content formatted for featured snippets is how eCommerce business succeed.
At Immerse, we have already implemented all of these strategies and more to tackle the ever changing SEO landscape. It is our commitment to the digital world of business to stay ahead of any trends or changes, and that includes AI Overview.
Unsure how to make these changes for your business? Immerse Marketing is your best Australian digital agency for all things SEO, AI Overview, web design and more! We understand the importance of standing apart from the crowd, and help countless businesses make their mark online.
Let us help you take the stress and confusion out of SEO, allowing you to focus on other aspects of your business. With the help of Immerse Marketing, your business will stand tall above the rest – so tall, if you’re afraid of heights, maybe don’t climb all the way up to the top. Attract all the right clients and see all the right results with an SEO package from Immerse!
Contact us today to find out more, or visit our website to see a list of our services. Interested in what our clients have to say? Check out some reviews here!
