HOW GOOGLE’S AI OVERVIEWS (SGE) IMPACT SEO – AND WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT

How Google’s AI Overviews (SGE) Impact SEO – And What You Can Do About It

How Google’s AI Overviews (SGE) Impact SEO – And What You Can Do About It

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Google’s AI Overviews, introduced under its Search Generative Experience (SGE), are changing the way search results appear and how users interact with them. These AI-generated summaries sit at the very top of the results page, often replacing what used to be the highest-ranking organic listings.


This shift has significant implications for SEO. Whether you're running a blog, an ecommerce store, or you're part of an SEO company in Bangalore, understanding and adapting to these changes is critical to sustaining search performance.






What Are AI Overviews and Why Are They Disruptive?


AI Overviews provide AI-generated summaries in response to search queries. They pull data from multiple sources and present a conversational answer, often satisfying user intent without requiring a click.



Impact of This Change:




  • Organic listings are pushed far below




  • Click-through rates drop




  • Overall website traffic and conversions decline




Sites across industries have reported 20% to 60% reductions in organic traffic where AI Overviews dominate.






Which Sectors Are Most Affected?


AI Overviews have the biggest impact on industries that rely on content-driven traffic:





  • Ecommerce – Especially for high-intent keywords like “best headphones under ₹5,000”




  • Affiliate and publishing sites – Where top-10 product or service comparisons are common




  • Healthcare and finance – Due to high AI-trigger rates and informational queries




  • Education and technology – Where 40–50% of searches can trigger AI summaries




Local businesses, especially those targeting informational or “how to” keywords, are also seeing a shift in visibility.






How to Evaluate Your Site’s Risk


1. Use Google Search Console


Monitor impressions and CTR for your top-performing pages. A decline, especially for transactional or question-based content, may signal AI Overview interference.



2. Perform Manual Searches


Search for your target keywords and observe whether an AI Overview appears. If so, note how far down your listing appears.



3. Use Impact Models


Explore tools like:





  • SGE Impact Assessment by Aleyda Solis




  • Moz’s Google SGE Impact Model







Seven Proven Ways to Adapt Your SEO Strategy


1. Realign Internal KPIs


Organic traffic declines are expected in SGE-dominated SERPs. Update internal performance metrics to reflect visibility shifts and prioritize engagement over raw traffic numbers.






2. Focus on E-E-A-T: Expertise, Experience, Authority, Trust


Google’s AI systems are rooted in quality guidelines that value trustworthy, expert-backed content.





  • Add bylines and author credentials




  • Cite reputable data sources




  • Include testimonials, reviews, and firsthand experience




Websites that improved trust signals saw up to 130% better results in AI-assisted searches.






3. Prioritize Readability


Generative models favor easy-to-read, conversational content. Use:





  • Short paragraphs




  • Clear headers




  • Plain language




Tools like Hemingway Editor or WebFX’s Readability Tool can help assess and improve your content flow.






4. Use Structured Data (Schema Markup)


Help Google’s AI understand your content through schema.org markups like:





  • Product




  • FAQ




  • Review




  • LocalBusiness




  • Organization




These signals boost your chances of being included in AI responses or rich snippets, especially for transactional queries.






5. Add Multimedia Elements


AI Overviews pull from multimodal sources, not just text.


Include:





  • Custom graphics and product images




  • Short-form videos summarizing your page




  • Descriptive alt text and file names




This can also boost visibility in Google Images and Video Search, which currently aren't dominated by AI Overviews.






6. Earn Third-Party Mentions


Google often uses third-party sources to generate its summaries. Increase your brand’s inclusion by:





  • Gaining coverage in listicles and product comparisons




  • Getting reviewed on industry blogs or YouTube channels




  • Acquiring backlinks through valuable, shareable content







7. Align Content with Search Intent and Follow-Up Queries


Target follow-up questions suggested in:





  • AI Overviews themselves




  • People Also Ask boxes




  • Reddit and Quora threads




  • Review site FAQs




Answer these questions clearly and thoroughly within your content to improve both user satisfaction and AI visibility.






Final Thoughts


AI Overviews represent a fundamental change in search behavior. While organic rankings still matter, visibility within the AI summary ecosystem is becoming just as important.


For businesses and marketers—including any SEO company in Bangalore working with local or global clients—adapting your strategy to meet these AI-driven expectations is no longer optional. It’s the new baseline for success.






Explore Further: SEO for Small Business


If you're a small or medium-sized business looking to build your digital footprint in this changing environment, check out our guide on SEO for Small Business to understand foundational strategies that still work, even as AI shapes the future of search.

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