From Rankings to Reasoning: How to Get Featured in AI Overviews – And Why It Matters
Why Do AI Overviews Matter for Businesses?
We all remember when SEO was about keywords, backlinks, and making sure your business appeared on page one of Google. But the game is changing. Google’s AI Overviews (formerly known as Search Generative Experience or SGE) are reshaping how search results are displayed—and how users engage with them.
This is the next frontier in SEO and advertising. So, how do you make sure your business appears in these AI-driven summaries, and what does it mean for your marketing strategy moving forward? Let’s break it down.
What Are AI Overviews?
AI Overviews are short, AI-generated summaries that appear at the top of some Google search results. Instead of a traditional list of blue links, users are presented with a natural-language answer that pulls in information from multiple sources across the web. It’s like a mini concierge service powered by generative AI, offering answers at lightning speed.
For example, if someone searches “What’s the best spa to install in a small garden?” Google may serve up an AI Overview summarising top brands, user feedback, and relevant specifications—all before the user even scrolls down.
If your business is part of that answer, that’s digital gold dust.
Why Do AI Overviews Matter for Businesses?
Visibility.
Being featured in an AI Overview means you're positioned above the traditional search results, effectively leapfrogging the competition.
This “position zero” placement gives your brand an authoritative edge—especially as more users get their answers directly from these summaries rather than clicking into multiple websites.
It’s also trust-building. If Google's AI deems your content worth referencing, it gives your business credibility. It's like being quoted in a news article—except it’s happening in real-time, for millions of potential customers.
How to Optimise for AI Overviews
Let’s get practical. Here are the steps you can take to increase your chances of being included in AI Overviews:
1. Focus on E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness)
Google’s AI pulls information from sources it considers reputable. This includes websites with clearly identified authors, consistent publishing histories, and strong domain authority.
Tip: Create in-depth blog content with a clear author bio and relevant credentials. Link to credible sources. Show your experience with case studies, reviews, or testimonials.
2. Use Clear, Structured Language
AI needs content it can “understand” easily. That means breaking your content into clear, scannable sections with headings, bullet points, and straightforward language.
Tip: Use questions as headers (like “What is the best hot tub under £5,000?”) and answer them directly beneath in a concise paragraph. This mirrors the format AI often prefers.
3. Include Long-Tail Keywords & Natural Language
AI Overviews are based on how people actually talk. Instead of targeting only generic keywords like “garden spa,” include conversational phrases like “best spa for a small garden in the UK.”
Tip: Use tools like AnswerThePublic or Google’s ‘People Also Ask’ box to find long-tail, question-based keywords your customers are already searching for.
4. Optimise for Local and Niche Relevance
AI Overviews are not always global. If your business serves a specific area (like hot tub installations in Warwickshire), make sure your location is included naturally in your content.
Tip: Combine niche and location-based keywords for higher relevance. For example: “Best-rated spa installers near Stratford-upon-Avon.”
5. Get Featured in Reviews and Mentions Across the Web
AI doesn’t just crawl your website—it pulls data from across the web. This includes reviews, forums, product listings, and third-party mentions.
Tip: Use review collection tools like NFC cards (we recommend ours!) to increase customer feedback on Google and Trustpilot. More real-world references boost your chances of inclusion.
The Future of Advertising in an AI-Led World
Here’s the big shift: advertising will become less about pushing messages out and more about being included in AI-generated answers.
That means:
- Your content needs to be genuinely helpful, not just sales-driven.
- Building online credibility is more important than ever.
- Transparency, authority, and user trust will win.
- Paid ads won’t disappear—but organic inclusion in AI Overviews will be the new battleground for attention.
The best part? Small businesses have a chance to punch above their weight. If your content is better structured, more relevant, and more trustworthy than a big brand’s, AI might pick you.
Final Thoughts
AI Overviews are not a passing trend. They’re a signpost of where search and digital marketing are heading. If you want to future-proof your business online, the time to adapt is now.
At The Mini Media Company, we help brands like yours take simple, strategic steps to stay ahead of the curve. From smart content planning to local SEO, we’re here to make sure your business isn’t just seen—it’s selected.
