Google’s announcements at the last Google I/O have sent shockwaves through the SEO industry. With AI Overviews (formerly known as Search Generative Experience, or SGE) rolling out to all users, many in the SEO community are wondering what this means for their strategies moving forward. Is this the beginning of the end for traditional SEO? Or is it simply an evolution that requires adaptation?
AI Overviews: A Game-Changer or Just Hype?
One of the biggest takeaways from Google I/O was that AI Overviews are now available to all users. While this is a major step forward, Google’s track record of announcing features that never fully materialize leaves some room for skepticism. Nonetheless, the technology is improving, with faster response times and more seamless integration into search.
A key reason for this increased speed is the use of Gemini Nano in Chrome, which offloads some of the processing to the client side. This means AI-generated search results will become faster and more efficient over time. However, the effectiveness of AI Overviews remains questionable, as many results are still inaccurate or of lower quality compared to traditional search results.
What Does This Mean for SEO?
The rollout of AI Overviews will undoubtedly change SEO, but not necessarily in a negative way. While some fear that AI-generated summaries will reduce organic traffic by keeping users on Google’s search pages, the reality is that search has always evolved, and SEO professionals have always adapted.
Here’s what we know so far:
- AI Overviews prioritize relevance at the passage level rather than considering an entire webpage. This means content creators must optimize for specific, highly relevant sections rather than ranking a full page for broad keywords.
- There is limited visibility into AI Overviews in Google Search Console—Google has yet to provide clear data on how often these snapshots appear or how users interact with them.
- Traditional ranking signals (such as backlinks and authority) may have less impact on AI Overviews, at least for now, as Google prioritizes content relevance and information diversity.
SEO professionals must now rethink their strategies by focusing on comprehensive, well-structured content that answers queries in a way that aligns with AI Overviews’ data selection methods.
The Challenge of Measuring Performance
One of the biggest hurdles for SEOs moving forward is proving the value of their work. Historically, SEO efforts could be measured by tracking organic traffic, keyword rankings, and conversion rates. However, with AI Overviews becoming a larger part of the search, attribution is becoming increasingly opaque—similar to the challenges faced when Google removed keyword-level data from organic search analytics.
While Google has suggested that AI Overviews will be part of Google Search Console, the lack of granular insights makes it difficult to separate AI Overview clicks from traditional organic search clicks. This means SEOs will need to rely on rank-tracking tools and user engagement metrics to gauge performance.
Who Will Win in This New SEO Landscape?
The brands and content creators that will thrive in this new search environment will be those who:
- Create deeply comprehensive content that covers not just the main query but also related follow-up questions. Understanding search intent branching—such as what users might ask next—will be key.
- Structure content effectively, breaking information into clear, digestible sections that AI Overviews can easily extract.
- Optimize for AI relevance, not just traditional SEO ranking factors. This includes focusing on semantically related keywords and query expansions.
- Continue building authority and trust, as Google may incorporate stronger ranking signals over time to improve AI-generated results.
The Future of Search: What’s Next?
While some believe Google might scale back AI Overviews due to user complaints about low-quality responses, it’s more likely that Google will double down on improving AI-generated results rather than abandoning the initiative. This means continuous adaptation is necessary for SEO professionals.
One potential shift we might see is the decline of featured snippets, as AI Overviews take their place. Additionally, AI-generated results may become more personalized, making it even harder to track rankings consistently.
Final Thoughts
Google’s AI Overviews are here, and they are reshaping search as we know it. Rather than seeing this as the end of SEO, it’s more useful to view it as the next evolution—one that demands smarter, more nuanced content strategies.
SEO professionals who embrace AI-aware optimization techniques and focus on comprehensive, structured, and user-centric content will have the best chance of maintaining visibility in Google’s search ecosystem.
As the dust settles, monitoring performance, testing new approaches, and staying informed on Google’s updates will be crucial for long-term success.