What are Google AI Overviews?
AI Overviews are AI-generated summaries shown for some Google searches, with links that let people explore supporting information. They do not appear for every query. The response and cited pages can vary.
Google says its established SEO practices still apply to AI Overviews and AI Mode. There is no separate special markup required for inclusion. Meeting the requirements does not guarantee that a page will be shown.
SEO, AEO and GEO: what do the terms mean?
SEO means search engine optimisation. AEO is commonly used for answer engine optimisation, while GEO usually means generative engine optimisation. The latter terms describe overlapping approaches to making information useful in answer-based and generative search experiences.
These labels are used inconsistently across the industry. When evaluating advice, ask what work it actually involves: improving a service page, clarifying a fact, fixing access to content or measuring referrals. An acronym alone does not explain a method or demonstrate a result.
Make your information worth referring to
Write down the questions customers ask when comparing their options. Answer them with details from your own business: sizes, compatibility, delivery conditions, examples and aftercare. Explain where an answer depends on the situation.
For a commercial kitchen supplier, a helpful comparison might explain how equipment capacity relates to the number of meals served. Name the assumptions behind the example. Specific, verifiable details are more useful to a buyer than a paragraph calling every product ideal.
Keep the technical foundations in place
For a page to be eligible as a supporting link in Google’s AI features, it needs to be indexed and eligible to appear with a search snippet. Important information should be available as text, with links that help people reach it.
Review your indexing controls before changing them. Blocking a crawler or applying noindex can have consequences beyond one search feature. Start with the technical SEO guide if you are unsure what those settings do.
Measure useful visits, not isolated mentions
A single answer is a snapshot. Wording, context and timing can affect what an AI search experience returns, so one manual check cannot establish how visible a business is overall.
Record the questions you test and the date, then compare observations with actual visits and enquiries. Google reports traffic from its AI search features within overall Web performance in Search Console. Avoid presenting every organic visit as an AI referral.
Use AI drafts with editorial judgement
An AI tool may help organise notes or suggest questions you have missed. Someone who knows the business should still check the details before publication. Do not let a draft invent prices, capabilities, qualifications or customer experiences.
Keep the parts that help the reader and rewrite vague passages using your own knowledge. If an answer needs a measurement, policy or product specification, check the original source rather than treating fluent wording as proof.
Choose one product or service and answer a comparison question customers regularly ask. Include a concrete example and any conditions that affect the answer. Ask a colleague to check the facts before publishing.
