Ever since the rollout of Google’s AI Overview last year, links are no longer the top result. Instead, Google answers your search with an AI-generated summary that pulls key information from various sources. This shift has sparked important questions about the impact Google AI is having on SEO, especially for businesses that have always relied on organic traffic.
Exactly how are these AI-driven overviews influencing your search rankings and visibility? We explain how to adjust your SEO strategy so you can keep your content relevant.
How Does Google AI Affect Search Rankings?
Google AI doesn’t replace the existing search rank algorithms, but it does change how users interact with search results. It’s designed to help them find answers faster, especially when their search is complex or detailed. Before listing any search results, Google uses artificial intelligence to gather information from multiple sources and summarize it in a few simple sentences.
While this makes things easier for users, it also means that websites with relevant information are no longer the first thing they see. With AI summaries now appearing at the top, organic listings get pushed down, and this affects clicks and traffic.
Here are some of the ways Google AI is affecting SEO:
- More zero-click searches: Many users get the answer they need from the AI summary and never visit a website.
- Lower visibility for top-ranking pages: AI Overviews are not the first result, reducing the chances that users click on any links.
- Increased competition for attention: Every site now has to compete to be selected as a source for the AI summary, not just for ranking.
- Higher demand for helpful content: Clear, trustworthy, and well-structured pages are more likely to be referenced by Google’s AI.
- Greater value in structured data: Schema markup and organized formatting make it easier for AI to understand your content.
How Is SEO Changing with Google AI?
SEO is evolving quickly, and many core tactics are now outdated. While core elements like keywords and backlinks are still important, Google now prioritizes content that clearly answers a question and shows real expertise. To earn a high search ranking or be cited as an AI summary source, your content needs to be genuinely useful and easy to understand.
Google also pays attention to how naturally your content reads. Writing in a clear, conversational tone and using simple formatting, like headings and bullet points, helps AI process your page. To stay competitive, marketers must create content that is helpful to users and easy for AI to summarize.
What Small Businesses Need to Know About Google AI
AI Overviews are changing how users consume search content, so your SEO strategies need to adapt. Part of that is accounting for how AI reads, selects, and presents information.
Here’s what to focus on:
- Helpful content: Provide direct, clear answers to common questions.
- Structured formatting: Headings and bullet points make content easier for AI to scan and summarize.
- Topics, not keywords: Broader, in-depth content is more likely to be featured.
- Schema markups: Structured data helps Google understand your content better.
- User experience: Fast, mobile-friendly pages build trust and improve rankings.
- Traffic changes: Keep an eye on how AI Overviews may be affecting your organic performance.
- Flexibility: Keep testing and updating content to meet evolving AI search behaviors.
Navigate the AI-Powered SEO Landscape with New Wine Digital
The impact of Google AI on SEO is already transforming how people search and how businesses need to respond. While AI Overviews may mean less traffic, they can also open new doors. Websites that offer clear, well-organized, and trustworthy information will rank higher and get selected as sources for the AI summary.
We can help you with that. If you need to adjust your SEO strategy for this new AI-powered era, contact us today for a quick consultation.
Images used under creative commons license – commercial use (07/25/2025) Image by Simon from Pixabay