With AI Overviews, Google is changing the way we search for information. The search engine we all know is moving traffic away from the top positions, both the Google Ads slots and the organic SEO results, to a different spot on the page.
What are AI Overviews?
Instead of a list of results, the user now gets a short, direct answer generated by artificial intelligence and based on several sources. This is a deep change. It reshapes the relationship between users and content, and it redefines SEO strategy as we knew it.
Here is a short video where we explain it in more detail and tell you what to do so that your business can appear in these sections too.
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What changes for businesses
AI Overviews are much more than a convenience feature. They are a new “first page”, where websites compete for the top organic positions and also for the honour of being cited by artificial intelligence itself. When your content is built straight into Google’s answer, you gain visibility as well as credibility in the eyes of the user.
Website traffic is changing
It is true that the arrival of AI Overviews is lowering CTR (click-through rate), with the top positions seeing a significant drop in clicks. However, visitors who reach a website through AI-assisted searches are better targeted and more ready to engage or buy. Quality beats quantity, and that is a new opportunity for anyone who knows how to make use of it.
From SEO to GEO & AEO
WebMate has already started building the principles of GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) and AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) into its strategies. Publishing content is only the starting point: our aim is to make it understandable and useful for artificial intelligence. Content has to be well sourced, focused on its topic and send a clear signal of experience, expertise and trustworthiness.
Technical and strategic adjustments
From schema markup and structured answers to organising content into question-and-answer sections and writing metadata that speaks “the language of AI”, our approach is becoming more technical and more substantial at the same time. We also use tools such as the llms.txt file to make sure AI models get correct, targeted access to your content.
A new way to measure success
Counting clicks or rankings alone is no longer enough. We now judge a business’s presence by whether it manages to appear “inside the answer”, which matters far more than sitting next to it. We analyse the quality of the traffic, time on site, engagement and, most importantly, conversions. Because that is what really counts: delivering real results in a changing environment.
WebMate by your side in the new era
At WebMate we see the era of AI Overviews as an opportunity for our clients. With the right preparation, proper technical support and strategically targeted content, we make sure your business’s voice is heard and stands out. The future of search will belong to those who adapt first, whatever their size.
Frequently asked questions about AI Overviews
As Google moves to a new search model powered by artificial intelligence, it is natural for questions to come up about how this affects businesses and their digital strategies. We have gathered the questions our clients at WebMate ask most often and answered them simply and clearly.
Will SEO as we knew it disappear?
No, SEO is here to stay, though it is changing shape. Traditional metrics such as CTR and organic ranking carry a different weight, as the focus shifts to the quality and structure of content so that it can be included in AI answers. SEO is becoming more strategic and more technical, with the aim of being recognised by the AI models themselves.
How can I appear in Google’s AI Overviews?
For a website to be included in Google’s AI answers, it needs well-sourced content with a clear structure (such as questions and answers), rich metadata and strong experience and trust signals (E‑E‑A‑T). Techniques such as schema markup and files like llms.txt can also guide AI models towards the right sources.
Does a lower CTR mean losing customers?
Not necessarily. Although the number of clicks may fall, the people who do reach your website tend to be better targeted and ready to buy or engage. Your audience becomes higher quality and each visit is worth more. The key is to look at the whole picture and track new performance indicators that reflect the change in user behaviour.
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