Meet AI Overviews in This Definitive Guide to Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE)

Google Search Generative Experience (SGE) — launched as AI Overviews on May 14, 2024 — generates AI-powered snapshots in Google Search that answers a user’s search while linking to cited sources from the web.

These snapshots pose a risk to your organic traffic, though, making it critical to understand the meaning of Google’s SGE, plus the dos and don’ts of optimizing your site for AI search results.

Keep reading to get started (and join WebFX’s Marketing Manager Insider for the latest updates on how we’re approaching AI Overviews and other digital marketing challenges)!

What is Google SGE?

Google SGE, also known as AI Overviews, is an experimental Google Search feature from Google Labs that uses generative AI to answer a user’s search. These answers appear at the top of the search results, and are trained on a variety of content from across the Internet, including content from forums like Reddit.

How to turn on Google SGE

Use the following steps to turn on Google SGE:

1. Create or login to your Google Account
2. Visit https://labs.google.com/search/
3. Select the relevant experiment
4. Turn the experiment on

Note: This experiment is not available in all countries.

What are AI Overviews?

AI Overviews, also known as Search Generative Experience, are AI-powered snapshots that use generative AI to answer user queries while linking to referenced sources. AI Overviews appear above organic search results.

How to access AI Overviews

Use the following steps to access AI Overviews:

1. Create a Google Account
2. Sign in to your Google Account
3. Start searching!

Note: AI Overviews cannot be turned off.

Google SGE vs. AI Overviews

While Google SGE and AI Overviews are used interchangeably, the two are different. Google SGE is the Google Labs version of AI Overviews, and includes features unavailable in AI Overviews, like:

• Follow-up questions: Keep your search experience going through AI-generated follow-up questions to search queries.
• Converse: Chat directly with Google through SGE’s conversational mode. Here, original queries are answered and users can ask follow-up questions to deepen their search.

• Vertical experiences: SGE’s vertical searches amp up commercial and shopping queries with AI-generated synopses of information and product recommendations.
• Image generation: Create images with the help of generative AI in SGE.

• Coding tips: Get coding tips from Google directly within Search when searching for topics across Javascript, Python, and more.
• Integrations: Google Labs is also testing the ability to send SGE snapshots to Google Sheets or Gmail.
• Browsing tools: AI-powered tools offer valuable insights into web pages users browse, including key point summaries, jumps to relevant sections, and specific search questions answered on that page.

How do AI Overviews work?

Like Google Search, AI Overviews use several ranking factors to generate its AI-powered snapshots, including:

• AI models, like Gemini and PaLM 2
• Google Search ranking systems, like Helpful content and PageRank
• Databases, like Google Knowledge Graph
• Topic, like if it’s a Your Money, Your Life (YMYL) query
• Search intent, like informational, transactional, or navigational
• Multimedia, like videos, images, and even GIFs
• Schema markup, like LocalBusiness

Note: Official Google documentation confirms some of these factors.

Based on these factors, AI Overviews generate a snapshot (or don’t). Since AI Overviews launched, Google has decreased how often AI Overviews appear due to questionable snapshots, like for suggesting adding glue to pizza.

What are the pros and cons of AI Overviews?

The pros and cons of AI Overviews affect users and marketers, specifically SEOs.

Pros

Some advantages of AI Overviews include the following:

For users:

• Summarizing complex topics or concepts
• Getting answers to questions faster
• Receiving answers to predicted follow-up questions

According to Google’s Gemini, AI Overviews also:

• Improve the search experience
• Reduce information overload

For SEOs:

• Getting additional insights into search intent
• Receiving additional exposure (if listed below the AI Overview)

Gemini would like to add that AI Overviews also:

• Increase traffic and engagement (if users explore further)
• Gives SEOs the chance to adapt to a new trend 🤔

Cons

The disadvantages of AI Overviews include the following:

For users:

• Delivering inaccurate or biased information
• Referencing untrustworthy sources
• Getting no option to disable AI Overviews

According to Gemini, AI Overviews can also:

• Decrease exploration
• Limit understanding of complex topics

For SEOs:

• Lowering organic search traffic
• Minimizing organic visibility
• Decreasing organic conversions

Gemini covers the above, but also adds increased competition as a con.

How to get started with AI Overviews

You’ve learned the meaning of Google’s SGE. Now, let’s explore how to get started with AI Overviews with our team’s proven best practices for ranking in generative AI search results.

1. Answer search intent

AI Overviews are about giving users exactly what they want in search results in as few clicks as possible. Replicate that in your web content by immediately addressing user search intent.

Do your due diligence and conduct in-depth keyword research to understand what users are looking for when they search those terms, then translate your findings into your work. Your content is for people first and search engines second. So, give the people what they want!

A great structure to remember when creating content is to pose the main question in your headings and immediately answer them in subsequent paragraphs. For example:

Heading: What is social media marketing?

Following text: Social media marketing is [your definition].

Once you’ve answered the user’s initial question, you can dive into other related questions they may have. Better yet, use Google SGE’s AI-powered follow-up questions to your advantage and let those questions guide your content.

For example, I decided to write a blog article on the history of pumpkin carving during Halloween. While Google’s snapshot gave me a brief overview, the follow-up questions at the bottom offer great stepping stones for additional information to include in my content.

Need help with your keyword research? Check out WebFX’s keyword suggestion tool, KeywordsFX!

KeywordsFX

2. Incorporate first-hand experience

Often, when you’re preoccupied with the minutiae of writing for your website, it can be easy to forget about adding personal touches, like first-hand perspectives. Not only does this add personality to your page, but it can add immense value for your readers.

In this post-SGE world, your content should include first-hand experiences and perspectives. Sure, Google’s generative AI search tools may be able to compile a list of products and use existing pages to tell you why they’re good, but they can’t replicate genuine human emotion, opinion, and experience.

Add value to your content and make it more enticing than Google’s generative AI snapshots by adding your unique perspective to your content.

Adding your unique perspective to your content can add value for your readers, make it more enticing than Google’s AI-powered snapshots, and connect with your audience in a way that generative AI can’t.

3. Use natural, conversational language

Google’s generative AI search functions mark another major shift toward user-focused search experiences. With a literal chat function available to help users browse the web more interactively, making sure to speak their language is crucial.

Optimize your content for humans first and search engines second by using natural language to address user needs, questions, and search intent. Doing so helps create a one-on-one dialogue that resonates with searchers and invites further interaction with your content.

While improving user experience (UX), using natural language will also help Google better understand the content to index your page correctly.

4. Include long-tail keywords

Along with using conversational language, you should target relevant long-tail keywords in your content to better match in-depth queries.

The power of long-tail keywords can’t be understated — these keywords lead to more specific, detailed search queries because they imitate how users pose questions to Google. This construction typically means lower search volumes and higher conversion rates for ranking sites.

Long-tail keywords like “how to create a good social media post” demonstrate a more specific user search intent than broader terms like “social media post.” As more people interact with AI Overviews, matching user verbiage and cadence will become all the more important for websites targeting those keywords.

6. Improve readability

Great! You’ve drafted SGE-optimized content. Now, improve its readability.

A free tool like Readability Test Tool will score your content’s readability and provide a starting point for improving its readability. Improved readability helps the large language models powering AI Overviews understand your content.

7. Join Google Knowledge Graph

Since its start as Google Search Generative Experience, AI Overviews have used Google Knowledge Graph as a reference point. Entering Google Knowledge Graph (which requires being recognized as an entity) can improve your visibility in Google’s generative AI results.

Common tactics for getting recognized as an entity include:

• Creating social media profiles
• Adding Organization schema to your site
• Building an “About Us” page on your site
• Growing a reputable backlink profile

Once recognized, you can claim the generated Google Knowledge Panel.

8. Embrace change

Finally, if there’s one key point you should take away from this page, you shouldn’t be opposed to change. Google’s generative AI integrations are changing how users search and view information.

Stay ahead of the curve and experiment with your SEO strategy to see how new and existing content appears on search engines and how your site ranks. By doing so, you can:

• Lessen the impact AI Overviews have on your overall SEO
• Identify new opportunities to increase your site’s visibility
• Stay a step ahead of competitors

Independent research from Clutch has named WebFX the

top SEO company in the United States.

Clutch has personally interviewed more than 250 WebFX clients to discuss their experience partnering with us.

Read More Clutch Reviews

How to track Google SGE rankings

Google does not provide rank tracking for Google SGE rankings, but there are third-party tools that can help:

• ZipTie.dev: Offers a free 14-day trial. Paid plans start at $29 / month.
• Semrush: Starts at $139.95 / month.
• SE Ranking: Provides a free 14-day trial. Paid plans start at $65 / month.

Rank in AI Overviews with Google SGE experts

If the idea of navigating AI Overviews on your own seems a bit nerve-wracking, you’re not alone. But don’t worry, at WebFX, we’re pros at navigating the ups and downs of major Google updates that shake up SERPs — we’ve done it for 25+ years, and we don’t plan on slowing down anytime soon.

See what we’re all about and learn more about our custom SGE optimization services today by calling WebFX at 888-601-5359 or contacting us online today!