You’re staring at your dashboard, wondering why web traffic dropped even though your content is ranking well. You’ve built a solid SEO strategy and invested time (and budget) into climbing Google’s results.
So why aren’t the clicks following?
Welcome to the new world of search—as rewritten by Google’s generative AI. If you haven’t already noticed, Google is pulling information straight from websites and displaying it in synthesized answers right at the top of the page. They’re called AI Overviews, and they may be the reason those hard-earned clicks are vanishing.
In this guide, you’ll learn precisely what AI Overviews and AI Mode are, how they work, and—most critically—how to adapt your digital presence so your business doesn’t get left behind.
What Are AI Overviews and AI Mode in Google Search and How Do They Work?
Picture this: A customer is looking online for a product or service you offer. In the past, they’d search, skim a few links, and—if your SEO worked—land on your site.
Today? They might never make it past Google’s search page.
That’s because AI Overviews, part of Google’s evolving search experience, are designed to answer questions immediately by summarizing content—yours included—directly in search results. And since AI Overviews often sit at the very top of the page, traditional listings get pushed down or overlooked entirely.
If you’re building visibility through SEO, paid search, or content marketing, this is no small shift. It directly changes how people find and engage with your business.
Let’s walk through what these features are, how they function, and how you can stay competitive as search gets reshaped by generative AI.
Understanding AI Overviews in Google Search
If you’ve searched for complex questions lately, you might’ve already seen Google’s AI-generated summaries.
Known until recently as Search Generative Experience (SGE), AI Overviews now summarize answers in a conversational format before the regular search results even appear.
A New Layer Between Users and Websites
Rather than display a list of blue links, Google is using generative AI to pull relevant information from several sources and serve up an answer directly on the page.
These overviews can contain:
- Concise summaries or bullet points addressing the query
- Source links are included below the generated summary
- Suggestions for follow-up questions you can click within the same session
Say someone searches for: “Is a hybrid workforce model effective for productivity?”
Instead of reading through multiple blogs or case studies, the user may see a smartly written overview that describes what a hybrid model is, key pros and cons, and conclusions drawn from multiple websites—before they ever click a link.
Helpful for users? Absolutely. But from a marketing standpoint, this creates a visibility vacuum. If your content isn’t included in the AI Overview, your audience may never see it.
What Is AI Mode in Google Search?
Google has taken things a step further with a feature called AI Mode. Unlike Overviews, which generate one-time summaries, AI Mode enables users to enter a fully conversational search experience—more akin to chatting with an assistant than querying a search engine.
Here’s How AI Mode Changes the Game:
- Conversational Follow-Ups: Users can ask layered questions, such as “How does that compare to an in-office model?” without initiating a new search.
- Memory and Context: The system retains context from prior questions, so each follow-up feels seamless and intelligent.
- Guided Research: Google doesn’t just fetch pages—it helps walk users through timelines, lists, side-by-sides, and more.
For instance, instead of simply searching “project management tools for small businesses,” someone might ask: “Which ones work with Slack and cost under $50/month?” AI Mode narrows results based on multiple conditions, without additional queries.
It’s not just a new tool—it’s a new search behavior.
Why Should Business Owners and Marketers Care?
This shift impacts you on two fronts: traffic loss and a strategic overhaul.
Here’s what changes when generative AI sits at the top of the SERP:
- Your organic traffic may drop, especially for top-of-funnel content
- Typical click-through rates (CTR) can fall as questions are answered right in the search result
- Users don’t just search—they ask, compare, and decide—all without leaving Google
But here’s the silver lining: you now have a new path to visibility.
Being featured in an AI Overview gives your brand surfacing power even without an organic #1 rank. It’s early, but initial industry studies show content surfaced in these summaries sees outsized visibility, especially when tied to authoritative, helpful information.
If your content is aligned with user intent—clear, structured, and valuable—it stands a good chance of earning a coveted spot in the overview.
Real-World Scenario: Moving Company in Chicago
Let’s make it real.
You run a successful moving company in Chicago. You’ve optimized your site for terms like “best moving company in Chicago,” and your organic search rank is solid.
Then comes a query like: “What’s the best way to move from downtown Chicago to Evanston?”
Before, you might’ve snagged that lead. However, with AI Overviews, the user sees a summary that outlines average costs, packing tips, timeline suggestions—and possibly even vendor examples—all without needing to click anywhere.
If your site wasn’t one of the sources cited in that summary? You’re just not there.
To win now, your content needs to inform Google’s AI—not just the rankings.
How Does Google Choose Sources for AI Overviews?
Google isn’t spilling all the details, but based on public demonstrations and widespread testing, a few patterns stand out when it comes to the content that gets pulled into AI Overviews:
- High-Quality, Structured Content: Think of content that’s cleanly organized, easy to skim, and directly answers the question. Pages with FAQs, how-to guides, and structured comparisons are prime candidates for optimization.
- Entity and Topic Alignment: Google leans into recognized subject matter. If your content consistently covers certain companies, regions, or domains—and does so with depth—it gains credibility as a reliable source.
- Trust and Demonstrated Expertise: Signals such as author bios, original research, dated references, and use cases demonstrate real-world expertise—key for content to be perceived as credible in generative search layers.
- Technical and Accessibility Foundation: Well-coded, mobile-optimized content with accessible design performs better—not just with users, but with AI indexing and parsing.
Key Strategies to Get Included in AI Overviews
So how do you get your content featured within the AI layer instead of buried below it?
Strategy #1: Reformat Content to Directly Answer Search Questions
Review your existing high-performing pages and structure them around common queries your audience types—use H2s like “How much does…” or “What are the pros and cons of…” to guide your content.
Incorporate bullet points, add a 2-sentence summary up top, and use plain language that mirrors search intent.
Tool Tip: AlsoAsked.com and AnswerThePublic.com are excellent for finding the fundamental questions people are already asking.
Strategy #2: Create Content Clusters, Not One-Off Articles
Google’s AI is more likely to quote authorities than lone blog posts. That means building out topic clusters—sets of interlinked content around a central theme.
Instead of writing one post on “cybersecurity insurance,” build a deeper knowledge library:
- Start with a pillar guide
- Add articles on choosing a provider
- Wrap in case studies and data-backed analysis
Tool Tip: Use MarketMuse or Surfer SEO to identify content gaps and plan a cluster strategy.
Strategy #3: Write Like a Consultant, Not a Blogger
Generative AI rewards content that reflects expert reasoning. Instead of vague claims, aim for clear, backed-up insights.
Bad: “Chatbots can improve customer service.”
Better: “Retail companies using AI chatbots saw a 25% reduction in first-response time, according to Forrester.”
You want the AI to treat your voice as authoritative, not algorithm bait.
What Most People Miss Is This: Clicks Still Happen
There’s some concern that AI Overviews will eliminate organic traffic. And yes, search habits will change—but citation links still exist in Overviews.
If your content is included—even as a reference at the bottom—you still have a chance to win the click.
Especially when your content does one of the following:
- Offers local expertise or service-area specificity
- Includes unique data or first-hand research
- Provides clear side-by-side comparisons for product selection
Page one is evolving, not disappearing.
Pitfalls and Ethical Risks to Watch
If Google’s AI is summarizing your content, what control do you really have?
Here’s what to watch out for:
- Your content could be paraphrased or cited without a link—if Google deems it general knowledge.
- Summaries may oversimplify or misrepresent your tone or conclusions
- You risk sounding indistinguishable from competitors if the generative model averages everyone’s advice into a vanilla answer.
That’s why your on-site experience—when a user actually lands on your page—matters more than ever. Unique voice, clear CTAs, and a fast, honest user experience will be key to turning summarized visibility into measurable action.
Track and Test Your Visibility Proactively
If you want to stay visible in this new SEO landscape, passive isn’t an option. Here’s how to spot opportunities before your competitors do:
- Search Key Phrases in Incognito: Look for natural questions your audience is likely to ask. Are you featured in any AI Overviews? If not, who is?
- Monitor AI Inclusion with Third-Party Tools: Solutions like BrightEdge and Authoritas are starting to track AI-generated SERP coverage. Use them. Measure what content is getting picked up.
- Refresh Content Frequently: Don’t assume inclusion once means you’ll stay there. AI favors freshness. Updating stats, dates, examples, and formatting can make or break inclusion cycles.
Bonus: How This Impacts Paid Search and Ads
Paid media isn’t immune from AI disruption either.
In AI Mode:
- Traditional visual and text ads may show less often out of the gate
- Some ads will appear embedded in suggested follow-up questions
- There are fewer “ad slots” above the AI Overview pane
To compete in this new format:
- Focus on well-targeted Performance Max and Shopping Campaigns
- Prioritize landing page quality over volume
- Eliminate generic wording—AI surfaces content that matches nuanced queries
Your ad creative and landing page structure must now pass both user attention and AI context filters.
Stay Ahead With Smarter SEO and Smarter Content
This isn’t a niche shift. This is a foundational change in how people find information—and how information finds them.
At INSIDEA, we help business leaders build SEO strategies that feed Google’s AI layer, not just the algorithm underneath it. From detailed content plans to on-site credibility optimization, our playbooks are designed for real-world performance in a rapidly evolving search environment.
If you’re ready to take a proactive approach instead of a reactive one, we’re ready to help.
Let’s make your expertise the go-to answer, not the afterthought.
Explore your AI-Ready SEO Playbook at INSIDEA, and let’s build your visibility for what’s next.
Because in generative search, being findable starts with being valuable.
