AI Overviews (formerly called Search Generative Experience or SGE) is Google’s feature that generates a synthesised answer to a search query using its Gemini AI model. The summary appears above traditional organic results and cites several source pages.
How AI Overviews Work
When a user submits a query, Google’s AI generates a multi-sentence response by drawing on content from across the web. Source pages are displayed as cards alongside the summary. The feature is most active for informational and question-based queries.
Impact on Organic Traffic
Early data suggests AI Overviews can reduce organic CTR for queries where Google provides a complete answer in the overview. However, pages that are cited within the AI Overview can receive significant visibility even if they don’t rank in position 1–3 organically.
How to Get Featured in AI Overviews
- Write content that directly and concisely answers specific questions
- Use clear headings, structured lists, and FAQ sections
- Build topical authority by covering a subject comprehensively
- Earn citations from other authoritative pages in your niche
- Ensure your content is accessible to Googlebot (no JavaScript-only rendering)
Monitoring Your AI Overview Presence
Google Search Console shows some AI Overview impression data. Third-party tools like Ranklytics track which of your pages appear as citations inside AI Overviews and how that changes over time.