Guys, in today’s blog, we are going to discuss “How to rank in AI overviews”. Look, you must have noticed that search engine result pages have evolved very fast.
You get to see new features. The most popular feature is the AI overview.
Whenever you search on Google, you will see an “AI overview” that displays the results.
As you can see, I’ve typed “What is digital marketing”, and below are the results generated by the AI overview.
Now, the remarkable thing is that you can see some links here. Clicking on it will show you that this content has been added to the AI overview. It was taken from this particular website.
Now, the most critical question is “Can we also display the content of our website here, along with the link to our website?”
See, for the last few times, I have been trying to understand the AI overview in detail.
What are the reasons that a website link comes here, and the website link that will go here?
You will see the content related to it in this blog.
Table of Contents
What is AI Overview?
AI overviews is a feature by Google that uses its advanced Large Language Model (LLM), Gemini, to generate quick, summarised answers at the top of search results.
Instead of showing only links, Google now provides users with concise explanations that combine information from multiple reliable sources. This makes it easier for users to get direct insights without needing to click through various websites.
At its core, AI overviews leverages Google Gemini, a multimodal AI model capable of processing text, images and other data formats together.
Gemini helps the system understand complex queries, especially those asked in natural language, and then generate human-like, context-aware summaries. It can handle follow-up questions and adapt responses to user intent, which makes the search process more conversational and efficient.
For businesses and website owners, this means SEO strategies must evolve toward Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO). Content now needs to be structured in a way that increases visibility in these AI-generated summaries.
By integrating Gemini’s capabilities, Google is reshaping how information is delivered, faster, more accurate and more aligned with what users truly seek.
Fine!
So, we will discuss the reasons why the website is visible in the Google AI overview.
Before that, you need to understand that the AI overview results are generated from existing content. It doesn’t mean Google is saying this is my authentic content; we are making it for you.
This is content taken from a website. So, you can not 100% believe its authenticity. The result may be slightly inaccurate.
5 Steps for “How To Rank in AI Overviews”
1. Need Pro Label SEO:
The first observation I have made is that all the results you see in the AI overview are of top-ranking websites.
When we search for “What is digital marketing” in Google (US region), the AI overview prominently highlights content from leading websites such as Investopedia, Adobe for Business, HubSpot Blog, Wikipedia, Simplilearn YouTube videos and Mailchimp.
These are not random selections; in almost 100% of cases, the pages shown in the AI overview are already ranking within the top 10 of organic SERPs.
This demonstrates a clear relationship: “If your website content is not ranking organically, the chances of it appearing in the AI overview are nearly impossible”.
What sets these top-ranking pages apart is not just keyword optimization, but also a holistic SEO foundation. These sites are technically sound, mobile-friendly, and fast-loading, ensuring a strong baseline for visibility.
More importantly, their content is structured with topical depth, addressing user intent comprehensively, and supported by FAQs and schema markup that make it easier for Google’s AI systems to extract and display relevant snippets.
Additionally, these sites emphasise EEAT (Expertise, Experience, Authority and Trust), with authoritative authorship, credible references and transparent brand trust signals.
Combined with well-implemented structured data, this allows search engines to understand context, reliability, and relevance better, positioning the content to surface in the AI overview.
In short, to be featured in an AI overview, businesses must prioritise organic ranking through strong SEO practices, incorporating structured data, FAQs, EEAT, and topical depth into their strategy. This layered approach is the direct path toward AI overview visibility.
2. Direct answer:
Second, I visited these websites and reviewed their content, and I realised that most of the websites I had queried were providing direct answers.
For instance, if I search for “digital marketing,” the AI overview of that website is more likely to include it than the direct answer to this question, even if it’s discussing something else relevant to digital marketing.
If I search “how to make coffee”, the person who provides the most direct answer to that query, meaning the one who directly addresses the query in their content, is more likely to rank.
This is the second thing that I observed in the results of the AI overview.
3. Neat and Clean Backlink Profile:
Third, I have observed another significant pattern that all the websites linked in the AI overview have elegant and clean backlink profiles. In other words, their backlinks are of high quality, with no spammy or toxic backlinks.
They have maintained their solid backlinks profile. Websites with a good backlink profile are more likely to be included in the AI overview.
There is a need to work on backlinks as well. This is another thing which I have noticed.
4. Technical SEO
Another critical observation is that all the websites featured in Google AI overview were technically healthy.
They had strong foundations in site architecture, mobile responsiveness, crawlability and loading speed. If a website has broken links, poor indexing, slow performance, or on-page issues, it is unlikely to appear in AI overview results.
In simple terms, basic SEO optimisation must be strong before advanced optimisation can even make an impact.
These websites ranked because their technical SEO and on-page fundamentals, such as proper use of meta tags, structured data, clean URL structure and optimised content, were in place.
Google’s AI model surfaces only those sites that provide both high-quality content and a smooth technical user experience.
So, without technical SEO strength, ranking in the AI overview is nearly impossible, even if the content is informative.
5. Schema markup
However, I noticed one more critical similarity. All these websites, the structured data, specifically the schema markup, was applied very carefully, and their content was well-structured.
Let’s assume that if you have mentioned fact content on your page, then you have also put the fact schema, and you have properly structured the content in H1, H2, and in bullet points.
Must use FAQs in the content and use the FAQs schema. Article and blog posting schemas are also very important.
Blog and Article schema (structured data) helps search engines and LLM bots understand your content by providing specific details about the article, such as the title, author, and publication date, which can increase visibility and lead to rich snippets in search results.
While the Article schema is a general type, the Blog Posting schema is a more specific subtype designed for personal or corporate blogs, distinguishing it from news or journalistic content.
Implementing the correct schema improves SEO, as well as Google AI overview ranking, by allowing search engines and LLM bots to categorise and index content more efficiently, enhancing discoverability.
So I have seen these five pervasive patterns in every AI overview website that is being ranked. In summary, if you are doing a good job with SEO on your website, you’ll also appear in the AI overview.
Why Ranking on AI Overview is Important for Business
In the Image below, when searching for “toy exporters in India”, Google’s AI overview highlights specific company names along with clickable links.
This demonstrates how AI overview is no longer limited to answering purely informational queries; it now provides results for commercial and transactional queries as well, directly connecting users to businesses.
Ranking in the AI Overview matters because:
Higher Visibility and Trust
Google AI overview is one of the most trusted platforms today, alongside ChatGPT and Perplexity. Being featured builds credibility and positions a brand as a top authority in its niche.
Direct User Engagement
Unlike traditional Google blue search links, an AI overview integrates links to relevant businesses. This means a user searching with high intent (e.g., to purchase, partner, or compare) is more likely to engage directly with your brand.
Boost in Conversions
By ranking for commercial and transactional queries, brands not only gain visibility but also see a measurable increase in inquiries, leads and conversions.
Competitive Edge
Since the AI overview appears at the very top of search results, it reduces reliance on paid ads and helps brands stand out against competitors who are not featured.
In short, ranking in Google’s AI overview is becoming just as important as ranking in traditional SERPs. It drives authority, engagement, and conversions, making it a critical part of digital marketing strategy today.
How to Track Performance in AI Overviews?
Tracking performance in AI overviews requires combining SEO analytics with SERP monitoring tools. Since AI overviews are new, businesses should focus on visibility, CTR and conversions.
Start by using Google Search Console (GSC) to check impressions, clicks, and average position for queries that commonly trigger AI overviews.
Pair this with SEMrush or Ahrefs to identify keyword rankings and SERP feature appearances. Tools like SERPwoo and AccuRanker now offer experimental tracking for AI results, helping measure visibility within generative search experiences.
For user engagement, connect GA4 (Google Analytics 4) with Looker Studio dashboards to monitor traffic shifts and conversion impact. Additionally, Sistrix provides early insights into how websites surface in AI-driven search.
Together, these tools allow you to track exposure, refine structured data, and measure ROI from AI overviews effectively.
So, that wraps up our guide on “how to rank in AI overviews”. At Technical Kalyan, we’ve explored the essential steps that can make your content visible in Google’s generative search results.
To quickly recap, you’ve learned about the importance of strong organic SEO rankings, direct and precise answers to queries, a clean backlink profile, solid technical SEO foundations and carefully implemented schema markup. These are the five key factors that influence AI overview rankings.
Now it’s your turn to put these strategies into action and start optimising your website for AI-driven search visibility.
What are your thoughts on this approach? Please share them in the comments below.
If you want to dive deeper into how AI is changing search and how to stay visible online, check out our blog, How to Optimise Your Website for AI Search Results.
For more insights, tips, and advanced SEO strategies, make sure to visit our blog section at Technical Kalyan.
Thanks for reading. Keep learning, keep ranking!
FAQs on Ranking in AI Overviews
Q1. How does Google decide which websites appear in AI Overviews?
A: Google prioritises authoritative, high-quality content supported by schema markup, EEAT signals and strong domain trust. Websites with evident topical expertise and well-structured information are more likely to appear.
Q2. What SEO practices specifically improve visibility in AI Overviews?
A: Structured data, FAQs, and fact-based content aligned with user intent improve inclusion. Emphasising EEAT and covering topics in depth helps position a site as a reliable source for AI-generated answers.
Q3. Does Technical SEO impact AI Overview rankings?
A: Yes. Fast loading speeds, mobile optimisation, crawlability, and proper schema integration ensure search engines can efficiently understand and prioritise the content for AI overviews.
Q4. How important are user engagement signals for AI Overviews?
A: User signals validate relevance. High CTR, longer dwell time, and lower bounce rates indicate content usefulness, reinforcing Google’s confidence in featuring the page in AI overviews.
Q5. What role do FAQs, schema markup and fact-based content play in ranking?
A: Answer-driven content structured with FAQ schema and fact markup increases visibility. Clear, authoritative answers enhance the likelihood of being selected by AI models for overview snippets.
