AI Overviews by Google and how Yoast SEO helps you prepare

As Google rolls out its new AI Overviews, SEO professionals and website owners must adapt to these changes to maintain and improve their search rankings. Google’s AI Overview, powered by the advanced Gemini model, integrates generative AI into the SERP. It provides users with summarized answers to complex queries at the top — well above the organic results. Google intends to improve user experience by offering quick, comprehensive answers; however, it also introduces new dynamics in interacting and preparing for these AI Overviews.

Understanding Google’s AI Overviews

Google’s AI Overviews are designed to summarize information from multiple web pages to answer user queries more efficiently. These overviews appear at the top of search results. They include links to the source websites, potentially driving more traffic to diverse sites. According to reports, users tend to click on links within AI Overviews more frequently than traditional search listings. This suggests an opportunity for increased visibility for well-optimized content​​. AI Overviews are widely available in the US and will gradually roll out worldwide.

Steps to prepare for Google’s AI Overview rollout

1. Enhance content quality:
   • Focus on creating high-quality, comprehensive content that addresses user queries in depth. Google’s AI will pull from various sources, so ensure your content is detailed and authoritative. Your ability to influence or to be cited in the summary will be directly related to your existing authority on the subject.
   • Use structured data to help Google understand and categorize your content accurately.
2. Optimize for user intent:
   • Identify and target the specific user intents behind searches. Use tools to determine your audience’s questions and tailor your content to provide clear, concise answers.
   • Incorporate FAQs and summaries that Google’s AI can easily extract for overviews.
3. Leverage Yoast SEO features:
   • Content analysis: Use Yoast SEO’s readability and SEO analysis tools to ensure your articles are well-optimized with relevant keywords, meta descriptions, and readability scores.
   • Schema markup: Implement structured data with Yoast SEO’s schema markup feature. This makes your content more accessible and understandable to search engines.
   • Internal linking: Improve your site’s internal linking structure to guide users and search engines to your most important content.
4. Monitor performance:
   • Keep an eye on your Google Search Console for changes in traffic and visibility. Google plans to include AI Overview impressions and clicks in Search Console reports. Unfortunately, these won’t be distinguished from traditional search results​ (SiliconANGLE)​​ (Search Engine Land)​.
   • Use this data to adjust your strategies and optimize underperforming content.
5. Stay informed and adaptive:
   • Update your SEO knowledge regularly and stay informed about changes in Google’s algorithms and AI capabilities.
   • Participate in SEO communities and forums to share insights and strategies with peers.

How Yoast SEO can help

Yoast SEO can help you navigate the upcoming AI upheaval. Here’s how:

• Content optimization: Yoast SEO’s analysis tools help you create content that meets high-quality standards. Quality is crucial if you want to feature in AI Overviews.
• Readability checks: Ensure your content is easy to read and understand. This increases the chance of AI summarizing your content effectively.
• Keyword optimization: Yoast helps you target the right keywords and phrases that align with user intent. As a result, you improve your chances of getting into AI-driven summaries.
• Structured data implementation: Use Yoast SEO to add structured data to your pages. With structured data, you make it easier for Google to extract and present your content in AI Overviews.

Use Yoast SEO and be proactive

Use Yoast SEO and stay proactive with your SEO strategies. This way, you prepare for and thrive in today’s world of AI-driven search results. Stay adaptable and focus on high-quality content. Use the powerful tools at your disposal to maintain your visibility and traffic in this new era of search.