How To Still Get Mentioned In Google AI Overviews

How To Still Get Mentioned In Google AI Overviews

In the ever-evolving world of search engine optimisation, Google AI Overview mentions have become a game-changer for brands looking to boost visibility and authority online. These AI-generated summaries highlight key content and websites, offering businesses a unique opportunity to capture audience attention directly from search results. But how can you ensure your content gets featured in these coveted mentions? 

This guide explores actionable strategies to optimise your website, content, and SEO to secure a spot in Google AI overviews. From mastering E-E-A-T to leveraging structured data, learn how to stay ahead in the race for AI-driven search visibility. 

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Key Takeaways

To be able to be mentioned in Google AI Overviews, be sure to follow the following:

  • Content Quality is King: To secure Google AI Overviews mentions, prioritise high-quality, authoritative, and user-focused content. Align your content with semantic search principles, user intent, and E-E-A-T standards to increase relevance and visibility.
  • Leverage Structured Data: Implementing schema markup (e.g., FAQ, HowTo, and Article schemas) helps Google AI understand your content better, increasing the likelihood of being included in Google AI Overview mentions.
  • Adapt to AI Evolution: Stay informed about Google’s AI advancements and adjust your strategies accordingly. Regularly monitor performance using tools like Google Search Console and third-party platforms to optimise your chances of earning and maintaining Google AI Overviews mentions.

Understanding Google AI and Its Role in Search

The Evolution of Google AI in Search

Google’s use of artificial intelligence (AI) in search has evolved significantly over the years, transforming how search queries are interpreted and how content is ranked. It began with RankBrain, introduced in 2015, which marked Google’s first AI-powered algorithm. RankBrain uses machine learning to understand search intent better and deliver the most relevant results, even for unfamiliar or ambiguous queries.

In 2019, BERT (Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers) further advanced Google’s ability to process natural language. It focuses on understanding the context of words within a sentence, making search results more accurate and contextually relevant. For example, BERT helps differentiate the meaning of “bank” in the context of a river versus a financial institution.

MUM (Multitask Unified Model) has recently redefined search by being 1,000 times more potent than BERT. MUM can analyse text, images, and video to provide deeper insights while understanding multiple languages and complex queries. These advancements collectively empower Google’s AI to interpret and present the most valuable information to users—laying the foundation for Google AI Overviews.

Google AI Overviews Explained

A Sample of Google AI Overview Mention

Image source: Torro Media

Google AI Overviews are the next step in search innovation. These AI-generated summaries provide concise, contextually relevant overviews of information from multiple sources. Unlike traditional search results or featured snippets, which display information from a single source, AI overviews aggregate insights from various websites to create a comprehensive response.

For example, if a user searches for “how to boost website SEO,” a traditional snippet might display a single article. At the same time, an AI Overview would compile key points from multiple authoritative sources, offering a richer and more balanced answer.

Key differences between AI Overviews and older formats include:

  • Depth and Context: AI Overviews synthesise information rather than extracting isolated snippets.
  • Multiple Sources: They rely on various trusted sources for a more comprehensive perspective.
  • Dynamic Summaries: These overviews are designed to provide nuanced answers that adapt to complex or multi-faceted queries.

The Importance of Mentions

Securing a mention in Google AI Overviews can significantly boost your visibility and credibility online. But how does Google decide which content gets included?

  1. Authority: Google prioritises content from authoritative websites with a strong track record of expertise in their niche. This involves factors like backlinks, domain authority, and a site’s reputation for accuracy.
  2. Relevance: Content must align with the user’s search intent and provide specific answers to their queries. Google’s AI evaluates how well your content matches semantic and contextual nuances.
  3. Expertise: Demonstrating E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) is crucial. Well-researched, fact-checked, and insightful content increases your chances of being mentioned.

Key Strategies to Be Mentioned in Google AI Overviews

Content Quality and Relevance

The foundation for securing a mention in Google AI Overviews is creating high-quality, relevant content that aligns with user needs and search intent. Here’s why this matters and how to achieve it:

  • High-Quality Content as the Baseline: Google’s AI prioritises well-written, authoritative content that provides users with clear value. Thin, poorly researched content is less likely to be recognised by Google as worthy of inclusion.
  • Aligning with User Intent: With the advent of semantic search, Google AI focuses on understanding the deeper meaning behind queries. Incorporating semantic keywords and addressing related entities ensures your content matches users’ nuanced intent. For instance, if the query is “best practices for local SEO,” your content should go beyond the basics and include location-specific strategies.
  • Comprehensive and Well-Researched Content: AI overviews favour content that provides detailed, actionable insights. Use credible sources to back up claims, include relevant data, and ensure accuracy. Long-form, evergreen articles often perform well because they provide depth and cover topics exhaustively.

Optimising for Featured Snippets

Google AI Overview - A Sample of a Featured Snippet

Image source: Mangools

Featured snippets remain essential to being mentioned in Google AI Overviews. AI often references these concise answers to user queries when generating overviews.

  • Why Featured Snippets Matter: Featured snippets indicate that Google considers your content highly relevant and valuable for a specific query. Securing these snippets increases the likelihood of inclusion in AI overviews, which rely on high-quality, snippet-worthy content.
  • Practical Tips for Structuring Content:
    • Use clear headings (H2, H3) that align with user questions.
    • Provide concise answers within the first 100 words of a section.
    • Utilise bulleted or numbered lists for step-by-step guides or key points.
    • Incorporate visual aids like tables or charts where appropriate.
    • Optimise your metadata and make sure your page title reflects the query directly.

For example, answering “How to write an SEO-friendly blog post” with a bulleted list and clear subheadings increases your chances of securing a snippet.

Leveraging E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness)

Google’s emphasis on E-E-A-T is critical in determining whether your content is trustworthy enough to be mentioned in AI overviews.

  • Building Authority in Your Niche: Regularly publish in-depth content on topics related to your expertise. You can become a go-to source by staying consistent and addressing user needs comprehensively.
  • Demonstrating Trustworthiness: Add author bios highlighting credentials, use outbound links to cite reliable sources, and implement a secure (HTTPS) site structure. Positive user reviews, testimonials, and social proof can also enhance trust signals.
  • Earning Backlinks: High-quality backlinks from reputable websites signal to Google that your content is authoritative and credible. Proactively invest in link-building strategies, such as guest posting, partnerships, and PR campaigns.

Utilising Structured Data (Schema Markup)

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Structured data, or schema markup, is essential for helping Google AI interpret your content correctly and enhance its chances of inclusion in overviews.

  • How Schema Markup Helps: Schema provides context to your content, allowing search engines to understand the relationships between various elements on your page. For example, an FAQ schema tells Google that your content answers specific user questions.
  • Key Schemas to Implement:
    • Article Schema: Highlight your content as a blog or news article.
    • FAQ Schema: Mark up frequently asked questions for better chances of being featured in snippets and overviews.
    • HowTo Schema: Ideal for step-by-step guides.
    • Organization Schema: Enhances your brand’s visibility and credibility in search results.
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Adding schema markup makes it easier for Google’s AI to parse and feature your content in relevant overviews.

Optimising for Core Web Vitals

Google’s AI increasingly incorporates user experience metrics into its decision-making, which makes Core Web Vitals a critical factor in earning mentions.

  • Why Page Experience Matters: Google is more likely to favour pages that load quickly, are visually stable, and offer seamless interactivity. Poor page experience can lead to lower rankings and reduced visibility in AI-generated overviews.
  • Key Metrics to Focus On:
    • Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): Ensure your main content loads within 2.5 seconds.
    • First Input Delay (FID): Minimize input delays to under 100 milliseconds for better interactivity.
    • Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): Reduce layout shifts to avoid a CLS score higher than 0.1.
  • How to Improve Core Web Vitals:
    • Optimise images by using next-gen formats like WebP and lazy loading.
    • Implement a content delivery network (CDN) for faster global load times.
    • Minify CSS, JavaScript, and HTML to reduce page size.
    • Regularly test your website’s performance using tools like Google’s PageSpeed Insights.

Content Distribution and Outreach: Maximising Your Visibility for Google AI Overviews

Creating high-quality content is the first step in securing mentions in Google AI Overviews. Effective content distribution and outreach are equally critical. These strategies ensure your content reaches the right audiences, earns credibility, and gains the authority Google AI values when selecting mentions.

Building Quality Backlinks

High-quality backlinks are among the strongest signals to Google that your content is authoritative and relevant. These links improve rankings and increase the likelihood of being recognised in AI-generated overviews.

  • Why Backlinks Matter for Google AI Overviews: Google’s algorithms and AI tools prioritise content that other reputable sites cite. Backlinks from trusted domains act as endorsements, signalling that your content is valuable to users.
  • Tips for Gaining High-Quality Backlinks:
    1. Publish Link-Worthy Content: Create evergreen, well-researched, and data-backed resources such as guides, infographics, or case studies that others naturally want to reference.
    2. Outreach to Relevant Websites: Pitch your content to niche blogs, industry publications, and influencers whose audiences align with your topic.
    3. Guest Posting: Write articles for authoritative sites in your industry, including links to your site within the content.
    4. Collaborate on Expert Roundups: Partner with thought leaders to create content that earns links when they share it with their networks.
    5. Leverage Broken Link Building: Find broken links on reputable sites and suggest your content as a replacement.

Consistent link-building efforts establish your site as a trusted source, increasing your chances of being selected for AI overviews.

Engagement with Social Media and Other Platforms

While Google AI doesn’t directly factor social signals into rankings, mentions and engagement on social media can indirectly impact your chances of inclusion in overviews. Social platforms help amplify your content, improve visibility, and attract organic traffic.

  • How Social Media Impacts AI Overviews:
    1. Driving Traffic: Social shares can generate significant traffic, signalling to Google that your content is valuable to users.
    2. Fostering Mentions: When your content is widely discussed on platforms like LinkedIn or Twitter, it can gain attention from bloggers, journalists, and other authoritative sources who may link to it.
    3. Building Authority: Active participation in industry-specific discussions on platforms like Reddit or Quora establishes your brand as an expert.
  • Practical Tips for Leveraging Social Media:
    1. Create Platform-Specific Content: Tailor your posts to match the style and preferences of each platform. For example, use professional insights on LinkedIn and concise, engaging threads on Twitter.
    2. Engage with Your Audience: Reply to comments, participate in discussions, and share insights in relevant forums to foster relationships and authority.
    3. Leverage Hashtags and Trends: Use trending hashtags related to your niche to increase your content’s discoverability.

Getting Your Brand Featured in Knowledge Panels

Google AI Overview - A Sample of a Knowledge Panel

Image source: Google Blog

Knowledge panels are rich displays of information about entities such as brands, people, and organisations. Being featured in a knowledge panel enhances your credibility and improves your chances of being mentioned in Google AI Overviews.

  • What Are Knowledge Panels? Knowledge panels are AI-driven results that summarise information about an entity. They often appear on the right-hand side of Google’s search results. They’re derived from structured data, authoritative sources, and Google’s understanding of entities.
  • How Knowledge Panels Relate to AI Overviews:
    • Knowledge panels validate your brand’s authority and relevance, making it more likely that Google AI will reference your content in overviews.
    • They serve as a trust signal to users and search engines, reinforcing your position as an expert in your niche.
  • Steps to Improve Knowledge Panel Visibility:
    • Optimise Your Google My Business Profile: Ensure your GMB listing is complete, accurate, and updated with business details, photos, and reviews.
    • Claim Your Knowledge Panel: If your brand already appears in a knowledge panel, you can claim it by clicking the “Claim this knowledge panel” button to manage its content.
    • Build Entity Recognition: Use consistent branding across your website, social media, and other digital platforms. Incorporate structured data like Organization Schema to help Google identify your brand as an entity.
    • Earn Mentions from Reputable Sources: Secure citations from high-authority sites like Wikipedia, Crunchbase, or major news outlets, as Google often pulls knowledge panel data from these sources.

Tracking and Measuring Your Success: Monitoring Google AI Overview Mentions

Once you’ve implemented strategies to secure mentions in Google AI Overviews, the next step is to track and measure your success. Monitoring performance allows you to evaluate the effectiveness of your efforts and refine your strategies for better results. Here’s how to use tools like Google Search Console, Analytics, and third-party platforms to measure your progress.

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Using Google Search Console and Analytics

Google Search Console (GSC) and Google Analytics are essential for tracking whether your content appears in Google AI Overviews. These tools provide insights into search impressions, clicks, and user behaviour, helping you identify the impact of mentions.

  • Tracking Mentions with GSC:
    • Monitor Search Impressions and Clicks: In GSC’s “Performance” report, analyse impressions and clicks for keywords related to your content. If your content gains visibility in AI overviews, you’ll notice an increase in these metrics.
    • Review Queries: Look at the “Queries” section to identify keywords driving traffic. Your content will likely be featured if a high-visibility keyword aligns with an AI Overview mention.
    • Track URL Performance: Evaluate the performance of specific pages to see if they’ve experienced increased traffic or rankings, indicating potential inclusion in overviews.
  • Using Google Analytics:
    • Behaviour Flow: Check the “Behavior Flow” report to see how users interact with your site after landing on it via specific keywords.
    • Set Goals and Alerts: Create goals and custom alerts to monitor traffic surges related to AI-driven keywords.
    • Measure Engagement: Monitor bounce rate, session duration, and pages per session for users coming through keywords associated with AI mentions. High engagement metrics signal that users are finding value in your content.
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Tools to Monitor AI Mentions

In addition to Google’s native tools, third-party platforms like SEMrush, Ahrefs, and Moz offer advanced tracking capabilities that can help you monitor your mentions in Google AI Overviews. Below is a table comparing the three third-party platforms so you can decide which is right for you. 

Feature SEMrush Ahrefs Moz
SERP Features Tracking Tracks keywords triggering AI-generated overviews and highlighting content mentions. Offers visual tools to identify SERP opportunities Tracks SERP features such as snippets and AI overviews, showing ranking performance and triggering content Provides SERP analysis with an emphasis on featured snippets but is limited in AI overview-specific tracking
Backlink Monitoring Comprehensive backlink analysis, identifying new links gained after AI overview mentions Detailed backlink monitoring with authority scoring and domain comparison Tracks backlinks and domain authority changes but lacks granular AI overview linkage
Rank Tracking Tracks keyword rankings over time, offering insights into position changes influenced by AI mentions Provides accurate keyword rank tracking with a historical view of performance Tracks keyword rankings and site visibility but may lag in identifying AI-overview-specific trends
Refining Keyword Strategies Offers advanced keyword research tools and gap analysis to optimise for keywords associated with AI overviews Excellent for identifying content gaps and prioritising high-impact keywords for AI mentions Provides keyword difficulty metrics and suggestions, suitable for refining strategies, though less specific to AI-driven trends
Focus on High-Performing Content Identifies top-performing content driving impressions and clicks, with insights into improving performance Highlights content driving organic visibility, offering competitor comparisons Focuses on content optimisation but may lack AI-specific performance metrics
Competitor Analysis Strong competitor analysis tools comparing keyword performance, content strategies, and backlinks Industry-leading competitor data, offering deep insights into content and backlink strategies for AI mentions Provides competitor metrics, though less robust in backlink and AI-overview-specific insights
Best Use Case Ideal for comprehensive AI mention tracking and refining strategies for high-ranking keywords Best for backlink monitoring, competitor analysis, and keyword optimisation tailored to AI overviews Suitable for basic SEO tracking and SERP features, though less advanced for AI-specific tasks.

Monitoring Google AI Overview Mention - SEMrush

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  • SEMrush excels in comprehensive tools for SERP feature tracking and keyword refinement, making it ideal for targeting Google AI Overview mentions.

Monitoring Google AI Overview Mention - Ahrefs

  • Ahrefs is a leader in backlink monitoring and competitor analysis, perfect for identifying strategic opportunities.

Monitoring Google AI Overview Mention - Moz

  • Moz is user-friendly and effective for general SEO tracking but less tailored for AI-specific features.

Potential Challenges and How to Overcome Them

Dealing with AI Bias

Google’s AI algorithms curate content to meet user needs, but inherent biases or misinterpretations may still arise. For example, AI might favour authoritative sites over smaller or newer brands or misinterpret complex content as irrelevant.

How to Overcome It:

  1. Focus on Clarity: Write clear and concise content that avoids industry jargon. Use simple language to enhance understanding and accessibility.
  2. Optimise for Accessibility: To improve inclusivity and relevance, ensure your content meets accessibility standards (e.g., alt texts, mobile-friendly design).
  3. Diversify Content Types: Include visuals, structured data, and multimedia to appeal to different user preferences and increase your chances of fair representation.
  4. Audit Content Regularly: Review your content regularly for potential areas of bias or misrepresentation and make necessary adjustments.

Fighting for Visibility in Highly Competitive Niches

Competing with established brands in crowded industries can be daunting, especially when these brands dominate AI-generated overviews due to their perceived authority and reach.

How to Overcome It:

  1. Niche Down: Focus on hyper-specific, long-tail keywords that larger competitors may overlook. For instance, instead of “digital marketing,” target “digital marketing trends for SMEs in Singapore.”
  2. Demonstrate Unique Value: Offer fresh insights, unique case studies, or proprietary data that differentiate your content from competitors.
  3. Leverage Local SEO: If relevant, optimise for location-specific keywords to increase visibility in regional searches, where competition may be less intense.
  4. Engage with Your Audience: Build strong relationships through social media, email campaigns, or forums to create loyal advocates for your content.

Adapting to AI’s Continuous Evolution

Google’s AI technology is ever-evolving, introducing new features and altering how content is prioritised and presented. What works today may not be effective tomorrow.

How to Overcome It:

  1. Stay Informed: Follow Google’s official updates and trusted SEO blogs (e.g., Search Engine Journal, Moz) to keep up with algorithm changes and trends.
  2. Test and Iterate: Continuously experiment with content formats, keywords, and optimisation strategies. Use tools like Google Search Console to analyse performance and adapt accordingly.
  3. Invest in Expertise: To future-proof your content, collaborate with SEO consultants or digital marketing agencies that specialise in AI-focused strategies.
  4. Future-Proof Your Content: Create evergreen content that remains relevant despite algorithm updates and use structured data to future-align with evolving AI preferences.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are Google AI Overviews, and how do they differ from traditional snippets?

Google AI Overviews are AI-generated summaries that provide concise and relevant answers to search queries, often sourced from high-quality content. Unlike traditional snippets, they rely on advanced AI models to interpret content contextually and present a broader, more dynamic overview.

How does Google decide which content to feature in AI Overviews?

Google prioritises content that demonstrates authority, relevance, and expertise (aligned with E-E-A-T principles). Factors like structured data, keyword alignment, backlink authority, and user engagement also influence whether your content gets mentioned.

Does being mentioned in a Google AI Overview improve my website’s rankings?

While mentions may not directly boost rankings, they can significantly increase visibility, drive traffic, and build credibility, indirectly contributing to better SEO performance.

How can smaller or newer websites get mentioned in AI Overviews?

Smaller websites can focus on niche topics, optimise for long-tail keywords, and produce high-quality, well-researched content. Leveraging structured data, local SEO, and social media engagement can also increase the chances of being featured.

What tools can I use to monitor if my content is mentioned in Google AI Overviews?

Tools like Google Search Console, SEMrush, Ahrefs, and Moz can help you track mentions, monitor SERP features, and analyse performance. These insights allow you to refine your content strategy for better visibility.

About the Author

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Tom Koh

Tom is the CEO and Principal Consultant of MediaOne, a leading digital marketing agency. He has consulted for MNCs like Canon, Maybank, Capitaland, SingTel, ST Engineering, WWF, Cambridge University, as well as Government organisations like Enterprise Singapore, Ministry of Law, National Galleries, NTUC, e2i, SingHealth. His articles are published and referenced in CNA, Straits Times, MoneyFM, Financial Times, Yahoo! Finance, Hubspot, Zendesk, CIO Advisor.

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