How to Rank in AI Overviews

The first step in optimizing your content is a cornerstone of good ol’ traditional SEO: keyword research! Focus on keywords that are relevant to your audience and products and are likely to be used in searches.

Once you have a list of target keywords, work them into your content naturally. This helps AI algorithms recognize the relevance of your content to the questions people are asking.

SEO tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, and Ahrefs can help you identify keywords by showing search volume, competition, and keyword trends. You can also look at your competitors’ content to find opportunities for keyword optimization.

It’s a good idea to include long-tail keywords, which are more specific phrases that usually have three or more words. These have lower competition, but can boost your chances of ranking in AI overviews since they match the precise queries people often put into search engines.

Remember, don’t force-fit your keywords. That can make your content harder to read, and it’s a real turn-off for your visitors.

AI overviews give priority to content that’s well-structured and pays off on what it promises to cover. A few tips:

Start with a clear headline: Your headline should reflect the content of your article (no bait and switch!) and include your target keywords.

Use subheadings: Break your content into digestible sections using subheadings. It’s easier for readers to skim, and it helps AI algorithms understand the structure of your content.

Focus on clarity: Use simple language. Don’t use jargon.

For punchy headlines, use action words and numbers. Subheadings should logically organize the content and guide your reader through the article’s key points. Both should incorporate primary keywords to boost SEO and AI relevance.

Images, infographics, and videos can help break up text, making it easier to digest. Make sure they’re optimized for SEO by using descriptive filenames and alt text.

Edit your content to align with your brand voice to build identity and trust. That means consistency in tone, style, and format. Regularly update content to keep it relevant and accurate, and to help maintain your high rankings in AI overviews.

You might have noticed that some AI overviews have featured snippets. These are short excerpts from your content that provide quick answers to user questions. How can you get your content chosen for featured snippets?

Answer questions directly: Identify common questions related to your content and provide clear, concise answers.

Use lists and tables: AI algorithms often prioritize content that includes lists and tables, since they’re easy to read and understand.

There are a few different types of snippets you should know about. For paragraph snippets, provide a brief and direct answer to a question. For list snippets, include bullet points or numbered steps. Tables should present data clearly and concisely. Video snippets should use descriptive titles and tags.

Use tools like AnswerThePublic and Google’s “People Also Ask” feature to discover common questions related to your niche. Crafting content around these questions increases your chances of being featured in snippets.

There’s an entire art form behind how to structure your website for AI. Structured data markup is a code that you can add to your website to help search engines understand its content, and it can increase the chances of your content appearing in AI overviews. Implementing structured data can involve:

Schema markup: Use schema.org to add markup to your HTML. This helps AI understand the context of your content.

Rich snippets: Enhance your search results with additional information like ratings, reviews, and images.

Schema markup is a form of microdata that gives search engines explicit information about your content. It helps AI algorithms interpret the context within your content. Implementing schema markup can result in rich snippets, which offer more detailed information in search results.

You can implement structured data through manual coding, plugins, or Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper. Make sure your markup is correctly formatted to avoid errors that could hurt your rankings.

Avoid common errors like incorrect syntax, incomplete markup, or using irrelevant schemas. These mistakes can prevent your content from being featured in AI overviews. Remember to regularly validate your structured data using tools like Google’s Structured Data Testing Tool.

AI algorithms often prioritize mobile-optimized content for overviews.
Here’s how you can optimize for mobile:

Responsive design: Build your website to be responsive and adapt to different screen sizes.

Fast loading times: Optimize images and reduce unnecessary scripts to improve loading times and reduce bounce rates.

Readability: Simplify navigation and use larger fonts for readability. 
You can assess your site’s mobile optimization using Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test, PageSpeed Insights, and GTmetrix.

So if you’re trying to optimize for AI overviews, make sure that you regularly use AI chatbots and search tools yourself.

Using ChatGPT: Familiarize yourself with ChatGPT and similar AI tools to understand how they generate content and provide answers.

Experimenting with AI-driven analytics: Use analytics tools to learn how your content is performing and identify areas for improvement.

Because AI search technology is changing all the time, it’s a good idea to follow industry news, participate in webinars, and join the occasional forum to stay up to date. Sometimes, the best way to understand your target audience is to do what they do.

Optimizing for AI overviews is not a one-and-done job. You’ll want to monitor your content’s performance using analytics tools to track metrics such as:

Traffic and engagement: Monitor the amount of traffic your website receives and how users are engaging with your content.

Ranking positions: Keep an eye on where your content ranks in AI overviews and search results.

Analyzing traffic patterns helps identify which content pieces are driving the most engagement. Use tools like Google Analytics to track page views, session duration, and bounce rates.

If you discover that content is under-performing, update it with fresh information or new keywords. Test different content formats and styles to see what resonates best with your audience.