AI Overview Strategies for Google and ChatGPT Discoverability

AI Overview Strategies for Google and ChatGPT Discoverability

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Google’s AI Overviews are now changing search as we know it — appearing in up to 40% of local search results (LocalFalcon, 2025). At the same time, ChatGPT handles more than 2.5 billion daily prompts, many of which are search-like.

In this new landscape, traditional ranking alone won’t keep your brand visible. The new goal?
To be cited, summarised, and trusted in AI-generated responses — not just listed in search results.

This blog explains how AI Overviews and conversational AI platforms like ChatGPT are reshaping SEO, and how you can use data-driven tools like SEMrush’s AI SEO Toolkit to adapt and thrive.

What Is A Google AI Overview?

Google’s AI Overviews are dynamic, AI-generated summaries that appear at the top of search results. Instead of presenting 10 blue links, Google’s generative engine now synthesises content from multiple credible sources to answer a query directly.

For users, this creates a faster, richer experience.
For marketers, it introduces an entirely new challenge:

If your brand isn’t cited within the AI Overview, you risk being invisible — even if you still rank on page one.

This is the new face of SEO — a blend of traditional ranking signals and Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO).

Why AI Overviews Matter for SEO Professionals

AI Overviews and LLMs (like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini) now function as discovery engines. Users are turning to AI assistants for recommendations, research, and purchase decisions.

Three major shifts are happening:

1. Ranking is being replaced by referencing.
   AI Overviews prioritise citation quality, not just position.
2. Search results are becoming summarised experiences.
   The “click” is no longer guaranteed — you need brand visibility inside summaries.
3. SEO metrics are evolving.
   Traffic alone isn’t enough; visibility and authority in AI-generated content are the new KPIs.

“Google’s AI Overviews now control 40% of local search results, but most businesses have no strategy for it.”
— Matt Diggity, LinkedIn, Sept 2025

That lack of strategy presents a major opportunity for those who act early.

The Difference Between SEO and GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation)

SEO helps you rank in search results.
GEO helps you appear in AI answers.

By combining both, you ensure your brand performs well in both traditional SERPs and AI-driven summaries.

See our related blog “Generative Search Optimisation for AI Answers“

AI Overview: How to Optimise for Google

Optimising for Google’s AI Overview feature requires a blend of technical SEO, semantic content, and trust-building.

Here’s how to adapt your strategy today:

1. Focus on Authoritative, Structured Content

AI Overviews extract information from pages with clear structure and factual accuracy.

• Use H2s and H3s for question-based sections.
• Include bullet points for clarity.
• Add data, stats, and quotes from credible sources.

2. Strengthen Topical Authority

AI systems reward sources with topic depth, not just keyword density.
Create clusters of related content around your main themes. For example:
If your niche is “local SEO,” build supporting pages on “AI search visibility,” “Google AI Overview ranking,” and “GEO optimisation.”

3. Use Schema Markup and Metadata

Schema helps AI systems understand your content structure.
Add structured data for:

• FAQs
• Articles
• Reviews
• Products

This increases your chances of being selected for citation in AI Overviews.

4. Optimise for Clarity and Intent

Avoid keyword stuffing. Instead, answer specific, conversational queries directly within your content.
Include phrases like:

• “According to experts…”
• “In summary…”
• “Here’s how it works…”

This makes it easier for AI to extract and summarise your information.

How ChatGPT Discoverability Complements AI Overviews

While Google focuses on search visibility, ChatGPT and other LLMs focus on answer accuracy and source trust.

To appear in ChatGPT’s citations:

• Publish educational and explainer-style content.
• Use plain, authoritative language without heavy sales jargon.
• Ensure content aligns with E-E-A-T principles (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness).
• Gain backlinks from credible industry sites — LLMs weigh authority through link and citation networks.

If you’re building a content ecosystem optimised for both Google and ChatGPT, you’ll gain double visibility — in search engines and AI-generated results.

Tracking Your AI Overview Visibility with SEMrush

One of the biggest challenges in this new landscape is measurement.

How do you know if your brand is being cited in AI Overviews or AI-generated responses?

That’s where SEMrush’s AI SEO Toolkit comes in.

This powerful tool allows you to:

• Track how often your brand appears in AI-generated summaries.
• Compare your AI visibility to competitors.
• Measure sentiment and citation frequency in ChatGPT and Google AI answers.
• Identify which content earns mentions and which needs optimisation.

Essentially, it’s the new rank tracker for the AI era — transforming guesswork into actionable strategy.

“LLM prompt monitoring is quickly becoming the new SEO keyword rank tracking.”
— OfficialG, LinkedIn, 2025

AI Overview: Building a Dual-Optimisation Framework

To thrive in the AI search era, combine SEO and GEO into one actionable strategy:

Step 1: Audit Existing Content

Use SEMrush’s content audit tool to identify pages that already perform well for your target topics.

Step 2: Add AI Readiness Signals

Include schema, FAQs, and structured summaries that AI can easily parse.

Step 3: Monitor AI Visibility

Use SEMrush’s AI SEO Toolkit to set a baseline for brand mentions in AI-generated content.

Step 4: Expand with Topic Clusters

Publish deep-dive guides and supporting pages around each core theme.

Step 5: Report ROI on AI Visibility**

Show clients and stakeholders measurable results — not just rankings, but AI citations and authority gains.

AI Overview

The Future of Search Is Generative

Generative AI search is not an experiment — it’s the next evolution of user discovery.

By adapting early, you can build a sustainable advantage:

• More authority.
• More AI citations.
• More brand trust.
• And eventually, more business growth.

Those who ignore AI Overviews risk losing visibility entirely, even if they “rank” well.

👉 Start measuring your AI Overview visibility today with SEMrush

AI Overview Conclusion: From Rankings to Recognition

The rise of AI Overviews and ChatGPT discoverability represents a new frontier in digital marketing. Success will no longer be measured by where you rank — but how often you’re cited.

With SEMrush’s AI SEO Toolkit, you can:

• Measure your presence in AI-generated results.
• Compare brand visibility with competitors.
• Optimise content for both SERPs and summaries.

The businesses that act now will own visibility in both worlds — search and generative AI.

👉 Future-proof your SEO strategy with SEMrush’s AI SEO Toolkit

FAQs – AI Overview