SEO, Google Discover & Content Strategy

AI Overviews are launching on Google Search this week – what it means for websites

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TRAFCK explain the new Generative AI features coming to search

Google is rolling out AI Overviews to the whole of the US this week.

AI Overviews will launch in more countries “soon” according to Google’s Head of Search Liz Reid and will be available to more than a billion users by the end of the year.

TRAFCK has previously spoken about how Google would roll out AI overviews on May 14 over the last few months.

What are AI Overviews?

AI Overviews were first rolled out as part of the Search Generative Experience (SGE) ‘test’ in May 2023.

Users had to opt-in within Google Search Labs to see it, until Google began testing AI Overviews on the web for a subset of users in March 2024.

AI Overviews gives answers to search queries using generative AI technology powered by Google Gemini.

It provides an answer based on its understanding of the query from content across the web.

AI Overviews won’t roll out for all searches.

Google has said the AI Overviews will only display for more complex queries where Google feels it can add value beyond the search result.

If AI Overview doesn’t add value to what Google Search shows by default, Google will not show an overview.

Reid said: “As always, ads will continue to appear in dedicated slots throughout the page, with clear labelling to distinguish between organic and sponsored results.”

Google could display AI Overviews for your money, your life (YMYL) queries.

Google will start reporting AI Overview impressions and clicks in Google Search Console.

However, there will be no way to see if your website was referenced in AI Overviews, or if there was an impression or click from AI Overviews.

What does this mean for website owners?

TRAFCK’s stance hasn’t changed. We believe the future of driving a mass amount of traffic to a website is through Google Discover.

There will, however, be new opportunities to optimise websites for the AI Overviews which TRAFCK will be working hard on cracking over the coming weeks.

For more information on how TRAFCK can help you optimise for Google Discover or navigate the new landscape on organic search, email us at hi@trafck.co.uk.