A recent study by Authoritas, a SEO software platform, revealed that Google’s AI-generated summaries, known as AI Overviews, show up in about 30% of searches.
Google’s AI Overviews are especially common in problem-solving search results, where people look for solutions to their queries, appearing in 74% of searches.
Authorita analysed search result data for 10,000 keywords across seven different industries in the United States to understand how these AI Overviews impact traditional search results.
Despite appearing in less than a third of searches, they have had a noticeable effect of user engagement and visibility.
Key findings:
AI Overviews appear in 30% of search results
Of the 10,000 keywords analysed, AI Overviews appeared in just 29.9% of search results. The study revealed that high-volume keyword was less likely to have an AI Overview.
AI-generated results were more likely to appear in mid-range search terms with an average monthly search volume between 500 and 2,400. Nearly 42% of the mid-range search terms analysed as part of the study featured an AI Overview.
Problem-solving searches trigger more AI results
Searches that ask questions or try to solve problems, such as “how do I connect to wifi?” often trigger an AI-generated answer. Nearly a third of problem-solving queries analysed had AI Overviews.
Content that focuses on providing clear, actionable solutions to common problems have a higher likelihood of being included in AI Overviews.
Non-branded search terms are more likely to generate AI results
Nearly 34% of non-branded searches display an AI Overview, compared to just 19.6% for brand-related search queries.
Branded searches include a company or product name, such as “Nike running shoes”, whilst non-branded searches are broader, such as “best carbon-plated running shoes”.
When a user makes a branded search, they’re often closer to conversion, so don’t need AI summaries to help with their research.
Non-branded searches are typically made earlier in the decision-making process, and AI Overviews can often influence opinion and guide a user toward a brand.
AI Overview impact traditional search results
AI Overviews lower the visibility of traditional, organic search results, pushing them further down the page and out of view.
When users expand the AI Overview on desktop by clicking ‘show more’ the AI content moves down the screen by about 220 pixels. This shifts organic search results lower on the page, meaning they’re less likely to be seen without scrolling.
This reduction in visibility in traditional search results makes it harder for businesses to attract attention from users.
With only one or two organic listings viewable without scrolling, this problem is even more common on mobile screens, where there is less space for non-AI search results to be seen.
AI Overviews have taken over the prime real estate of the search engine results page. For businesses to stay visible, particular focus needs to be made on appearing in both AI Overview answers and traditional organic results to maximise visibility.
AI Overview overlap with traditional search results
It is generally assumed that pages that rank highly in search results are more likely to appear in AI Overviews, but this isn’t always the case.
While pages that rank higher do have a better chance of being featured in AI Overviews, about 50% of top-ranking pages are actually included in AI results. This means that pages outside the top ten can also appear in these results.
Pages that hold the featured snippet position often have an advantage, with a 60% chance of also showing in the AI Overview.
It’s evident that Google’s AI Overviews are becoming an increasingly prominent feature in search results. To remain competitive in this evolving landscape, website owners should prioritise optimising content to be included in these AI Overviews, particularly for non-branded and problem-solving queries.
By ensuring strong SEO performance in both organic results and AI-generated summaries, online businesses can help maximise their visibility and ultimately drive higher engagement. We can help your business achieve these results at Engage Web, so get in touch with us today to get started.
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