In a recent post on X, Google’s Search Advocate, John Mueller, shared some information that explained how links featured in Google’s AI Overviews are tracked in Google Search Console.
Responding to a question from SEO (search engine optimisation) consultant Gianluca Fiorelli, Mueller clarified that all the links that are included within Google’s AI generated summaries, known as AI Overviews, share the same position in Google Search Console.
This means that whether a link is featured first or last in the summary block, it’s considered the same position in Search Console.
He said:
“Basically an AIO counts as a block, so it’s all one position. It can be first position, if the block is shown first, but I don’t know if AIO is always shown first.”
He noted that AI Overviews don’t always appear at the top of the SERPs (search engine results pages), so the actual position may vary.
If the block appears first on the SERPs, all the links included are in position one. If it shows up at the bottom, then all the links included may be considered position 10.
AI Overviews often cite several sources, linking to various websites that contributed information to produce the AI (artificial intelligence)-generated summary.
Regardless of how many links are included in an AI Overview or where they’re displayed within the summary block, they all share the same position in the search rankings.
This means that if a page on your website is featured in an AI Overview, Google Search Console may report it as appearing in a higher position, even if it’s listed further down in the summary.
This information can be misleading, as this position isn’t unique to your page; it reflects where the AI overview appears on the SERPs.
Your link may appear lower in the block, which can give the impression that your content ranks higher than it does when shown to users on the results page.
A user may be more likely to click a link at the top of the block than they would be to click a link at the bottom of the block.
It’s important to keep this in mind when reviewing the performance of pages on your website in Google Search Console, so that you don’t confuse shared positions in AI Overviews with individual organic rankings.
Need help increasing the visibility of your website in the search engine results page? Contact the team of experts at Engage Web today.
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