How To Get Your Content & Brand Featured by AI Overviews: Strategies for 2025

At a Glance: How AI Overviews Can Boost Your Website

• Unique, data-driven insights now beat keyword-stuffed guides
• SEO best practices are essential, but not enough
• Transparency, fresh research, and human writing set you apart
• ImageWorks Creative has been helping brands get found since 1997

What is AI Overview on Google?

AI Overviews, often called “AI Overviews in Search,” are AI-generated summaries that Google Search and other engines use to provide quick answers in Search results. These summaries combine information from various sites and sources to answer user queries, often reducing the need to click through to a site. Google’s Gemini model powers many of these features, pulling from trusted data to ensure accuracy. The rise of AI Overviews in Search results is shifting how users find and trust information.

Why Your Website Needs to Be Featured in AI Overviews

If your brand or content appears in Google’s AI Overview, your visibility grows instantly. Sites featured in AI-generated summaries stand out as trusted authorities. This isn’t just about traffic—it’s about trust, authority, and business growth. Old-school SEO tricks no longer guarantee results when AI Overviews in Search are replacing blue links for millions of queries.

Since 1997, ImageWorks Creative has guided brands through shifts in Google Search, helping our clients adapt as AI features and generative AI tools became the new standard. We help you stay ahead, so you don’t fall behind.

Main Takeaways: What Works for AI Overviews and Generative AI Visibility

• Unique research, original data, and transparency make you stand out
• Rely on source data that feeds large language models (LLMs) instead of copying AI-generated content
• Update your data regularly and clearly state your sources and methodologies
• Write for humans, not just for search engines or AI bots
• Follow SEO best practices, but go beyond by providing new information that benefits users
• Optimize your site technically: fast load times, schema markup, answer-first architecture, and more

Ready to make your content more visible in AI Overviews, on Google Search, and across generative AI platforms? Here’s your guide.

The Move from SEO to GEO (Generative Engine Optimization)

Traditional SEO aimed to climb the rankings in Google Search with keyword-rich guides and extensive content. Now, AI Overviews and generative AI are changing that. With AI-generated summaries taking over Search results, the metric for success has changed. There’s no longer a list of ranks—now you’re either in the AI Overview, or you’re overlooked.

GEO is now the key. It means optimizing your content to be cited, summarized, or linked in AI features such as Google’s AI Overviews, Search Labs, and other generative AI tools.

Why Keyword-First Content Fails in the Age of AI Overviews

Keyword research no longer gives you the full picture. AI Overviews don’t just look for matching keywords; they pull from sources with unique insights, fresh data, and clear value. Guides or blogs stuffed with keywords but lacking new information rarely get chosen for AI-generated summaries.

• Keywords only show what triggers ads, not who’s actually searching
• Users now expect more targeted, nuanced results from AI features
• The one-size-fits-all strategy is outdated—AI Overviews favor specific, original, and regionally tailored content

How to Get Your Site Picked For AI Overviews and More

1. Present Original Research & Fresh Data

Sites that offer unique data or perspectives stand out. For example, the BoundlessHQ survey on remote work offered fresh, original survey results that answered new questions in the market, making it more likely for AI-generated content and Google’s AI Overview to feature it.

• Share new findings from your own studies, user surveys, or internal data
• Explicitly state your research methods and note any limitations
• Regularly update your data, not just once per year, to signal reliability

2. Build for the Data Sources LLMs Consume

Google’s Gemini model and similar AI systems learn from a mix of books, online articles, media mentions, and trusted sites. Instead of copying AI outputs, draw from the raw data pools these models use:

• Use large-scale surveys or commissioned studies to add new information
• Earn meaningful press mentions and backlinks from reputable sources
• Get coverage in trusted publications—AI Overviews prefer these

3. Structure Your Content for “Overview AI” Selection

AI Overviews in Search use content that answers specific questions quickly and clearly. Make sure your pages:

• Start with a direct answer to common user questions
• Use clear headings and short paragraphs for scannability
• Organize content with HTML anchor links, so AI can jump to relevant sections
• Add schema markup for added context (find resources at Search Console)

4. Transparency is Key

AI Overviews, Google AI Overview, and other generative AI features value transparency.

• Always cite your sources, link directly to supporting research, and explain your methodology
• Note your content’s limitations (e.g., sample size, data collection dates)
• Make your data verifiable for both humans and AI models

5. Prioritize Human-Written, Unique Content

AI-generated summaries rarely quote AI-written articles. LLMs are designed to avoid retraining on other AI outputs—which can degrade their quality and accuracy.

• Write in a clear, conversational style that reflects real expertise and lived experience
• Avoid generic phrases and tired industry tropes
• Inject personal stories, case studies, or humor if appropriate
• Keep your writing natural: both readers and AI can spot robotic, AI-generated content

6. Optimize Site Performance & Accessibility

Quick sites get crawled and indexed faster, which matters for both Search and AI Overviews.

• Code for fast loading (compress images, reduce scripts)
• Use programmatic access options: RSS feeds, sitemaps, and allow LLM crawling with an llms.txt file
• Structure content in an answer-first format that AI features can parse efficiently

7. Stick to SEO Best Practices—But Go Further

SEO basics still matter for AI Overviews in Search, but alone, they’re not enough:

• Use descriptive, keyword-rich headings
• Implement schema markup and structured data
• Link out to authoritative sites 

Why Copycat Content Fails: The “Ultimate Guide” Problem

Many websites still use the cookie-cutter “ultimate guide” format—long, comprehensive, but rarely original. AI Overviews can spot when a site just rehashes existing material instead of adding new value. Google’s own Information Gain patent stresses that the best content brings something new to the table.

• If your content doesn’t offer new insights, it won’t earn links, mentions, or AI citations
• Journalists, bloggers, and users won’t share or trust unoriginal guides
• AI Overviews in Search results will pass you by in favor of sites with real research and answers

Supercharge Your Content With These AI Overview Strategies

Ready to get your site featured in Google’s AI Overviews, Search Labs, or Gemini-powered Search Console features? Here are the steps that work:

1. Collect and Share Unique Insights

• Run your own surveys or case studies
• Analyze customer data for new trends
• Publish findings with clear methods and honest limitations

2. Update Content Regularly

• Refresh data and facts at least quarterly, not just yearly
• Mark updates so AI Overviews can see your site is trusted and current

3. Use Clear, Conversational Language

• Write for people first, not search engines
• Keep sentences short and use active voice for easy reading

4. Add Technical SEO Hygiene

• Use schema, fast code, and open crawling to make content more accessible for AI crawlers
• List key sections with HTML anchors for easy navigation

5. Be Transparent and Ethical

• Disclose data sources and research methods
• Avoid over-reliance on AI-generated content—show your human expertise

Preview: 3 Reasons Why AI Overviews Can Boost Your Business

• Instant Authority: Sites featured in AI-generated summaries are seen as trusted voices, driving more organic interest.
• Content Efficiency: Well-structured, information-rich content gets selected over generic guides, saving you time and resources.
• Higher Conversion: Users trust AI Overviews for answers, and being cited directs targeted, high-intent traffic to your site.

AI Overviews: Case Study Snapshot

Like mentioned earlier, BoundlessHQ gained visibility in AI Overviews by commissioning a remote work survey. This fresh, original research answered new user questions and was unique enough for AI-generated summaries to pick up. Your brand can do the same by prioritizing original insights and transparent sharing.

SEO May Not Be Dead, But Generic Keyword-Content Is

AI Overviews in Search have changed the game. Relying on keywords alone does not help your content stand out. Each market, audience, and region demands more tailored and thoughtful content. Google Search, powered by generative AI and the Gemini model, now highlights information gain over word count or repetition.

• Say goodbye to "one for all" content
• Build region-specific and audience-specific pages as needed
• Focus on user experience and value, not just traffic numbers

Technical Tips: Making Your Website AI Overview-Friendly

• Speed Up: Fast load times matter for crawling and AI parsing
• Add Schema: Help AI understand your content with structured data
• Jump Links: Use anchor tags for easy navigation in long-form pieces
• Enable LLM Access: Open content to AI models using an llms.txt file or RSS feeds
• Programmatic Access: Use sitemaps and other technical standards for better discoverability

Human Content Wins: Why AI-Generated Writing Gets Ignored

AI Overviews, Gemini-powered tools, and Search Labs prefer to feature human experience and expertise. While some believe well-crafted AI content could get featured, studies suggest that both people and AI engines spot the difference easily. AI-generated writing often lacks:

• Personal stories and case studies
• Subtle humor and storytelling
• Lived expertise and real insights

For the best results, keep your content human. Our team at ImageWorks Creative can help you rewrite, humanize, and optimize your site so that both Google and users notice.

Linking for Authority and Trust

When you reference or support your content, link to trustworthy sources. For example:

• Use LinkedIn for professional validation
• Connect to respected industry sites and internal resources to keep readers engaged

The Role of Search Console and Search Labs in AI Overview Success

Stay updated with Google’s Search Console and Search Labs to monitor how your site is seen by Google’s AI Overviews and other AI-generated summary features. These tools help you:

• Track which pages get traffic from AI Overviews
• Spot gaps in your content, keywords, or schema
• Test new page formats and structures for future AI features

An Action Plan for Getting Featured in AI Overviews and Generative AI

1. Audit your current content: Identify gaps, lack of original insights, or outdated data.
2. Plan for quarterly research: Run surveys or collect unique user data regularly.
3. Rewrite for clarity: Make each page answer-first, concise, and transparent.
4. Upgrade technical SEO: Add markup, improve speed, and open content to LLMs.
5. Monitor AI Overview performance: Use Search Console, Search Labs, and ranking tools to see where you stand.
6. Get professional help: Partner with an agency like ImageWorks Creative for experienced, reliable, and onshore support.

Why Choose ImageWorks Creative Over Freelance Sites?

While freelance platforms like Upwork or Fiverr connect you with individual talent, they often operate offshore and can be unreliable for ongoing content and SEO work. ImageWorks Creative offers:

• Over two decades of experience
• In-house strategy, copywriting, and SEO experts
• Consistent communication and results
• A full suite of digital marketing services, from research to site optimization

Next Steps: Get Your Content Ready for AI Overviews

Ready to improve your website, boost visibility in Google’s AI Overviews, and win with generative AI? Book a call with our digital marketing pros at ImageWorks Creative. We'll review your content, run an AI Overviews Study, and help you publish data and insights that set you apart.

Don’t let AI-generated summaries pass over your brand. Make your mark as an authority—and get noticed by both Google and your customers.

Take the first step—let’s get your brand featured in Google’s AI Overviews and beyond!