AI Search is changing how users interact with search engines. You might notice an increase in the number of impressions but fewer clicks—that’s because users are getting answers straight from AI Overviews, without the need to visit your site. That means it’s not just about traffic anymore – it’s about brand visibility.
In this article, you’ll find easy, practical ways to show up in AI-driven results. I’ve covered how to structure your content for AI Overviews, boost branded mentions, and use Digital PR to stay visible even when users don’t click.
AI Search: What’s changing for SEOs?
AI Overviews & AI Mode
Google has introduced AI Overviews and AI Mode, reshaping the traditional SERPs. These generative AI features showcase quick answers pulled from multiple sources, reducing the need for users to click on the websites. AI Mode functions like a conversational search interface: think ChatGPT, but powered by Google.
According to Google’s documentation, the same SEO best practices still apply: crawlability, indexability, and high-quality structured content.
Generative AI Bots (ChatGPT, Perplexity)
Generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity source their data from search engine. For example, ChatGPT pulls data from Bing’s index which relies heavily on Google’s index. That means optimizing for Google first should still remain a top priority in our SEO strategy.
Declining Clicks, Increasing Impressions
Data from a recent Ahrefs study on AI Search shows a strong correlation between brand visibility in AI Overviews and off-site signals like:
- Branded web mentions (0.664)
- Branded anchor tags (0.527)
- Branded search volume (0.392)
So, even if traffic declines, your impressions (and visibility) could increase!
How SEOs can prepare for the rise of AI Search
- Focus on maintaining technical SEO standards & SEO best practices
- Boost branded content across all your digital platforms (social media, images, videos, etc.).
- Include brand mentions in third-party UGC platforms like Reddit, Quora and other forums
- Invest in Digital PR campaigns (lead with branded anchors) while dropping traditional Link Building
- Structure your content in a way that’s easily digestible for AI results
How to structure your content for AI Overviews
According to Google, AI Overviews prioritize content that’s structured and informative. Here’s how to increase your chances of being featured:
- TL;DR paragraph: Add a summary at the beginning of your article to help AI tools extract relevant insights.
- Create long-form, in-depth content: Showcase Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trust (EEAT) via long-form content that can then act as a pillar article
- Build mini content hubs: Group related content clusters together to demonstrate topical authority. Plus, that’s an internal linking gold mine!
- Use SEO best practices: Ensure internal linking, heading hierarchy, meta descriptions, schema, and image alt tags are in place.
Aleyda SolÃs (one of the top voices in SEO), provided an in-depth AI Search Optimization Checklist as well as a Visual Comparison of the Differences between Traditional & AI Search.
Be sure to check out those resources before optimizing for AI Search!
Tracking AI Search Performance
Monitor AI bots in Google Analytics (GA4)
AI bots from tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity appear as referral traffic in Google Analytics 4. Here’s a practical GA4 guide for setting this up.
For more advanced tracking, explore this GTM implementation guide.
Limitations of Tracking
- Google Search Console does include AI Overview impressions and clicks, but there’s no dedicated report yet.
- Tools like Ahrefs and SEMrush offer AI result visibility tracking, but only via paid subscriptions.
- No official tracking is available yet from AI chatbot platforms themselves.
Shifting KPIs in the AI world: Impressions over Clicks
Informational terms (especially long-tail keywords and voice search queries) are often resolved within AI Overviews. This means that users may not click through to your site as they have already found the answers they were searching for. But don’t panic! Brand visibility in AI results still builds awareness and trust.
Here are some KPIs for you to track:
- Branded Impressions & Clicks – tool: Google Search Console
- Branded Search Volume – tools: Keywords planner (free) or Ahrefs & SEMrush (paid)
- Share of Voice (SOV) across branded and non-branded terms – tools: Ahrefs & SEMrush (paid)
- Brand mentions across AI platforms– tools: Ahrefs (paid)
AI Search isn’t killing SEO, it is reshaping it
The rise of AI in search doesn’t mean SEO is dead. It means the metrics for success are changing. Instead of obsessing over clicks, SEOs should start focusing more on brand visibility, brand strength, and off-site presence. From implementing TL;DR sections to investing in Digital PR, there’s plenty you can do! And don’t forget: SEO best practices still count – if not more than ever!
As AI often becomes the first touchpoint for many users (especially for informational queries), your brand needs to be there!
