AI-driven searches don't diminish the importance of SEO, but they change its logic: in addition to ranking, brands need to be cited, contextualized, and recognized as reliable sources. In this new scenario, useful, in-depth, and well-structured content gains value by building authority, brand presence, and visibility, even in journeys with fewer clicks.

Artificial intelligence is no longer a distant novelty; it has begun to directly influence how people search, find answers, and interact with brands in digital environments. 

With features like Google's AI Overview, part of the search journey begins to happen within the results page itself, even before clicking on a website.

This doesn't mean SEO has lost relevance. On the contrary: if there is search, user intent, and potential for organic visibility, there is room for strategy. 

The difference is that now, in addition to thinking about rankings, clicks, and indexed content, we also need to understand how brands can be cited, recommended, and contextualized in AI-generated responses.

Google's AI Overviews: what they are, how they work, and best practices for appearing in them.

When we think about optimization for AI, the biggest "new factor" today is Google's AI Overview, which began appearing in search results in August 2024.

What is it?

AI Overview is an AI-generated answer block that appears above traditional search results. The tool synthesizes the answer to a question based on various sources and also provides links for the user to delve deeper into the topic. In practice, it serves as an initial summary that helps the user quickly understand a subject and decide if they want to explore it further.

Example of a response generated by AI Overview for the search “assa peixe branco”, which brings an article from Pasto Extraordinário as the first reference link:

How does it work?

  • The user types a question into Google;
  • The company's language models (LLMs) interpret the context and retrieve relevant content from the index;
  • An advanced model (currently Gemini 2.0) synthesizes the information and generates a summary;
  • The text includes citations (links) to the pages from which the information was extracted.

This process is an example of retrieval-augmented generation (RAG): the AI ​​does not rely solely on pre-trained knowledge, but seeks updated data before responding.

What is the impact on SEO?

Right off the bat, the arrival of generative summaries can significantly reduce the number of clicks on indexed pages: studies indicate that AI Overview decreases CTR by approximately 34,5%.

However, this issue is still somewhat unclear. Many website owners, and research, have stated that yes, AI Overview has decreased organic click-through rates; while Google itself continues to say the opposite , that AI-generated summaries do not impact website CTR and bring more qualified users to the domains.

Historically, the keywords that drove the most traffic to a website were informational, meaning they came from users who wanted quick information, especially the result of something.

In practice, the impact of AI Overview tends to vary depending on the intent behind the search. In very objective queries, where the user is looking for a quick definition, a meaning, a conversion, or a direct answer, the summary generated by AI may satisfy the need even before the click. In these cases, it is natural that some pages continue to appear well-positioned, but receive fewer visits.

This happens because organic presence no longer depends solely on traditional ranking positions. Even when a page remains indexed and visible, some of the user's attention may be absorbed by the AI-generated response block. 

The result is a scenario in which impressions and rankings can remain relatively stable, while the click-through rate experiences greater pressure.

On the other hand, this does not mean that all informational content loses value. When the search involves a more complex question, a more complete analysis, a comparison, a step-by-step guide, or a decision that requires context, the user tends to go beyond the summary.

In these cases, appearing as a source in AI-generated responses can reinforce brand authority and also generate qualified clicks.

In other words, AI Overview can reduce traffic for quick-answer searches, but it can also increase the visibility of more comprehensive and useful content. 

The challenge for SEO becomes understanding which topics have the potential for real clicks and which function more as brand touchpoints within a journey increasingly marked by zero-click searches.

Is appearing in the AI ​​Overview good or bad?

Appearing in the AI ​​Overview is always positive. Even if some searches no longer result in clicks, that doesn't mean the impact is lost. After all, we can't appear before the AI ​​Overview, so fighting against it is unproductive. Instead, it makes more sense to focus on appearing within and after it, for queries where a quick answer isn't enough.

Of course, in very objective searches, the summary created by AI resolves the query, and the user doesn't even feel the need to click. But that's okay; those clicks that don't happen aren't recoverable. What we can (and should) do is direct efforts towards keywords where the user's intent goes beyond a simple answer. 

This is achieved by creating content that truly adds value: comprehensive articles, in-depth analyses, comparisons, contextual FAQs, and helpful guides. In these cases, even if AI Overview attempts to summarize, the user tends to want more and clicks to understand better.

Even when there's no click, presence in the AI ​​Overview shouldn't be disregarded; after all, consistent visibility also builds brand awareness. Zero-click searches are part of SEO , and they eliminate the click, but not the brand recall. The user sees the brand, associates its authority with the topic, and takes that with them. Ignoring this space means giving up a relevant, and free, point of contact with the audience.

What does it take to be cited in the AI ​​Overview?

According to Google, there are no additional requirements to appear in the AI ​​Overview: the same rules as traditional SEO apply . Pages need to be indexed, meet technical requirements, follow spam policies, and present useful and reliable content.

Best practices for appearing in the AI ​​Overview (remember that none of these differ from what is already part of traditional SEO):

  • Create useful, reliable, and people-focused content using keyword research and matching to search intent;
  • Structure the content clearly, with titles, headings, paragraphs, and data that facilitate the understanding and use of new information;
  • Strengthen authority and E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authority and Reliability) of the website's content;
  • High-quality internal and external links to help the AI ​​identify sources of support;
  • Relevant images and videos that reinforce the content and can appear as citations;
  • To enhance user experience and accessibility by ensuring that the main content is in text format and indexable.

How do I measure and track clicks coming from AI Overview?

Currently, Search Console doesn't separate AI Overview traffic; impressions and clicks from the AI-generated summary are grouped with metrics from traditional search results pages. In other words, officially we still don't have a way to...

In Semrush, for example, it's already possible to apply filters related to the presence of keywords in AI resources, such as the AI ​​Overview. This allows you to see which queries trigger this type of result, which pages appear associated with these searches, and which topics may be gaining visibility within the AI-generated responses.

These data should be read as estimates, not as official figures. Even so, they help to complement the analysis and to better understand where the brand is already being mentioned or referenced in this new search environment.

SEO is still alive, but search has changed.

Search behavior has already begun to change, and there may be no going back.

The logic of SEO remains relevant, but the environment has become more sophisticated. Gaining visibility now requires more than just occupying positions. It demands context, depth, and sufficient authority to be a reference both within and beyond traditional search results.

Ultimately, SEO is still about understanding people. The difference is that now we also need to understand how artificial intelligence interprets, organizes, and recommends information.

And perhaps the most important question is: is your brand producing content just to rank, or to truly become a reference in the subject?

If the challenge now is to build a presence in an increasingly AI-driven search environment, it's worth having a chat with Grilos. HouseCricket helps brands transform content into authority, relevance, and real visibility, even when clicks are no longer the only goal.