What’s happening right now with AI Overviews in Google and with Bing’s Copilot answers—the AI-generated summaries often appear above the blue links. Getting visibility there is not the same as classic SEO, but it overlaps with it. Here’s how you can improve your chances of being included in those AI-generated results:
1. Understand How AI Results Are Built
- They draw from the index: The AI overviews don’t scrape random websites in real time—they use the same index Google or Bing uses for regular search.
- They favor high-authority sources: Pages with strong E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) signals are more likely to be pulled into AI results.
- They synthesize, not just quote: AI models try to answer the query directly, then provide citations. Your content must both answer the question clearly and show signs of credibility.
2. Optimize Content for AI Summaries
- Direct, question-answer style: Write content that clearly answers common questions in the first 1–2 sentences of a section. (Think like FAQ or featured snippet optimization.)
- Structured formatting: Use clear headings, bullet points, tables, and schema markup so AI can parse it easily.
- Concise + expanded detail: Start with the short, authoritative answer → then expand with context. This gives AI an easy summary hook while keeping humans engaged.
3. Boost E-E-A-T Signals
- Author bios: Show credentials or experience on the page.
- References and sources: Link out to reputable studies, official sites, or data. AI systems like “answerable” content with backing.
- Trust factors: HTTPS, privacy pages, transparency about who runs the site—these all matter more now for being chosen as a cited source.
4. Technical SEO and Schema
- Use schema markup (FAQ, How-To, Product, Organization, Author). This helps AI identify content pieces and attribute them.
- Optimize for speed and mobile: Technical performance still underpins discoverability.
- Sitemaps & indexing: Make sure Googlebot can crawl your full content (robots.txt and 403 errors can block AI inclusion too).
5. Topic Selection
- Go after “information-dense” queries: AI summaries tend to appear when people ask how, why, what, when questions rather than brand navigation.
- Cover niche areas deeply: If you’re not a top-authority site, targeting underserved questions gives you a better chance of being pulled into AI results.
6. Monitor & Adjust
- Track if you’re cited: Search your target queries and see if your site shows up in AI Overviews.
- Watch Search Console: Google is starting to report some AI Overview impressions.
- Iterate content: If you see competitors cited, analyze their formatting and E-E-A-T signals.
👉 In short: to get included in AI results, think of it as “featured snippet SEO 2.0” + stronger authority signals. Direct answers, structured data, expertise, and technical cleanliness are the keys.