The Complete Guide to Getting Featured in Google AI Overviews

Ever had that moment when you’re searching for something in your industry and you see a competitor’s advice prominently featured in Google’s AI Overview while your years of expertise are completely invisible?

I have – and it sucks. I know I have more experience, more expertise and can do things better – while someone else is getting credit for my brilliant ideas.

But… with AI Overviews taking centre stage, I decided I was going to take advantage of this new playground, get in early and let my work, understanding – and – don’t mind if I toot my own horn here – my brilliance shine through – and I want to help you achieve the same with your own GEO strategy.

But here’s what I’ve learned after months of obsessively tracking AI overviews and helping women entrepreneurs crack this new code: getting featured isn’t some mysterious algorithm magic. There’s actually a clear roadmap you can follow – and I’m sharing the exact process that’s worked for my clients and me.

Ready to stop being invisible in AI conversations and start being the expert voice your ideal clients discover? Let’s dive in.

Why This Matters More Than You Think (The Numbers Are Staggering)

Before we get into the how-to, let’s talk about why this is so urgent. According to recent Forbes research, AI Overviews can cause a whopping 15-64% decline in organic traffic, with roughly 60% of searches now yielding no clicks at all, as AI-generated answers satisfy users directly on the search results page.

Think about that for a moment. Even if you’re ranking #1 on Google, Google’s AI Overviews have displaced top-ranked links by as much as 1,500 pixels – that’s about two full screen scrolls on desktop and three on mobile. Your perfect SEO ranking might now be virtually invisible to your ideal clients.

This isn’t some distant future trend we’re preparing for because it’s happening right now. The businesses that aren’t adapting are watching their carefully built traffic disappear down the toilet like a pre-schooler with your high-end make-up. But here’s the opportunity: while your competitors are panicking about lost traffic, you can be establishing yourself as the expert voice that AI systems trust and recommend. Fortune favours the brave and all that!

What Actually Triggers AI Overview Inclusion (Spoiler: It’s Not What You Think)

After analysing hundreds of AI overview features, I can tell you that most business owners are approaching this completely wrong. They’re still thinking like it’s 2019 SEO, focusing on keywords and backlinks – and we need to say goodbye to those shady backlinks like yesterday please!

Here’s what AI systems actually prioritise:

Comprehensive Authority Signals: AI systems love content that demonstrates deep, nuanced expertise. Not surface-level advice that sounds like it came from a generic business blog, but insights that show you’ve actually solved these problems for real clients – and this is why it’s working for the real experts – because you get to show up front and proud just why you should get the recognition.

Direct Answer Format: AI systems want content that gets straight to the point. No 500-word introductions about “the importance of X in today’s digital landscape” (terrible AI tell that one – the minute I see that I know the article has been written by AI… at least clean it up a little!). They want your answer in the first paragraph, followed by the supporting evidence – which is easy to do when you understand your understanding and processes and can explain it.

Recent, Actionable Information: Content that’s current and immediately useful gets preference. AI systems can somehow sense when content is genuinely helpful versus just keyword-stuffed fluff.

Unique Frameworks and Processes: Generic advice gets completely overlooked. AI systems gravitate toward content that offers your specific methodology, personal frameworks, or fresh perspectives on common problems.

What I’m seeing right now in May/June 2025 is that content that’s been generated to fulfil a “keyword strategy” and filler stuff is being deindexed rapidly by Google. I’ve explained before that Google aren’t going to waste their resources (processing power and $$$) to index, rank and store billions of “samey” AI articles it could do itself with Gemini.

The Content Structure That AI Systems Can’t Resist

Here’s where most people balls it up – they think AI systems work like traditional search engines. They absolutely don’t. AI systems are looking for content they can confidently reference and quote without looking stupid – and that means in a nutshell – “clever concepts” backed up by “clever people” writing “clever stuff”.

Lead with Your Direct Answer: Start with a clear, specific answer to the question. Don’t make AI dig through paragraphs of waffle to find your main point. I structure my content like I’m answering a client’s question during a consultation call.

Follow with the “Why” and Context: After your direct answer, explain the reasoning behind your advice. This context helps AI systems understand that you actually know what you’re talking about, not just repeating what everyone else says.

Include Specific Examples from Your Experience: AI systems love concrete examples because they make abstract concepts tangible. I always share client stories (anonymised, obviously), specific scenarios I’ve encountered, or results I’ve achieved. This is a change from what has been the mantra for years in the online marketing world where we were told to always make it about “you” (the client) – GEO is now turning this on its head and we need to drop a lot more “I” and “this is how I do… “.

Provide Clear Next Steps: Give readers something they can implement immediately. AI systems often pull from content that provides actionable guidance, not just theoretical advice. It’s like your classic CTA on full-fat coke!

Write Like You’re Talking to a Mate: Use natural, conversational language. The most successful AI overview content sounds like expert advice shared over coffee – and not academic papers written to impress professors.

Entity Optimisation: Making Yourself Recognisable to AI

This might sound technical, but it’s actually quite straightforward. Entity optimisation is about making it crystal clear to AI systems who you are and what you’re genuinely expert in.

Consistent Professional Identity: Use your name and credentials consistently across all content. I always mention my background in Software Engineering, Data Intelligence, SEO and my transition to GEO – it establishes credibility and shows my expertise evolution.

Topic Authority Focus: Become known for specific expertise rather than trying to be everything to everyone. Instead of “business advice,” I focus specifically on “AI-ready business optimisation for women entrepreneurs who hate social media.”

Clear Business Information: Make sure your business name, description, and areas of expertise are consistent everywhere. AI systems love clarity and hate confusion. Tip: Set aside a few hours to clean up any old social profiles you’ve got hanging around so that the tone is clear everywhere.

Author Authority Signals: Include proper author bios with your credentials, experience, and specific expertise areas. AI systems are getting better at recognising genuine expertise versus manufactured authority. We are now on the cusp of ditching all the BS and the real creatives and experts are going to win this round.

Technical Requirements That Actually Matter (Don’t Panic – It’s Simpler Than You Think)

Good news – you don’t need to become a tech genius to optimise for AI overviews. Focus on these essentials:

Mobile-First Everything: AI systems prioritise content that works perfectly on mobile devices since many AI queries come from phones. If your content is rubbish on mobile, you’re already out of the running.

Page Speed That Doesn’t Make People Want to Throw Their Phone: Aim for pages that load in under 3 seconds. If your website takes forever to load, AI systems will find someone else’s advice to feature.

Clean, Descriptive URLs: Use URLs that actually describe your content. Instead of “mybusiness.com/blog/post1,” use “mybusiness.com/get-featured-ai-overviews-guide.”

Proper Heading Structure: Use H1, H2, and H3 tags logically. Your main title should be H1, major sections H2, subsections H3 – just like sections in a reference book. Think of it as creating a clear outline that AI can easily follow.

Descriptive Alt Text for Images: If you use images, include alt text that describes what they show. This helps AI systems understand the full context of your content.

How I Track AI Overview Success (And How You Can Too)

Measuring your AI overview appearances is crucial for understanding what works. Here’s my monitoring system:

Manual Query Testing: I regularly search for questions my ideal clients ask and track whether my content appears. I keep a simple spreadsheet noting which queries feature my content and which don’t.

Google Search Console Analysis: I check Search Console for queries driving impressions and clicks, looking for patterns in the questions bringing people to my content.

Client Discovery Tracking: I ask new clients how they found me. You’d be surprised how often they mention discovering me through AI recommendations or seeing my advice in AI responses.

Competitor Monitoring: I regularly check what AI systems say about topics in my space. This reveals gaps where my expertise could be featured instead of my competitors’.

True story: I hate doing my own competitor monitoring – it’s a necessary evil, but can often feel emotionally draining. 🙁

My Step-by-Step Implementation Process

This is the exact process I follow for every piece of content I create, and it’s what I teach my clients:

Week 1: Research and Strategy

• Identify the 10 most common questions your ideal clients ask (check your email inbox, consultation notes, client conversations, and the “people also ask” bits)
• Search these questions and analyse current AI overview results
• Note gaps where your unique expertise could provide better answers

Week 2: Content Creation

• Write comprehensive answers to 2-3 priority questions
• Use the content structure I outlined above
• Focus on sharing your unique methodology and real experience
• Include specific examples and actionable advice

Week 3: Optimisation and Publishing

• Ensure content meets technical requirements
• Publish with proper heading structure and clean URLs
• Add internal links to related content on your site

Week 4: Monitoring and Refinement

• Test your target queries to see if your content appears
• Track which approaches are working
• Plan your next content round based on results

Common Mistakes That Keep You Invisible (I’ve Made Them All)

Allow me to take a small bow because I’ve made all these mistakes during my transition and testing phase – and am going to outline them all so you don’t need to make the same errors!

Mistake #1: Being Too Bloody Generic Don’t write the same advice everyone else shares. AI systems skip over generic content in favour of unique perspectives. Share YOUR specific process, not industry best practices. Don’t think the same way as “everyone else”? Great – go for the controversy – show another side to the problem.

Mistake #2: Burying Your Expertise Don’t hide your best insights behind generic introductions. Lead with your unique value proposition and what makes your approach different.

Mistake #3: Ignoring User Intent Create content that matches what people are actually asking, not what you think they should be asking. Real questions from real clients are content gold. Generic informational content isn’t valuable for LLMs – so make sure you’re looking at a “higher intent” and not catering for BOFU.

Mistake #4: Set-and-Forget Content AI systems favour fresh, current content. I regularly update my most important pieces with new insights and recent examples.

Mistake #5: Keyword Obsession While keywords matter, AI systems prioritise genuinely helpful, comprehensive content over keyword-stuffed articles that read like robots wrote them.

Your 30-Day Quick Start Challenge

Want to see results fast? Here’s your action plan – make sure you grab my 50-Point GEO Audit Checklist first:

• Days 1-7: Choose 3 questions your ideal clients always ask. Research current AI responses and identify gaps.

• Days 8-14: Create comprehensive, helpful content answering these questions better than anyone else in your space.

• Days 15-21: Optimise and publish this content with proper structure and technical requirements.

• Days 22-30: Monitor results, test queries, and refine your approach based on what you discover.

Key Points:

• AI systems prioritise comprehensive authority signals over generic advice
• Direct answer format with supporting context performs best
• Unique frameworks and personal processes get featured more often
• Consistent professional identity and topic authority focus essential
• Mobile-first, fast-loading content with clean structure required
• Manual testing and client feedback crucial for tracking success

The Compound Effect of Consistent AI Visibility

You know what happens to your money in the bank with compound interest? Well, here’s what happens when you consistently show up in AI overviews: You become the trusted expert that AI systems automatically reference. This creates a snowball effect where more visibility leads to more authority, which leads to even more visibility.

Your ideal clients start seeing your name and advice repeatedly in AI responses. They begin associating you with expertise in your field before they even visit your website. When they’re ready to invest in themselves and their business, you’re already the obvious choice because you’ve been showing up so frequently that you are the goddess of expertise.

The women entrepreneurs who master this now – while most people are still unaware that AI overviews even exist will dominate their industries as AI becomes even more integrated into how we search and make decisions. Let the others “have my bot talk to your bot” and battle it out on AI-riddle social platforms.

Ready to stop being invisible in AI conversations and start being the expert voice your ideal clients discover? Your roadmap to AI overview success starts with the very next piece of content you create – so make sure you make it a good one!