How to improve your visibility in Google AI Overviews

Video killed the radio star, and AI may soon do the same to the search engine. It’s a bold statement, but early data supports it.

The first predictions of how AI-generated summaries could impact organic traffic suggested an 18-64% drop-off. More recent work by Ahrefs notes a figure closer to 34.5%. As AI-powered search becomes more advanced and widely adopted, its impact on content visibility is only set to intensify.

These figures might have you thinking it’s a rough time to be in PR, but there’s a key detail: Google AI Overviews (AIOs) still cite sources; they just use new criteria to determine which content is trustworthy and authoritative. This means there’s a real opportunity for savvy PR teams to position their content as the go-to resource.

Note, also, that an increasing number of consumers turn to AI instead of traditional search for information, product recommendations, and more. "In fact, 67% of Gen Z and 53% of millennial consumers already use AI tools instead of conducting Google searches." Jonny Bentwood, Golin's global president of data and analytics, said at a recent AMEC Summit, "We have entered what communication experts call the AI Reputation Economy. In this landscape, AI systems do not just find information but also form and share opinions about organizations."

With more than 90% of AI visibility driven by earned media citations, PR professionals have a key role to play. “I’m sorry to SEO, but PR is the new SEO, and public relations can take the lead,” Johnny adds. Digital PR strategies, in particular, are becoming central to maintaining visibility in the AI-driven search landscape.  

In this blog, we explore how PR teams can adapt to remain visible in a bold new AI world and what Google’s new approach means for content discovery. Plus, you’ll hear from the Global Communications Director at The Social Hub on how to get your brand noticed as zero-click search continues to rise.

What are ‘AI Overviews’?

“AI Overviews” are the direct evolution of what Google initially called the ”Search Generative Experience” (SGE). 

First introduced as an experimental feature in 2023, this feature allowed users to opt in and see AI-generated summaries at the top of their search results. In May 2024, Google rebranded and publicly launched these summaries as “AI Overviews.”

In 2025, these advanced AI-generated summaries use methods like Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG). They get data from several online sources and create new summaries. 

Since these overviews dominate the top of search pages, smart PR teams are keen to secure a spot for their brands in these results.

Media mentions matter for Google AI Overviews

While many elements shape what gets included in Google AI Overviews, consistent brand mentions and high-quality backlinks from trusted sites stand out as key drivers of visibility. Fortunately, this is a strategy most PR teams already use extensively, now also partly thanks to Google’s detailed E-E-A-T guidelines.

So, what’s new? AI-generated summaries pull information from many sources. They value authority more than traditional SEO methods. Nowadays, it is even more important to have high-quality brand mentions. This is a strategy major brands, like The Social Hub, already use to ensure their content features prominently in Google AI Overviews.

“Large language models (LLMs) are fed by top-tier media coverage and quality content on owned platforms,” The Social Hub’s Daniel Hernández Lyon says. “It’s therefore still critical for PR teams to produce high-quality content that can be used in respected publications, as AI models give preference to these authoritative sources.”

This practice also ties back to Google’s emphasis on experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness (E-E-A-T). The more your brand’s content helps real people, the more likely it is to be recognized and elevated by AI and Google. 

Structured content for search: How to capture Google’s attention

The way you organize and structure your content is crucial to whether AI can find, interpret, and showcase it at the top of search results. 

To maximize your brand’s visibility in Google AI Overviews, focus on these best practices:

1. Prioritize readability and clear structure: Logical organization helps ensure that your main points aren’t lost in dense paragraphs or messy layouts. Format your content for easy scanning with clear titles, sub-titles, and bulleted lists.

2. Use structured data and schema markup: The use of structured data (like schema markup) enables search engines to accurately identify and categorize your content. This technical foundation increases the likelihood that your material will be selected for inclusion in Google AI Overviews and other rich search features.

3. Lead with the most important information: Add your key messages and essential brand details in plain language in the first few paragraphs of your articles or press releases.“We keep this principle top of mind every time we write a press release or publish any other type of content,” Daniel says. "We clearly explain who we are. We make sure the first paragraph has the most important information. This helps large language models find key facts quickly.

"Using a PR.co newsroom can make this easier and it also helps your audience understand your main message right away. PR.co has really helped us to create an environment where our stories can be told in a very linear SEO- and LLM-optimized way” Daniel adds. “It makes it very easy for people and machines to source information.”

Make partnerships work for your brand

Another key strategy Daniel points out is open communication with partners about content optimization. 

When your partners publish case studies or mention your brand, check that their content is just as optimized as your own. Verify that all information is accurate, up-to-date, and presented with authority, so it carries weight with both target audiences and AI models.

But optimization is only half the story. Daniel emphasizes that genuine storytelling is more important than ever for PR teams. 

For example, The Social Hub recently promoted a holiday market in Glasgow created in partnership with one of the brand’s ambassadors from the community. They were able to tell a very organic, authentic story that aligned with their brand values and resonated with their target audience.

“We collaborated with local vendors and partners on the ground, as well as our community, to create an event that everyone genuinely enjoyed,” he notes. “As a result, the event got coverage in publications like The Herald.”

When your content is both authentic and covered by authoritative sources, Daniel notes, it’s far more likely to be surfaced by AI models. Of course, well-crafted stories also evoke emotion, spark conversation, and inspire action. These are all outcomes AI can’t easily replicate.

More tips to get your brand noticed by AI

To truly catch the eye of today’s AI algorithms, it pays to go beyond the basics. We share a few more tips to set you off on the right track:

1. Focus on informational queries. To increase your chances of being featured in Google AI Overviews, create content around question-based phrases such as “What is…”, “How does…”, or “Best way to…”. Make sure your content addresses the core question directly and concisely. Place the answer near the top of your article or section, use straightforward language, and follow a logical structure.
2. Don’t just stuff your content with exact-match keywords. A recent Surfer SEO study shows that AI Overviews only contain the exact search query 5.4% of the time. This means Google AI Overviews is designed to provide users with helpful context and comprehensive answers (i.e., they don’t just parrot back keywords). Use natural language and go beyond the basics. Add background information, examples, or related details that help users fully understand the topic.
3. Focus on long-tail and low-difficulty keywords. Long-tail keywords and keywords with low difficulty are far more likely to trigger the Google AI Overviews feature. Make these phrases and words part of your SEO strategy, too. 

Master PR for Google AI Overviews with PR.co

PR.co’s customizable, branded newsrooms provide PR teams with a centralized space to shape how their content appears in Google AI Overviews. 

Your PR.co newsroom automatically delivers two of the most important signals you need to show up in AI search:

1. It provides a trustworthy space to post PR content, like press releases, reports and whitepapers.
2. It ensures your content is consistent and structured, which makes it easier for both AI and humans to navigate. 

Combined with a strong PR strategy that earns your brand citations and branded mentions, you have the perfect PR engine to make your brand stand out in the age of AI. 

Curious how to take your brand to the next level in Google AI Overviews? Let’s connect and make it happen.

(PS: If you’d like to explore this topic further, we recommend reading the Search Engine Journal’s fantastic article on “How to rank on Google’s AI Overviews.”)

Frequently Asked Questions about Answer Engine Optimization

1. What is Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)? 

When you structure or optimize your content so that it can be directly surfaced as an answer by AI-powered search engines, voice assistants, and generative tools like Google AI Overviews, congratulations. You’ve just applied AEO.

The practice helps to ensure your brand’s content is selected as the authoritative answer to a user’s question.

2. How does AEO differ from Search Engine Optimization (SEO)?

In 2025, both SEO and AEO matter. Here’s how they differ:

3. Which SEO practices should brands still follow to have AI visibility in Google?

Continue to stick to these SEO basics when you create content for your brand’s website and other owned properties (e.g., your PR.co newsroom):

• Ensure all web pages are easily crawlable.
• Use internal links throughout the website.
• Provide a great page experience for users.
• Ensure all critical information is presented in text that can be crawled by search engine spiders.
• Support text information with images and videos whenever possible.