What Google says about AI Overviews
On 9 October 2026 we read Google Search Central's page called AI features and your website. Google had last updated it on 10 December 2025. It says the following.
- AI Overviews help people get to the gist of a complicated topic or question more quickly.
- They are shown when they add value beyond classic Search, so many searches do not show one.
- AI Mode is a related feature for longer, more complex questions. It gives a longer AI-written answer with supporting links.
- Both features may run several related searches behind the scenes. Google calls this query fan-out.
How links appear
Google says the systems find more supporting pages while the answer is built. So these features can show a wider and more varied set of links than classic search. The two features may use different models, so their links can differ.
What you need to do to appear
Google states that there are no additional requirements to appear in AI Overviews or AI Mode, and no special optimisation is needed. A page must be indexed and eligible to show with a snippet in Google Search. The usual good practices for SEO (search engine optimisation) still apply. Google also says you do not need new machine-readable files, AI text files or special schema markup.
Schema markup is extra code that tells search engines what a page is about. Google says it is not required for these features.
A made-up example
Say a school furniture maker in Nagpur has a page on how to choose desks for a classroom. This is a made-up example. The page answers the question in its first lines. It has clear headings, true sizes and a contact number. The page is open to Google and loads fast on a phone.
Nothing here guarantees a link. These steps make the page a good answer, and that is what Google's own advice asks for. Do not trust anyone who promises a place in AI Overviews.
How to check your progress
Count what matters: enquiries, calls and orders. Use Search Console, Google's free tool, to see how your pages do in search. Do not assume that every drop or rise comes from AI Overviews, because many things change search numbers.
Common mistakes
- Paying for a trick that promises a guaranteed spot.
- Blocking Google from the page, or leaving it out of the index by mistake.
- Writing long pages that bury the answer.
- Adding facts you cannot prove.
- Chasing AI Overviews and forgetting the basics of a fast, clear, honest site.
For the full steps, read our guide on how to appear in Google AI Overviews.
Related terms
- AEO (answer engine optimisation): shaping content so it can be picked as a direct answer.
- GEO (generative engine optimisation): making content easy for AI tools to use and cite.
- SERP (search engine results page): the page you see after you search.
- llms.txt: a proposed file that gives AI tools a short guide to a site.
To plan your work for AI search, see our Google AI Overviews service.
Sources
- Google Search Central, "AI features and your website" (developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/ai-features), last updated 10 December 2025, read 9 October 2026.
