AI Overviews are changing what it means to “win” in Google Search. Instead of only chasing a blue-link click, publishers can earn visibility (and traffic) by being cited as a source inside the overview, often in places where links may appear prominently, including tests where links show nearer the top of the module.
To earn those SEO citations, you need to understand how Google selects sources and where the opportunity really sits. Recent datasets and Google statements point to a clear pattern: citations are increasingly tied to strong organic SEO, deep, specific pages, and query-by-query intent matching, while the overall rate of AI Overview triggers can fluctuate month to month.
1) Understand what Google is trying to do with AI Overview citations
Google has framed AI Overviews around “links to learn more,” and has stated that links included in AI Overviews can get more clicks than if the page appeared as a traditional web listing. In practice, that means the cited page is expected to be the best next step: clear, specific, and helpful beyond what the summary already covered.
Google has also positioned AI Overviews as being powered by a Gemini model customized for Google Search. That matters for SEO strategy: citation selection is likely integrated with existing ranking and quality systems rather than operating as a totally separate “AI index.” If your site struggles with crawlability, relevance, or perceived quality, you’re fighting upstream.
Finally, Google has said it monitors reliability and that policy violations were found on “less than one in every 7 million unique queries.” That implies strict safety policies and aggressive filtering, so accurate, non-harmful content (especially in sensitive topics) isn’t just good practice; it’s part of being eligible to be surfaced and cited.
2) Treat organic SEO as the foundation, because overlap is rising
Recent tracking shows the overlap between AI Overview citations and organic rankings is rising, moving from 32.3% in May 2024 to 54.5% by Sept 2025. The practical takeaway is straightforward: baseline SEO is no longer optional if you want consistent citation opportunities.
Start with the fundamentals that feed both classic rankings and AI citation eligibility: ensure important pages are indexable, improve internal linking to clarify topical relationships, write tight titles that reflect the query language, and strengthen on-page structure so Google can extract a clean, quotable answer.
Also plan for volatility. After the March 2025 core update, overlap with top-10 organic positions dropped slightly (16% → 15%). Even if your rankings look stable, citation behavior can shift, so treat citations as an additional performance layer to monitor, especially around core updates.
3) Stop optimizing only for top-10: citations often come from page 2, 10
A common misconception is that you must rank #1 to be cited. Data suggests only ~16.7% of AI Overview citations come from the top 10 results. That is a strong signal that “rank #1 or bust” is not the right operating model for AI Overviews.
In fact, positions 21, 100 have been described as a “sweet spot” for AI Overview citations. Pages sitting on page 2, 10 can still earn citations, sometimes because they answer a narrow sub-question better than the top results, or because they present the information in a format that’s easier to cite.
The practical move: build a refresh pipeline for URLs already ranking 21, 100. Add a direct answer near the top, tighten ings to match the query, include constraints and edge cases, and remove fluff. You’re not necessarily trying to jump to #1, you’re trying to become the most cite-worthy “learn more” destination for that specific question.
4) Build deep, specialized pages, homepages almost never get cited
One of the clearest findings: deep pages dominate. Around ~82.5% of AI Overview citations link to pages that are 2+ clicks from the homepage, while only ~0.5% cite homepages. If your strategy relies on funneling everything into a single top-level page, you’re structurally misaligned with how citations are being assigned.
Instead, create detailed subpages that each answer a specific question, scenario, or comparison. These pages should be easy to reach via internal links, but they do not need to be forced onto the homepage navigation. Think of them as a well-organized library: category page → subtopic hub → specific Q&A or guide.
Also design pages to be citation-friendly. Use descriptive H2/H3s, define terms precisely, provide step-by-step processes when relevant, and include “what to do next” sections. If Google’s overview gives the summary, your page should be the best place to go deeper, fast.
5) Win citations one query at a time (because most citations are one-keyword)
Most citations are “one-keyword” (~86% appear for only one keyword). That means citation wins are often query-specific rather than broadly transferable across many related searches. A single “mega guide” may rank, but it won’t reliably earn citations across the entire topic space.
The practical implication is to publish many narrowly-scoped pages that each answer a single question extremely well, definitions, steps, constraints, tools needed, common mistakes, and edge cases. Then interlink the related questions so Google can understand the topical neighborhood and users can naturally continue their journey.
This approach also scales better for testing. When a page is tightly aligned to one query intent, you can change the intro, add a missing step, or clarify a definition and directly measure whether citations improve for that specific keyword, without muddying results across dozens of intents.
6) Align content to where AIOs are growing: intent mix and industry saturation
The opportunity size is not static. AI Overviews triggering rate has shifted across 2025, for example, 6.49% in Jan 2025 → 24.61% in Jul 2025 → 15.69% in Nov 2025. Because of that volatility, it’s smart to track AIO presence across your keyword set over time, not just rankings and clicks.
Query mix has evolved too: informational AIOs dropped (91.3% in Jan → 57.1% by Oct 2025) while commercial/transactional rose. So don’t limit yourself to pure “how-to” posts. Add commercial research pages like “X vs Y,” “best tools for [use case],” “pricing models explained,” “what to look for in [product],” and decision checklists.
Industry saturation varies, which helps prioritize topic clusters. In Nov 2025, AI Overview saturation was observed around Science (~25.96%), Computers & Electronics (~17.92%), and People & Society (~17.29%). If you operate in multiple verticals, put extra content and optimization effort behind clusters where AIO frequency is higher, because the citation surface area is simply larger.
7) Play defense and offense by niche: YMYL vs e-commerce realities
In YMYL industries, overlap appears especially strong: Healthcare/Insurance/Education show roughly ~68, 75% overlap. Translation: in trust-sensitive niches, ranking signals and credibility indicators seem closely tied to being cited. You’ll need robust E-E-A-T signals, clear author information, accurate sourcing, editorial standards, and up-to-date content maintenance.
Also note Google’s stated approach to restrictions: it added “triggering restrictions” and aims “to not show AI Overviews for hard news topics.” If your growth plan relies on breaking news, that may be a weak bet for citation capture. Evergreen explainers, definitions, and stable reference content are safer assets for AIO visibility.
E-commerce is a notable exception: overlap is flat and AIO coverage decreased in BrightEdge’s dataset. Expect fewer citation opportunities on purely transactional queries. The best play is to support product pages with informational content, buying guides, comparisons, FAQs, troubleshooting, “choose the right size/model,” compatibility lists, and post-purchase help, where AIOs and citations are more likely to appear.
8) Measure like an AIO operator: track citations, not just rankings
Because citations can shift even when rankings don’t, measurement needs to evolve. Build a keyword set that represents your real business (top-of-funnel, commercial research, support queries, branded queries), then track three things over time: whether an AI Overview appears, which URLs are cited, and how your pages’ organic positions change.
Pay attention to branded and navigational SERPs too. Navigational AIOs increased (0.74% in Jan → 10.33% by Oct 2025), suggesting more AIO presence on brand-adjacent queries. That makes “entity SEO” more important: keep About, Contact, publisher profile pages, and key brand narratives clean, consistent, and easy to understand.
Finally, keep an eye on the ecosystem itself. Publisher and regulator pressure is rising (for example, UK CMA proposals discussing allowing publishers to “opt out” of AI Overviews use). At the same time, Google is testing AI-powered article overviews with clear attribution, and AI Mode direction includes “more in-line links to the sources” plus relevance snippets. The formats, and the value of being cited, are likely to keep evolving, so build a monitoring habit rather than assuming today’s layout is permanent.
Earning SEO citations from AI Overviews is less about gaming an “AI system” and more about becoming the best cited source for a specific question. The data points to a repeatable playbook: invest in organic fundamentals, expand beyond top-10 thinking, and publish deep, tightly-scoped pages that match intent precisely.
When you pair that content model with ongoing tracking, AIO presence, citation URLs, and volatility around updates, you can systematically grow citation coverage. And because Google’s direction emphasizes attribution and “links to learn more,” the sites that win will be the ones that consistently provide the clearest, most trustworthy next step.
