AI Overviews Are Changing Google Search. What This Means for You.
You may have recently noticed that when you Google a question, instead of receiving a laundry list of search results, you get an AI-generated answer at the top of the page…without even having to click. This feature, dubbed AI Overviews, is changing the way people find information online.
If your organization relies on search to attract new community members, constituents, families, donors, etc., it’s time to understand this trend and have a plan
How Does Google Generate These AI Overviews?
Google is using AI to pull together answers from different websites and display them as a summary on the search results page. That means users can get what they need in mere seconds.
Convenient for users? Yes. Challenging for marketing teams? Also yes.
Whether you’re trying to boost school inquiries, camp enrollments, or engagement for your organization, AI Overviews impact how people discover (or don’t discover) your work.
How Does This Affect My Visibility?
SEO isn’t dead, but it is evolving.
Less clicking, more skimming
Fewer people are scrolling down and clicking through to your website.This means less web traffic, even if your content is still doing its job behind the scenes.
Trusted sources still matter
AI pulls its answers for these overviews from reputable, optimized sites. If your blog posts, program pages, or FAQs are well-written and helpful, they could still show up, just in a different way.
Search is getting more conversational
AI Overviews often pop up for natural language searches like “best overnight camp for middle school kids in the Midwest” or “how to apply for private school financial aid.” These types of questions are now key to SEO.
What Do I Do Now?
You don’t need to overhaul your SEO strategy (if you have one in the first place). A few smart shifts can help you stay relevant:
1. Create content that sounds like your audience
Think about the real questions that constituents are asking. What are they typing into Google? Build pages and craft content (blog posts, infographics, video shorts) that speak directly to those needs. For example, “What to expect when my child starts Kindergarten” or “How to apply for a summer camp scholarship.” These are also called long-tail keywords.
2. Be clear and skimmable
Use headings, bullets, and short paragraphs. AI tools love structure. So do your readers.
3. Update your evergreen content
Pages that explain your mission, describe your programs, position you as an authority on a topic, and answer FAQs should be current, easy to read, and full of helpful information.
4. Show your expertise
Google’s AI is trying to pull from trustworthy voices. Lean into your authority—share real stories, testimonials, stats, or even research that shows why you’re a leader in your space. Original content is key.
5. Don’t just measure clicks
Even if traffic dips, that doesn’t mean your content isn’t working. Track other metrics like branded searches, inquiries, and/or how often your pages appear in search results.
Your Stake in the Ground
The Google game is now two-sided. Optimizing your content to get into the AI overviews AND ranking high enough for visitors to happen upon your search result once they get past the summaries.
If you create content that solves your audience’s problems with clarity and is firmly rooted in your mission and values, you’re already on the right track.
It is more important than ever to prevent your website from becoming an attic–full of dusty, outdated content that hasn’t been touched in years. Make a plan to refresh your content from rounding out the most visited pages to removing the least visited pages (less is more) to adding multimedia that engages your readers when they get to your site.
Also…don’t forget about Bing. It’s still a thing.
