Understanding the Disruption: Google’s AI Overviews
In a groundbreaking revelation, data from an analysis of 25,000 ecommerce queries by Bartosz Góralewicz, founder of Onely, showcases the seismic shifts in search visibility for online retailers due to Google’s AI overviews. This detailed study unpacks how AI-driven summaries are reshaping the landscape, pulling product data from sources that traditionally did not rank.
Google AI Overviews Explained: The Impact on Search Traffic and How to Prepare Your Brand
Key Findings from the Study
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Prevalence of AI Overviews:
The analysis revealed that 16% of ecommerce queries now return an AI overview in search results, which translates to 13% of the total search volume in this sector.
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Non-Ranking Sources:
Astonishingly, 80% of the sources listed in these AI overviews do not rank organically for the original query. This decouples traditional ranking positions from search visibility.
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Impact on Top Ranking Pages:
Ranking in positions #1-3 only gives you an 8% chance of being a source in AI overviews, highlighting a significant shift in how search visibility is achieved.
The Shift Toward “Accelerated” Product Experiences
International SEO consultant Aleyda Solis has analysed this disconnect between traditional organic ranking and inclusion in AI overviews. According to Solis, for product-related queries, Google is prioritising an “accelerated” approach over summarising currently ranking pages.
Solis elaborates on Góralewicz’s findings, stating, “…rather than providing high-level summaries of what’s already ranked organically below, what Google does with e-commerce is ‘accelerate’ the experience by already showcasing what the user would get next.” This means Google is effectively bypassing traditional search result levels, such as category pages, reviews, and buying guides, in favour of more direct, product-focused information.
Assessing the Traffic Impact of AI Overviews
Solis has shared a spreadsheet that allows retailers to analyse the potential traffic impact of AI overviews. This tool is crucial for evaluating current exposure and strategising for the future.
Góralewicz notes that this could be an initial rollout phase, speculating that “Google will expand AI overviews for high-cost queries when enabling ads,” based on data showing they are currently excluded for high cost-per-click keywords. An in-depth report across ecommerce and publishing is expected soon from Góralewicz and Onely, offering additional insights into this trend.
Why This Matters
AI overviews represent a significant shift in achieving search visibility for ecommerce websites. With most overviews currently pulling product data from non-ranking sources, the traditional connection between organic rankings and search traffic is disrupted. Retailers may need to adapt their SEO strategies to this new search environment swiftly.
How This Can Benefit You
While unsettling for established brands, AI overviews create new opportunities for retailers to gain visibility without competing for the most commercially valuable keywords. Ecommerce sites can potentially bypass traditional ranking barriers by optimising product data and detail pages for Google’s “accelerated” product displays.
Solis’s detailed assessment framework enables merchants to audit their exposure and prioritise optimisation needs accordingly.
Practical Steps for Retailers
1. Utilise Analytical Tools: Use the spreadsheet provided by Aleyda Solis to assess the potential traffic impact of AI overviews. This tool will help you understand where your products stand and identify areas for improvement.
2. Optimise Product Pages: Focus on optimising your product and detail pages to align with the data and presentation style preferred by AI overviews. This includes enhancing your product descriptions, integrating high-quality images, and ensuring accurate and comprehensive product data.
3. Monitor Changes and Adapt: Continuously monitor changes and updates to AI overviews. Stay informed about new data and trends to adapt your strategies promptly. This proactive approach will help you stay ahead of the curve and maintain your search visibility.
FAQs
What are the key findings from the analysis of AI overviews and ecommerce queries?
Góralewicz’s analysis of 25,000 ecommerce queries found:
- 16% of ecommerce queries now return an AI overview in the search results.
- 80% of the sources listed in these AI overviews do not rank organically for the original query.
- Ranking positions #1-3 only provides an 8% chance of being a source in AI overviews.
Why are AI overviews pulling product data from non-ranking sources, and what does this mean for retailers?
Google’s AI overviews prioritise “accelerated” experiences over summarising currently ranked pages for product-related queries. This shift focuses on showcasing directly what users seek instead of traditional organic results. For retailers, this means:
- A need to optimise product pages beyond traditional SEO practices, catering to the data requirements of AI overviews.
- Opportunities to gain visibility without necessarily holding top organic rankings.
- Potential to bypass traditional ranking barriers by focusing on enhanced product data integration.
What practical steps can retailers take to evaluate and improve their search visibility in light of AI overview disruptions?
Retailers can take several practical steps to evaluate and improve their search visibility:
- Utilise the spreadsheet we’ve provided here to assess the potential traffic impact of AI overviews.
- Optimise product and detail pages to align with the data and presentation style preferred by AI overviews.
- Continuously monitor changes and updates to AI overviews, adapting strategies based on new data and trends.
These steps can help retailers navigate the impact of AI overviews and maintain or improve their search visibility.
Conclusion
Improving your Google ranking in this new era involves adapting to the changes brought by AI overviews. This means a combination of on-page, technical, and off-page SEO efforts, along with a focus on optimising product data and aligning with AI-driven presentation styles. Regularly updating your strategies and staying informed about new trends will be key to maintaining and improving your search visibility.
At 3P Digital, we specialise in developing SEO strategies that adapt to these evolving trends. Contact us today to learn how we can help your business navigate this new search environment and achieve lasting success.
Alex Frew is a prominent figure in the digital marketing landscape in Queensland, Australia. He is the founder of 3P Digital, an agency that operates on a unique pay-per-performance model. This model aligns the agency’s success directly with the success of its clients, ensuring that if the clients don’t see results, the agency doesn’t get paid. This approach has set 3P Digital apart from traditional digital marketing agencies, which often charge retainers regardless of performance.
Before establishing 3P Digital, Alex co-founded and successfully grew several other digital marketing agencies, including Yes Digital, Digital Six, and 2X Digital. His experience spans over eight years, during which he identified a strong demand among Australian businesses for a marketing agency that shares both the rewards and risks of their marketing efforts.
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