How to Get Featured in Google AI Overviews (And Why It Matters More Than Ranking #1)

The New "Position Zero"

For years ranking #1 on Google was the goal. Then featured snippets came along - position zero. Now there's something bigger.

Google AI Overviews (used to be called SGE) show up at the very top of search results. AI-generated answers that pull from multiple sources. And here's the key part: they cite their sources.

If Google's AI cites your website, you get visibility above all organic results. If it doesn't, you might be invisible even if you rank #1.

What Even Are AI Overviews?

When you search "best running shoes for flat feet," Google now often shows an AI summary at the top. It:

• Answers your question directly
• Pulls from multiple websites
• Cites those sites with clickable links
• Appears before all traditional results

Basically Google's AI reads top results, gives you a condensed answer, and links to sources.

Why This Matters More Than Rankings

Here's the thing:

Scenario	What Happens
Ranked #1, not in AI Overview	Users see AI answer first, might never scroll
Ranked #5, cited in AI Overview	Your link appears at very top
Not ranked, cited in AI Overview	Still get top visibility

Rules are changing. Being cited by Google's AI can be worth more than ranking #1.

How Google Picks Which Sources to Cite

Not random. It looks for:

Direct, clear answers. AI needs content it can extract and quote. Vague fluffy stuff doesn't work. "How long to learn piano?" - AI wants "Most beginners play simple songs within 3-6 months" not "Learning piano is a wonderful journey that varies for everyone."

Authority and trust. E-E-A-T matters even more for AI Overviews. AI prefers established sites, content by identifiable experts, proper citations, clear About pages.

Well-structured content. AI parses structure to understand it. Clear headings, bullet points, logical organization gets favored over walls of text.

Freshness. For topics where recency matters, AI favors recent content. 2021 article won't get cited for "best smartphones 2026."

Multiple perspectives. AI often cites multiple sources for different angles. Niche expertise can get you cited even if big sites dominate the topic.

5 Tactics to Get Featured in AI Overviews

1. Answer Questions Directly in Your Content

Start sections with clear, quotable answers. Don't bury the answer in paragraph five.

Instead of: > "When considering the various factors that influence piano learning, including practice frequency, natural aptitude, instruction quality, and musical background, one might wonder about the typical timeline..."

Write: > "Most beginners can play simple songs within 3-6 months. To play intermediate pieces confidently, expect 1-2 years of regular practice."

The AI can extract and cite the second version. The first version is useless for AI Overviews.

2. Use Lists and Structured Formats

AI Overviews love pulling bulleted lists and numbered steps. When explaining processes or listing items, use clear formatting:

Good for AI:

• Bullet points
• Numbered lists
• Tables with clear headers
• Step-by-step instructions

Bad for AI:

• Long paragraphs listing items inline
• Comma-separated lists buried in text
• Information spread across multiple paragraphs

3. Add Data, Stats, and Citations

Google's AI trusts content that cites sources. Include:

• Specific numbers and statistics
• Links to studies or official sources
• Dates for time-sensitive information
• Named sources for quotes and claims

Weak: "Most businesses see good results from email marketing."

Strong: "Email marketing delivers an average ROI of $36 for every $1 spent, according to Litmus's 2023 State of Email report."

4. Implement FAQ and HowTo Schema Markup

Schema markup is structured data that helps Google understand your content. Two types are especially valuable for AI Overviews:

FAQ Schema: For question-and-answer content

{
  "@type": "FAQPage",
  "mainEntity": [{
    "@type": "Question",
    "name": "How long does shipping take?",
    "acceptedAnswer": {
      "@type": "Answer",
      "text": "Standard shipping takes 5-7 business days."
    }
  }]
}

HowTo Schema: For step-by-step instructions

{
  "@type": "HowTo",
  "name": "How to Reset Your Password",
  "step": [{
    "@type": "HowToStep",
    "text": "Click 'Forgot Password' on the login page"
  }]
}

This structured data makes it easy for Google's AI to extract and cite your content.

5. Cover Topics Comprehensively (But Concisely)

AI Overviews often cite multiple aspects of a topic. A comprehensive page that covers:

• What something is
• How it works
• Pros and cons
• Common mistakes
• Best practices

...is more likely to be cited than a shallow overview or an extremely narrow piece.

But comprehensive doesn't mean long-winded. Cover all angles concisely.

What to Avoid

Some practices hurt your chances of being featured:

Clickbait titles that don't deliver: If your title promises "The Ultimate Guide" but delivers 300 words of fluff, Google's AI won't cite you.

Keyword stuffing: Unnatural repetition makes content harder for AI to parse and quote.

Outdated information: If your content has old dates or outdated facts, it won't be trusted.

No clear structure: Walls of text without headings make it hard for AI to find quotable sections.

Missing author/source info: Anonymous content with no citations looks untrustworthy.

Check Your Current AI Overview Visibility

Want to know if Google's AI is already citing your website?

You can manually check by searching queries related to your business and looking for AI Overviews. But that's tedious and incomplete.

A faster way: run a Recomaze Google AI Visibility Audit. It automatically:

• Searches queries relevant to your business
• Checks which trigger AI Overviews
• Identifies where you're cited (and where competitors are)
• Gives you specific recommendations to improve

The Window of Opportunity

Google AI Overviews are still relatively new. Many websites haven't optimized for them yet.

This is your window. While competitors focus only on traditional SEO, you can optimize for AI visibility too. The sites that adapt now will dominate this new landscape.

Don't wait until everyone figures this out.

Check Your Google AI Visibility →