AI Overviews - Part 4: Creating Content That Thrives in the AI Age
In the previous parts of this series, we explored what Google's AI Overviews (AIO) means, how they affect website traffic and user behavior, and how you need to reevaluate your basic SEO strategy to meet these changes. We have concluded that the focus shifts from just chasing clicks to building authority and visibility as a trusted source for both humans and AI systems.
Now it's time to dive into the core of the adaptation: content creation itself. In a world where AI can generate and summarize information, the demands on your content become higher than ever. It's not enough to just produce text; the content must be strategically designed to both appeal to your target audience and be optimal for AI systems to interpret and use. At Multiproduktion, we know that engaging and clear content is crucial, and in the AI age, this becomes even more true - regardless of whether it's text, image, or moving image.
Prioritizing High-Quality, In-Depth, and Original Content
In an environment where AI can effectively summarize existing information, superficial or generic content quickly loses value. For your content to stand out and be chosen as a source by AI Overviews, it must be exceptionally high-quality, well-researched, factually correct, in-depth, and offer real and tangible value to the user (page 9). AI Overviews are programmed to prioritize just such content.
Originality is key: Content that offers unique perspectives, new data, first-hand experiences, or in-depth analyses that cannot be easily replicated by AI or found on numerous other websites will be valued higher (page 9). Publishing original research or unique case studies can be a powerful way to position yourself as an authority and a unique source.
Avoid 'fluff': If your content doesn't offer enough depth or substance, the AI summary risks making the original webpage redundant for the user (page 9). Ask yourself: if an AI can generate an equally good or better text, why would anyone (or the AI) rely on your website? The added value must be clear.
E-E-A-T in practice: As we discussed in part 3, E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) is crucial. Your content must demonstrate real expertise, be based on experience, and be presented in a trustworthy way for AI systems to trust it.
For us at Multiproduktion, this means helping you create visual content that is not only aesthetically pleasing but also substantial. An animated film that pedagogically explains a complex process, a customer case video that shows real results, or an infographic based on your unique industry data - these are examples of content that offers depth and originality that AI has a harder time replicating.
Structuring for Success: Formatting Content for AI Citations and User Readability
How your content is structured and formatted is crucial for how well it can be interpreted and used by AI systems, as well as for user experience. A clear and logical structure is not just a matter of user-friendliness; it's a direct optimization factor for AI.
Here are some best practices:
Clear Headings: Use a clear heading hierarchy (H1, H2, H3, etc.) to divide the content into logical sections. Headings should be descriptive and reflect the questions users ask.
Direct Answers and Summaries: Answer central questions directly and concisely, preferably at the beginning of the text or in the introduction of a relevant section. Consider TL;DR sections ('Too Long; Didn't Read') or clearly marked summary boxes to help AI quickly identify the core message.
Easy-to-Scan Format: Use bullet lists, numbered lists, and short, focused paragraphs. This makes the content easy to scan and understand for both humans and AI algorithms.
Multimedia: Incorporate relevant multimedia such as images, videos, and infographics. Ensure these elements have descriptive alt-texts and are mentioned or contextualized in the surrounding text so that AI can understand their relevance.
Natural Language: Write in a natural and conversational tone that is easy to understand. AI systems need to be able to extract 'answer segments' quickly, and clear headings, lists, and direct answers serve as guides.
A well-structured page is perceived as more trustworthy by AI when it comes to quickly finding correct and relevant information (page 10). This is something we at Multiproduktion always emphasize in our scripts and concepts - that the message should be clear, concise, and easy to understand, regardless of whether it's a 30-second commercial or a longer instructional video.
Beyond Summary: Creating Unique Value with Experiential and Interactive Content
Since one of AI's strengths is summarizing information, content that offers more than just raw information - content that creates experiences - becomes harder for AI to fully replicate and thus potentially more valuable for driving direct engagement and traffic.
Examples of such 'un-summarizable' content include:
Interactive Tools: Calculators, configurators, quizzes, or diagnostic tools that provide personalized results.
Unique Datasets and Visualizations: Presenting self-collected data or complex information in an interactive and visually appealing way.
Strong, Well-Grounded Opinions and Analyses: Content that builds on deep expertise and offers unique perspectives.
Original Research and Case Studies: Detailed reports on own investigations or in-depth analyses.
Online Communities and Forums: Platforms where users can interact.
Such content creates deeper engagement and can motivate users to visit the website even if an AI summary is available. The reason is that the summary can describe the experience, but it cannot replace the actual interaction or the personal value the user gets.
Future content strategy should include elements that AI cannot easily 'flatten' into a text-based summary (page 11). This is a key strategy for differentiating yourself and retaining direct traffic. At Multiproduktion, we see this as a great opportunity to use moving images to create just these experiences - interactive videos, advanced data visualizations in animated form, or films that build on your unique expertise and case studies.
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO): A Practical Application
As generative AI models become increasingly central, a new concept has begun to take shape: Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) (page 12). GEO describes the process of optimizing content specifically for these generative AI engines.
GEO includes many of the tactics we have discussed:
Creating high-quality content characterized by E-E-A-T.
A clear and logical content structure.
Use of relevant multimedia.
Implementation of structured data.
Focus on understanding and satisfying user intent, especially complex questions.
The core of GEO is to make the content as AI-friendly as possible, so that it can be easily interpreted, understood, and used by AI systems to generate meaningful and correct answers (page 12). GEO is not a replacement for traditional SEO, but a further development adapted to the new AI interaction. It's about seeing AI as an additional 'user' of your content, with specific needs regarding presentation and structure.
Conclusion
Creating content that thrives in the AI Overviews era requires a conscious shift. It's about moving beyond quantity and focusing on quality, depth, originality, and building E-E-A-T. It's about structuring your content in a way that is easy for AI to interpret and exploring opportunities to create unique, experiential content that AI cannot easily summarize. By embracing the principles of GEO, you ensure that your content is an optimal 'raw material' for AI's process to produce answers.
At Multiproduktion, we are your partner in this work. We help you identify the stories, expertise, and unique insights you possess, and transform them into powerful visual content - films, animations, livestreams - that not only engages your target audience but is also designed to be highly valued in the new AI-driven search landscape.
How Do We Measure Success in This New Reality? (Teaser for Article 5)
When the number of direct clicks potentially decreases, how do we measure success? In the final part of this article series, we will take a closer look at new KPIs for the AI search era, how we analyze 'assisted conversions' and the broader customer journey, and provide an action-oriented checklist for preparing your website for the future. Don't miss part 5!
FAQ - Questions and Answers
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AI models are trained on existing data and can often produce generic content. Original content with unique perspectives, data, or first-hand experiences stands out and is valued higher by AI systems looking for trustworthy and unique sources.
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Use clear headings (H1-H3), answer questions directly (preferably at the beginning), use bullet lists and short paragraphs, include multimedia with alt-texts, and write in a natural language. This makes the content easier for AI to interpret and extract information from.
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It's content that offers more than just raw information and that AI has difficulty fully summarizing into a text-based summary. Examples include interactive tools, unique data visualizations, or experiential content that requires the user's active participation.
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Yes, relevant multimedia with descriptive alt-texts and context in the text can enrich the content and help AI understand its relevance. Even if AI primarily summarizes text, it can refer to visual material, and well-optimized multimedia can be indexed separately.
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GEO is the process of optimizing content specifically for generative AI engines like those behind AI Overviews. It builds on traditional SEO but focuses on making the content as AI-friendly as possible by ensuring high quality, clear structure, E-E-A-T, and understanding of user intent.