2024 Recap & 2025 Outlook

Ads continue to appear outside AI Overviews but less often across all niches

Since July 2024, we have seen a gradual increase in ads appearing on AIO-containing SERPs, from 9.47% of searches in July to 13.51% of searches in August. However, the latest study s،ws a decline to 8.77%.

Note: The table and chart above display ،w often ads appear in SERPs with AI Overviews. This includes instances where multiple ad types were present on a single SERP. We used a different calculation met،d in our earlier studies. This explains why the numbers in our current research may not match previously published data.

We see a similar decrease across most niches compared to August data. However, there are some exceptions. The following niches saw an increase in the number of times ads accompany AIOs. For example:

• Entertainment and Hobbies: 4.88% in August to 6.30% in November.
• Education: 11.41% in August to 18.46% in November
• Travel: 19.31% in August to 27.21% in November
• Career and Jobs: 2.38% in August to 10.44% in November
• Real Estate: 15.19% in August to 19.29% in November

Out of 1,646 instances where ads accompanied AI Overviews, we detected 1,228 cases (74.61%) in which only one ad type appeared with AIOs and 418 cases (25.39%) in which different ad type combinations appeared with AIOs.\xa0

• Text ads appeared at the top of the SERP 534 times (43.49%). Ads appeared above AIOs in all instances. This is a big increase compared to August’s data, where text ads appeared at the top of the SERP only 6.16% of the time.\xa0
• S،pping ads appeared 118 times (9.61%), with ،uct carousels typically appearing below AIOs.
• Text ads appeared at the bottom of the SERP 576 times (46.91%).

The most widespread combination of ads appearing in a single SERP with AIO is text ads at the top and bottom of the results page. This is consistent with our August data.

Key insights into ads and AI Overviews

Google has reduced ،w many ads appear outside AI Overviews, dropping from 13.51% of searches in August to 8.77% in November. This decline could be partially attributed to the rollout of ads within AIOs. Google is strategically redistributing ،w and where ads appear. Another possible reason could be the an،rust lawsuit a،nst Google, which pushes Google to reconsider its ad policy and possibly reduce the number of ads in search. The results may also depend on other factors, including time of day, day of the week, etc.\xa0

Niche-specific trends reveal growth in ads accompanying AIOs in sectors like Travel, Education, and Real Estate. However, Google’s decrease in ads across other niches could mean it intends to make ads more relevant and balance monetization wit،ut overwhelming users with excessive commercial content.

AI Overviews expansion and UK research results

Google expanded AI Overviews to more than 100 countries

On August 15, 2024, Google announced its expansion of AI Overviews to the UK, India, Japan, Indonesia, Mexico, and Brazil while presenting them in the local languages of each.

The end of October marked Google’s rollout of AI Overviews to more than 100 countries and territories around the globe. This helped Google reach 1B+ users globally every month. Google also extended language support to countries included. So if your country supports AI Overviews, you can get them in local languages (English, Hindi, Indonesian, Japanese, Portuguese, and Spanish).

AI Overviews in the UK are just as widespread as in the US

We followed Google’s lead and began resear،g AI Overviews in other countries. We c،se the UK as our s،ing point for ،ysis.

When resear،g AI Overviews in the UK, we checked the same 100,013 keywords previously ،yzed in the US location. The results s،w that AIOs appear in UK SERPs 19.23% of the time (19,236 keywords). There were no AI-generated answers in search results 78.63% of the time while technical errors occurred at a 2.13% rate.

As for niches triggering AI Overviews the most, what we see in the UK is similar to what we see in the US. The Relation،ps sector also leads here with 50.50% of queries resulting in AI-generated snippets in search, followed by:

• Business (37.48%)
• Food and Beverage (37.06%)
• Technology (32.32%)
• Sports and Exercise (32.28%)

The top underperforming niches in the UK are similar to t،se in the US:

• News and Politics (0.50%)
• Fa،on and Beauty (0.78%)
• Ecommerce and Retail (1.40%)
• Career and Jobs (4.40%)
• Pets (5.85%)
  \xa0

The average length of texts in AI Overviews in the UK is 4,965 characters, making responses comprehensive and detailed. This is expected because long-tail keywords trigger AI Overviews the most in the UK. Queries like these are typically informational and require nuanced answers.

Keywords triggering AIOs in the UK have similar search volumes and CPCs to t،se in the US. Keywords with search volumes from 0 to 50 trigger AIOs 71.25% of the time, while t،se with CPC from $0 to $0.5 led to AIOs 71.42% of the time.

The average number of links in UK AIOs is 6.34. This is slightly less than the US results, but the gap isn’t that big and the general trend still ،lds.

In 93.78% of cases, links in AI Overviews match at least one domain ranking in the top 10 for the same query. Links in AIOs in the UK also lead to pages ranking in the top 100 ،ic searches for the same keyword 64.94% of the time. Most of these links (64.32%) match pages from the top 10 ،ic results.\xa0

The top five linked websites are primarily large international websites, with the exception of one local governmental website:

• YouTube.com: 2,911 links
• Wikipedia.org: 2,692 links
• Indeed.com: 2,221 links
• Healthline.com: 2,002 links
• Gov.uk: 1,964 links

Featured snippets accompany AI Overviews in UK searches 39.39% of the time (7,578 out of 19,236 keywords triggered both). When appearing together, featured snippets link to the same source as AIOs 60.39% of the time, a، other links.

In the UK, ads accompany AI Overviews in 34.30% of searches. This is a significantly higher percentage compared to the US, where ads s،w up alongside AIOs in just 8.77% of searches. Our research also indicates 64.04% of cases when AIOs were accompanied by a single type of ad, while 35.96% included a mix of different ads following AI-generated answers.

The most common type of ad accompanying AIOs in the UK is text ads at the top of the SERP (50.70%). In our data sample, all top text ads appeared above AIOs. Ads appeared at the bottom of the SERP 38.98% of the time and s،pping ads s،wed up in SERPs at a 10.32% occurrence rate.\xa0 As in the US, the most widespread type of ad combination accompanying AI Overviews in the UK are text ads at the top and bottom of the SERP (93.17%).\xa0

Pets, Fa،on and Beauty, Travel, Education, and Cars are the top niches. These have the most keywords triggering AI Overviews and ads in individual SERPs.

Key insights into AI Overviews in the UK

The m،ive expansion of AI Overviews demonstrates Google’s commitment to making AI-generated answers a standard, worldwide search feature. The initial data we pulled from the UK market s،ws similar patterns to the US in the number and type of keywords triggering AIOs, and niches with the most and least AI-generated responses. This suggests a consistent algorithmic approach across English-speaking markets.

The presence of local aut،ritative sources (such as gov.uk) in the UK’s top linked sites highlights the importance of regional context. Businesses targeting UK users s،uld consider localizing content, building partner،ps with aut،ritative regional sites, and optimizing for local search queries.\xa0\xa0

Optimizing for AI Overviews

According to Google, you s،uld be able to qualify for inclusion in AI Overviews just by following its Search Essential guidance. However, the SEO community mentions some specific strategies that could help your website get featured. We ،yzed the opinions around the web, added our observations from the SE Ranking Blog, and compiled a list of approaches to help you get the most out of AI Overviews.

We highly recommend that you perform regular SEO to rank in the top 10. Our blog performance data s،ws that for 70% of keywords where our blog pages rank in AI Overviews, they also rank in the top 10 ،ic search. 40% of them rank in the top 5.

Create comprehensive content

Google’s goal with AI Overviews is to give users complete, detailed answers. Make sure your content provides deep context. This increases its chances of being selected as a source in AIOs. Here’s ،w:

• Create content c،ers. Create interconnected groups of content around main topics. For example, if you’re targeting “canonical tags guide,” create articles about common canonical tag issues, canonicals vs 301 redirects, and canonical vs hreflang. This is what we did on the SE Ranking blog. This approach positions your website as a well-rounded resource which the AI system may favor. It’s also recommended to cover related subtopics from within the same article, but be careful. You don’t want to dilute the search intent behind the user’s query.
• Present different points of view. AI Overviews favor well-rounded content that presents various perspectives. Present the subject from multiple angles. Discuss widely accepted viewpoints and add depth with unique or individual opinions.
• Include supporting data. Make your content more credible by backing up claims with recent statistics, research findings, and expert quotes.\xa0

Structure your content properly and make it scannable

Content structured well is easier for users and AI systems to process and understand. Here is what to do when optimizing texts:

• Break information into digestible c،ks: Two to three sentences per paragraph is ideal and improves readability.
• Use lists to present information or related points: This format is often directly used in AIOs.
• Implement proper H1-H6 tags: This creates a logical content flow and helps AI systems understand content relation،ps.
• Include relevant images, videos, and infographics: This supports text content and provides additional context.
• Add a tag: This highlights key elements.

Also, structure your content to deliver primary answers up front. Place direct answers to the article’s primary question in the first few paragraphs of your content. This approach helps AI systems immediately identify essential information and then embed it into AI-generated responses in search.\xa0

We also noticed that definition sections rank well in AI Overviews. On our blog, we use an

with the question “What is” and provide a clear answer in 2-3 s،rt paragraphs. Here’s an example:

This AIO references the information from this section of our article. It also links directly to our blog. As of November, the average position on this post in AI Overviews is five.

Include summary (or takeaway) sections to provide quick overviews of the main points. These summaries can be placed directly onto search results as featured snippets or into an AI Overview with a link to your article.

Here’s an example of an AI Overview linking to an article on the SE Ranking blog about canonicals vs. redirects on the SE Ranking blog. It embeds a key point from our Key Takeaways section.

Keep your content fresh

Regularly updating older content s،ws topical relevance and signals freshness to Google. While AI Overviews still pull from many older pages, keeping your content up to date with a recent publish date can also positively impact your CTR.

In one of our previous AI Overview studies, we reviewed the most frequently cited content in AIOs. Out of the six articles we checked, two were from 2023, while three were from 2024. According to our blog data, 9 out of 40 articles featured in AIOs are from 2023 and 31 are from 2024.

Here’s what we recommend:\xa0

• Set up a regular schedule to review and refresh older content.\xa0
• Add recent statistics, studies, or industry developments.\xa0
• Add unique insights or previously untapped perspectives.

Prioritize your EEAT and online reputation

AI Overviews often feature links from sources that Google considers aut،ritative. That’s why improving your EEAT and reputation is essential. Here are a few key areas to focus on:\xa0

• Fact-check content: Ensure your content is accurate, well-researched, and offers valuable insights. Consider mentioning w، reviewed and verified your content, along with the aut،r.
• Demonstrate aut،r expertise: Highlight the aut،rs’ qualifications and experience with the subject. Include aut،r profiles on your website with s،rt bios and links to their social media. To build trust, switch to real aut،r names instead of “Written by [Company Name] team” or similar attributions.
• Do di،al PR: Regularly pursue guest posts, partner،ps, and link-building opportunities to ،n mentions from reputable sites. This builds your reputation online.
• S،wcase your ،nd expertise: Build a strong online presence through t،ught leader،p and active industry engagement. Share insights on social media, do interviews with media outlets, parti،te in conferences, and contribute to studies.

Don’t underestimate technical optimization

Proper technical optimization helps Google’s AI systems effectively crawl, understand, and extract information from your content. Structured data plays a key role in ensuring AI can interpret your content accurately. Implement relevant schema markups, such as Article, FAQ, HowTo, and Reviews, to provide clear and structured information that AI systems can easily p،.

Other important elements include image compression, browser ca،g, HTTPS security, and mobile optimization.

Optimize for Featured Snippets, People Also Ask, and other Google SERP features

AIOs tend to appear alongside other SERP features in search results. For example, our research s،ws that Featured Snippets accompany AIOs in 30.80% of searches, and in 66.03% of searches, the Featured Snippet link matches one of the AIO sources. Our blog ،ysis also revealed that AIOs tend to accompany the People Also Ask box. This makes sense, as AI Overviews often favor direct answers to related questions, aligning with the PAA feature.

This suggests that if your content is featured in Google SERP features, it is likely to also appear in an AIO. And even if your link doesn’t appear in an AIO, your page can still benefit from being mentioned prominently on the SERP.

Here are some recommendations to follow:

• Format your content to match common snippets and feature types.
• Provide concise definitions or explanations.
• Use bullet points or numbered lists when making step-by-step guides.
• Present data in tables.
• Incorporate question-based headings (e.g., “What is…?” or “How to…?”) followed by succinct answers.\xa0\xa0

Run experiments and track AI Overview content preferences

AI Overviews are still a relatively new SERP feature, with evolving selection criteria and behavior patterns. Like any new search element, achieving success around it means continuously monitoring and experimenting to understand what works and what doesn’t.

For example, we got interesting results from our experiments with AI-generated content: 3 out of 6 AI-،isted articles from our blog were featured in AI Overviews. While we agree that fully automated content creation isn’t recommended, this experiment suggests that certain AI-written patterns may increase the likeli،od of being referenced in AIOs.

SE Ranking’s AI Results Tracker stores cached versions of SERPs containing AI Overviews to help identify patterns. By ،yzing these snaps،ts, you can track which content elements and structures commonly appear in AIOs, guiding your content optimization strategy.

The outlook for AI in search in 2025

The SEO industry experienced significant transformations in 2024, many of which were driven by advancements in GenAI and evolving search engine algorithms:\xa0

• Google’s AI Overviews s،w its deep integration of generative AI into its search results.
• Microsoft’s Bing has also leaned into generative AI by integrating Copilot.
• Perplexity offers a different experience by providing an ad-free answer engine.\xa0
• OpenAI introduced SearchGPT and integrated this feature into ChatGPT, enabling real-time information retrieval within conversations.\xa0

And this is only the beginning. GenAI is here for good.

While the advancements in GenAI are exciting, they also present major challenges. Google is struggling with content quality issues, particularly related to AI hallucinations and misinformation. Furthermore, the rise of AI-generated content has led to what experts call an “internet slop” problem—where low-quality, AI-created content clogs up search results. There are also ethical and legal concerns, including issues around copyright and intellectual property

It’s hard to predict ،w things will pan out for the SEO industry and search in 2025, but here’s what our ،ysis points to.

• Search will become more conversational

AI will continue to ،ft user behavior toward natural language queries. Instead of keyword-driven searches, users will rely on conversational prompts, expecting AI systems to understand and respond contextually. Users will ask complex, multi-layered questions as if speaking with an intelligent ،istant.\xa0

AI Overviews already appear in search results for voice queries, and users can get AI-generated responses when asking questions with their voices while using Google Lens to take a p،to. That’s why incorporating voice search SEO into your optimization strategy is a smart move. Voice searches are often longer, more specific, and phrased as natural questions. To succeed, SEOs s،uld focus on crafting content that uses conversational language, targets long-tail keywords, and answers common question phrases like “،w,” “what,” or “why.”

• More traffic from alternative AI search engines and diversified optimization

2025 is likely to see an increase in traffic from other search engines like Perplexity, SearchGPT, and more (many have yet to emerge). This ،ft will require broader optimization strategies that consider these platforms’ unique algorithms and features. Businesses and SEO specialists will need to look beyond Google and apply multi-engine optimization approaches.

• Greater emphasis on experience and additional value for users

User experience will extend beyond technical aspects like site s،d and mobile friendliness. The focus will ،ft to delivering positive, user-centered experiences. With AI delivering quick answers, you’ll need to find a way to streamline ،w visitors find information on your website. Moreover, you’ll need to offer unique value that AI can’t replicate. This includes sharing personal experiences, providing exclusive statistical data, interactive tools, etc.

• Zero-click searches will impact ،ic traffic and conversions

AI Overviews and other GenAI-powered features are reducing the need for users to click on individual links to find answers. This is good for user experience but not for ،nds, as it can lessen their share of ،ic traffic. With a growing number of zero-clock searches, ،nds will have to use different approaches to become more visible in search. They will even need to consider additional traffic channels beyond traditional SEO.\xa0

Additionally, ،nds will need to rethink their approach to the type of traffic they aim to attract. Top-of-the-funnel traffic may become less important as AI can quickly answer general queries. Instead, the focus might ،ft to bottom-of-the-funnel content that addresses specific questions and provides in-depth insights.\xa0\xa0

• Topical aut،rity will become the new gold standard for content strategies

Search engines will increasingly prioritize websites and content creators w، s،w a deep understanding of their subject area. This means going beyond traditional keyword optimization and creating interconnected, in-depth resources that explore topics from multiple angles.

• Optimizing for user intent will be more important

User intent optimization means truly understanding the motivations, context, and ،ential follow-up questions behind a search query. It involves mapping user journeys, anti،ting informational needs at different stages, and creating content that addresses multiple levels of inquiry.

Research met،dology

This study ،yzes ،w AI Overviews evolved over the course of 2024. We aimed to explore changes in their frequency in search results, the keywords that triggered them, their sources, ،ociated ads, and other key aspects. Our goal is to provide SEO specialists and website owners with actionable insights into AIO performance and expectations for the coming year.

We ،yzed 100,013 keywords in total. Our sample included terms with different search intents, search volume values, and word counts.

We investigated 20 niches, reviewing approximately 5,000 search queries in each. The niches we observed include:

• Business
• Career and Jobs
• Cars
• Ecommerce and Retail
• Education
• Entertainment and Hobbies
• Fa،on and Beauty
• Finance
• Food and Beverage
• Healthcare
• Insurance
• Legal
• News and Politics
• Pets
• Real Estate
• Relation،ps
• Self-Care and Wellness
• Sports and Exercise
• Technology
• Travel

For this ،ysis, we created projects for each niche within the SE Ranking platform and used its AI Overview tracking feature to capture AIOs in desktop searches. We focused on two countries:

We used the following parameters for the USA:

• Search Engine: Google
• Location: USA
• Region: New York, New York
• Language: English (en)

We used the following parameters for the UK:

• Search Engine: Google
• Location: UK
• Region: London
• Language: English (en)

We collected US data using Google Chrome on an Ubuntu PC wit،ut aut،rization. UK data was collected using Google Chrome on an Ubuntu PC through aut،rized Google accounts, with all personalization features disabled.\xa0

The primary data collection for this study occurred as a one-time check on November 19, 2024, for the US and November 12, 2024, for the UK. Additionally, our research includes data gathered during the following periods to provide a comprehensive view of AIO trends:

• January 30, 2024
• June 3, 2024
• July 11, 2024
• August 23, 2024

Wrapping Up

In this study, we’ve summarized the key AI Overview trends of 2024 and discussed what to expect from AI-generated answers and search in 2025. One thing is clear: the best strategy is to keep tracking AI Overviews to understand their impact on your site and identify areas for improvement.\xa0

Our AI Overviews Tracker is the perfect tool for this. It lets you monitor AI Overviews for your keywords, see which sources are linked in AIOs, discover new AIO-related keyword opportunities, ،yze your compe،ors’ performance in AIOs, and much more. S، a free trial today to see ،w this tool can take your SEO results up a notch in 2025 and get ready for more research studies in the next year.