According to a recent study from SE Ranking, Google's AI Overviews have undergone significant adjustments since their initial rollout. The study analyzed 100,000 keywords and found that the frequency of AI overviews has greatly reduced.
In fact, only 8% of the examined searches now trigger an AI Overview, representing a 52% drop compared to January levels.
Yevheniia Khromova, the author of the study, states, "The sharp decrease in AI Overview presence likely reflects Google’s efforts to boost the accuracy and trustworthiness of AI-generated answers." By reducing the frequency of AI Overviews, Google is taking a more measured approach to ensure that the information provided is reliable.
AI Overviews frequency decreased, but now more detailed.
While the frequency of AI overviews has decreased, the ones that do appear now provide more detailed information. The average length of the text has grown by nearly 25% to around 4,342 characters. This increase in detail allows users to gain a better understanding of the topic at hand.
Longer search queries with ten words were found to be more likely to generate an AI Overview. The study revealed that these longer queries have a 19% rate of triggering an AI Overview.
Shift away from Reddit as a source of information.
One notable change in Google's AI Overview strategy is the decreased reliance on Reddit as a source of information. In an analysis of 100,000 keywords, SEO platform SERanking found that Reddit is no longer among the top ten most cited domains for AI Overviews.
Instead, the top five sources for results are Runners World, Healthline, LinkedIn, RunRepeat, and Wikipedia.
This shift away from Reddit is likely due to the high-profile instances where AI Overviews provided misleading or even dangerous information.
Some of the bizarre responses that went viral were traced back to Reddit posts. Google has recognized these issues and has tried to refine the system further, resulting in less reliance on Reddit as a source.
Implications for SEO efforts.
These changes in Google's AI Overviews have several implications for SEO efforts.
Firstly, with the decrease in the frequency of AI Overviews, there is a reduced risk of traffic losses for organic listings that may have been demoted due to AI-generated answers.
Secondly, industries such as relationships, food and beverages, and technology are more likely to trigger AI Overviews, so publishers in these sectors should pay extra attention to Google's AI strategy.
Lastly, as AI snippets become longer and more detailed, companies may need to create more comprehensive content to address information needs beyond what the overviews cover.