If you’ve regularly used search engines during the past 3 years, chances are high that you’ve noticed some changes.
That’s because a lot has changed.
As a user, you’ve probably noticed that search results look different. For about half of all Google searches, an AI Overview will appear at the top of the screen. This sits above the traditional organic listings, and it can take up a significant amount of screen space.
Because of how quickly search has evolved, it’s important to understand what’s new and how these changes may be affecting your website’s performance.
The New SERPs
The updated search engine results pages (SERPs) aren’t just a visual change. They’re fundamentally altering how users interact with search results.
In some cases, AI Overviews may provide the exact answer and detail needed to satisfy search intent. In others, they may offer links to relevant resources. Either way, these results often mean that users no longer need to scroll down the page.
For some searches – particularly informational ones – the 10 blue links may be completely ignored.
At the Spring 2026 BrightonSEO conference we attended, Tom Capper led a talk titled ‘How low can organic go’. He shared that on most laptops, page 1 position 1 is now below the fold in 45% of searches. In the best case scenario, position 4 might now appear above the fold. In the worst case, position 1 is now 2 entire screen scrolls down the page. This happens in around 10% of searches.
For those who invest in SEO, this represents a huge shift. Page 1 position 1 no longer means more visibility and clicks. In a way, ranking has now become a bit of a vanity metric. To grab user’s attention in the first instance, you now need to be appearing in the AI Overviews. But how do you do that?
How To Get Into The AI Overviews
If you’re aiming to have your website or brand featured in AI Overviews, it’s important to set the right expectations.
AI Overviews don’t behave like traditional organic rankings. While SERPs tend to follow relatively stable patterns, AI-generated results are more dynamic. They’re influenced not just by the query itself, but by how information is interpreted, combined and presented to answer the user’s intent.
Rather than ranking pages in isolation, AI Overviews pull together insights from multiple sources. This means visibility isn’t just about ranking highly anymore. It’s about being recognised as a reliable source of information.
You should be considering how often AI cites your website as a source of information, and measuring the frequency of that. AI Overviews are subject to so many variables that it would be almost impossible for your brand to appear in every search. Consistency is the most reliable indicator that AI Overviews trusts what your website has to say.
What This Means For SEO
AI search doesn’t mean SEO is no longer effective. However, it does mean that traditional KPI’s and metrics are changing.
With AI Overviews taking up more space on the results page, users are increasingly finding the information they need without ever clicking through to a website. In some cases, they may not even see the traditional organic listings at all.
As a result, SEO is starting to shift in a few key ways.
Visibility Over Rankings
There is now a greater emphasis on earning visibility within AI-generated results, rather than focusing solely on traditional rankings. Appearing as a cited source in an AI Overview can put your brand in front of users much earlier in their journey – even if they don’t immediately click through.
Topical Authority Is Still Important
At the same time, topical authority is becoming more important than individual keyword targeting. Rather than creating content for single keywords in isolation, websites need to demonstrate a broader depth of knowledge across a subject area. This helps search engines recognise them as trustworthy sources when generating responses.
The way content is written is also evolving. There is more value in answering questions clearly, directly and concisely, rather than relying on longer, less structured content. Content that’s easy to interpret and extract is more likely to be used in AI-generated answers.
If you want to give AI a good chance of extracting information from your website, try experimenting with using bullet point lists and tables.
Measuring SEO Success
Finally, it’s becoming increasingly important to measure success beyond clicks and rankings. Visibility is now happening in different ways, whether that’s through brand mentions, citations or inclusion within AI Overviews. While these may not always lead to immediate traffic, they still play an important role in building awareness and trust.
As search continues to evolve, we’re placing less importance on traditional ranking. SEO is now about becoming a reliable source of information that search engines and AI platforms can draw from. In this landscape, consistency, clarity and authority are likely to have a greater long-term impact than position alone.
