What Small Businesses Need to Know About AI Overviews Vs Organic Search

At Central Coast SEO I’ve spent over a decade helping small businesses improve their online visibility—but nothing has disrupted the search landscape quite like Google’s latest wave of AI innovation. With the introduction of AI Overviews, also known as Search Generative Experience (SGE), the way content is presented in Google Search is undergoing a fundamental transformation. These AI-generated summaries are starting to dominate the top of search results, pushing traditional organic listings further down the page—or in some cases, removing them altogether.

This shift may sound daunting, but it also presents new opportunities. As a small business owner, understanding how AI Overviews affect your visibility—and how to position your content for success—is no longer optional. It’s essential.

What Are Google’s AI Overviews?

Google’s AI Overviews use generative artificial intelligence to produce quick, summarised answers to user queries directly at the top of the search results page. Drawing from a wide array of indexed sources, these overviews aim to reduce users’ need to click through multiple links.

For example, if someone searches for “how to fix a leaking tap,” Google might now generate a brief, step-by-step solution with citations from a few trusted websites—before showing the traditional ten blue links. This means your business’s content might no longer appear above the fold, even if you rank well organically.

Organic Rankings vs. AI Answers

Recent data suggests that there’s minimal overlap between the sources used for AI Overviews and those featured in traditional organic rankings. In fact, studies show that fewer than 20% of pages ranked in the AI Overviews also appear in the top ten organic listings for the same query.

This is especially concerning for small businesses that have worked hard to earn and maintain high organic rankings. Your page might be the best result for a search query, but if Google’s AI doesn’t choose to include it in its overview, your visibility could drop significantly. That’s a real business risk.

How This Impacts Small Business Visibility

As a local business owner, you may have noticed a dip in traffic or engagement from organic search in recent months. You’re not imagining things—Google’s March 2024 Core Update and the growing influence of AI Overviews have created a noticeable shift in how and where your content appears.

This doesn’t mean SEO is dead. Far from it. But it does mean we need to rethink how we optimise content, how we structure information, and how we aim to serve users who now expect instant answers.

What You Can Do About It

So how do you compete in an environment where AI-generated content is the new gatekeeper? Here’s how I advise my small business clients at SEO North Sydney to approach this challenge:

1. Focus on Authority and Topical Relevance

Google’s AI Overviews seem to favour content from sources with strong topical authority. This means creating content that’s not just keyword-rich but also deeply informative, well-structured, and consistently updated. If you run a plumbing business, for example, don’t just write a single post about fixing leaks—create a hub of content around common plumbing issues, tools, maintenance, and safety tips.

2. Structure Content for Machine Readability

The AI is pulling structured, clear, and concise information. Use subheadings, bullet points, FAQs, and schema markup to make your content more digestible for machines. The more structured your information is, the higher the chance Google’s AI will understand and potentially use it in an overview.

3. Monitor and Adapt to Core Updates

Google’s core updates are no longer just about minor ranking adjustments—they’re redefining how the search engine works. Each update can change how AI Overviews behave, how content is selected, and how visibility is affected. It’s vital to keep up with these updates and make data-driven changes to your strategy. This is something we do proactively for our clients at SEO North Sydney.

4. Invest in Multimedia Content

AI-generated answers still reference websites for deeper reading—but increasingly, they also link to video, visual explainers, and rich media. If you’re not already producing short videos or visual content to accompany your written articles, now is the time to start. Platforms like YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, and even embedded site videos can drive engagement and visibility from multiple sources.

5. Think Beyond Google

While Google dominates search, small business owners should diversify their traffic sources. Think about AI-powered platforms like ChatGPT or Perplexity, voice assistants, social search (e.g., TikTok, Instagram), and newsletters. The future of search is multi-modal, and your brand should be present across these new discovery channels.

SEO Is Evolving—So Should You

AI Overviews represent a seismic shift in how users find information and how Google displays it. For small businesses, this is both a threat and an opportunity. Yes, your hard-earned organic rankings might take a hit—but you also have a chance to be part of a new kind of content ecosystem, where clarity, structure, and topical authority reign supreme.

At Central Coast SEO, we’re helping small business owners stay ahead of these changes. Whether it’s adapting to AI-driven search results, refining content strategies, or rethinking SEO fundamentals, we’re here to guide you through every update and evolution.