Just when you think you’ve figured out how Google and search engine optimization (SEO) work, Google goes and makes some changes. Besides that, now, you’ve got the AI search engines like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity! The challenge for the small business owner is…
- Keeping up with the changes
- Adjusting your marketing efforts monthly
- Understanding what your potential customer is going to search for
- Come up on top of Google’s Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) or get cited in the AI Answer tools.
- Enticing the searcher to click on your link
- Driving more traffic to your website
- Keeping the potential customer there until they convert into a lead or a sale
“The future of organic search will be shaped by LLMs [Large Language Models] alongside traditional algorithms. Optimizing for rankings alone is no longer enough.”
Kristina Bergwall, Search Engine Land
How Google’s AI Overviews Have Changed Organic Search
Love it or hate it, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is here to stay! Using AI, Google will now promote “AI Overviews” above paid ads and organic (non-paid) content in their SERPs.
What This Means for Your Organic SEO Efforts…
- Your organic content will be pushed down and not visible “above the fold” or before the search needs to start scrolling.
- The AI will attempt to answer the searcher’s question or query at the top. Thus, they may not need to go into the organic content unless they want to go deeper.
- Therefore, to get noticed, you need to consistently create helpful, quality content that…
- Answers questions
- Solves problems
- Alleviates your target market’s pain points
Here’s an example of what a SERP may look like for the search for “best treatment for acne scars”. (I chose that topic in honor of one of my clients, Bella Medical Spa.) The AI Overview shows at the top with dropdowns. However, note what comes up in the results — articles from national health sources! Unfortunately, no spa locations near me. When I tapped on “nearby” in the search, I got 4 sponsored ads or sponsored products, a different AI Overview, along with Yelp, and YouTube videos, and no map on desktop. It did, however, show links to some spas near me.
What You Need To Do…
- Do your keyword research and AI questions research! What is YOUR target audience putting into the search box to find you? What questions are they asking?
- Plan your content! Not just the blog posts on your website, but your social media posts.
- Blog at least 3 times a week to start to catch Google’s attention. Then, continuously update your content so you don’t have articles older than 1 year! Believe me, this is time-consuming. But the AI search bots look for FRESH content.
- Update any of your existing content to answer questions in detail. My trick is to put the blog article back in draft mode, edit it, then republish it. Don’t change the URL (permalink). It will publish as a new post, and Google will think it’s fresh content.
- Make sure your website and Google Business Profiles match when it comes to information, address, contact, etc.
- Optimize your YouTube Channel. YouTube is owned by Google, and videos feature prominently in AI Overviews.
- Focus on getting Google Reviews, as well as reviews on Yelp and other sites.
- Answer your potential customers’ frequently asked questions.
- Organize your content using Pillar Pages...
What is a Pillar Page, and how does it help SEO?
Pillar Page — it’s been a buzzword in the website creation and SEO world for a while. But what is a pillar page? And why do you need one?
So what does this mean for your blog, website content, and SEO?
First, go through your topics (categories) and select those that you want to rank for — the ones you feel describe the gist of your content. Pick a few — not too specific and not too broad. If your website is not new, here’s a free tool called Ubersuggest that will help you see what you already rank for. Another free tool to determine what topics people are searching for is the Google Keyword Tool. (Related: How to use the Google Keyword Tool & 7 Other Keyword Tools)
For example, you would think my main topic would be social media marketing, which is too broad for a pillar page. Yet “Instagram Hashtags” is too narrow. “Instagram Marketing” would be the broad topic, and then there would be links to “cluster pages” on specific aspects of Instagram marketing that go into more detail.
This video from Hubspot helps explain topic clusters…
Plan out your pillar pages for maximum SEO
Most of us are visual organizers. I like putting ideas on a whiteboard or a flow chart.
- Start with your broad topic. For instance, I created a Digital Marketing Glossary. From there, all the terms are linked to respective articles. So, it actually becomes an index.
- List all the sub-topics related to that broad topic.
- List more detailed sub-articles below each one of those.
For example, the term “LinkedIn” is linked to the main “LinkedIn” article. In that blog post, there are links to more specific articles like “How to Use Hashtags” and “LinkedIn Dos and Don’ts“.
Yes, this was a time-consuming project, but it was worth it. My glossary ranks for various related terms regarding digital marketing. Besides that, it’s what the AI search bots are looking for.
It’s important to note that the Google search engine only sees text and links. It follows those links. That’s why you want to add both internal links — to other relevant articles within your website — and external links — to outside relevant websites (like I did with the Hubspot video above). However, when you add the external links, always have them open in a new page or tab, so the visitor doesn’t lose the original website. This keeps people on your website longer. The more time visitors spend on your website, the better the chances they’ll convert.
But how do you get the people to convert and generate leads?
Here are some more articles on Lead Generation and Conversions:
Keep in mind that as AI “evolves,” it will constantly change. I keep up with all this stuff, so you don’t have to!
Please follow me on social media, where I post content from various expert sources daily.
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In conclusion, all this may look daunting. Nevertheless, it’s necessary if you want your website to be effective. Remember, it sells for you 24/7! The good news is that I can help you!
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SEO FAQs
How can I convert visitors into leads and customers in this AI era?
Focus on providing helpful, actionable content that answers questions and solves problems, optimize calls‑to‑action, maintain consistent posting, and offer lead magnets or consultations. Use pillar pages to guide visitors through a clear path and prompt them to convert, for example, by inviting them to schedule a free strategy session.
How do pillar pages fit into planning content and SEO?
Begin with a broad topic, then list related subtopics and create detailed articles under each subtopic. Link these cluster posts back to the pillar page and include internal links to other relevant articles and external links when appropriate. This structure helps search engines see a coherent topic hub and keeps readers engaged.
What is a Pillar Page, and how does it help SEO?
A Pillar Page is a central page that covers all aspects of a broad topic with room for more detailed cluster posts linked back to it. It serves as the foundation for topic clusters and helps search engines understand the relationships between related content, improving overall SEO visibility.
What should I do to adapt my SEO strategy to AI Overviews?
Start with keyword and AI questions research to understand what your target audience is asking. Plan and publish content regularly, aiming for original blogs and social posts that answer questions, solve problems, and relieve pain points. Update existing content, ensure your Google Business Profile matches, optimize your YouTube presence, encourage reviews, and create pillar pages that organize topics into clusters.
What are AI Overviews, and how do they affect my organic SEO?
AI Overviews are the top answers shown by AI search engines like Google’s AI, which can push traditional organic results down the page and even answer questions at the top. This means your content may get less immediate visibility unless you consistently produce high‑quality, fresh content, optimize for the questions your audience asks, and build robust pillar pages that support topic clusters.
