by Shane Coursen & Google AI

AI is annoying. Not because using it is unethical, or that it presents biased and inaccurate information, or even that it can be manipulative and often displays signs of Delusional Disorder. None of that. No, it’s because it’s just so darn useful.

Major search engines realize this and are quickly employing it in their search results. Google AI overviews for example. Google AI overviews is a generative AI feature in Google Search that presents a summary of information to the person who is searching. Using it generally requires one or two prompts (since chained prompts are now a thing) to find a comprehensive answer to nearly any query. In my personal experience, once I find an answer to something, I move on to something else. Now, if it were me, and I had taken the time to write  and rank a written article on such a query, I’d be a little bit miffed. And that’s what I’m here to talk about, something I like to refer to as The Terminator. IYKYK (and most people do.)

For the purpose of this article, the direct result of Google AI overviews and the like is fewer visitors to my article and website. Sucks to be me. Or anybody besides Google, Bing, etc., apparently.

But generative AI being generative AI, it has a bad case of diarrhea of the mouth …. I mean monitor, and ehm … with the correct prompts, it can be used to beat itself at its own game. If you don’t like the rise of AI, you’re going to wish you had read the rest of this article!

Top considerations of 2025 (website owner’s edition)

What is a website owner to do? Give up? Let their business website go the way of MySpace and Facebook? Sign up for TikTok? Well, maybe that’s a yes on TikTok depending on your demographic, but for now the AI fight is on and the following suggestions will make you more effective than any [existing] AI:

Strategic Adaptations

Focus on Experiential Content:

ex·pe·ri·en·tial
/ikˌspirēˈen(t)SH(ə)l,ekˌspirēˈen(t)SH(ə)l/

adjective
– involving or based on experience and observation.

AI Overviews excel at summarizing factual information. However, they struggle to convey personal experiences, opinions, and unique perspectives. (Hmmm, I wonder why!) Therefore, prioritize content that showcases your brand’s unique voice and expertise. This could include:

• Case studies: Detailing specific projects and outcomes.
• Behind-the-scenes content: Giving users an inside look at your business.
• Personalized reviews and testimonials: Highlighting customer experiences.

Leverage Visual and Interactive Content:

AI Overviews are primarily text-based. Capitalize on visual and interactive content that provides a richer user experience. This includes:

• High-quality videos: Demonstrating products or services.
• Interactive tools and calculators: Engaging users and providing value.
• Infographics and data visualizations: Presenting complex information in an easily digestible (for humans anyway) format.
• 3D product/scene modeling and animation

Build Strong Community and Brand Engagement:

• Cultivate a loyal community around your brand. This can be achieved through:
  • Active social media engagement: Fostering conversations and building relationships.
  • Email marketing: Providing valuable content and exclusive offers.
  • Online forums and communities: Creating spaces for users to connect.

Optimize for Niche and Long-Tail Queries:

While AI Overviews may dominate broad informational searches, long-tail queries and niche topics still offer opportunities. Focus on creating highly specific content that caters to these searches. This could involve:

• Answering very specific questions related to your niche.
• Creating in-depth guides and tutorials on specialized topics.

Data Structure Mastery:

• While mentioned before, it is worth repeating. The better your data is structured, the better Google can understand it.
• Deep dive into Schema mark up. Use all of the tools that Google provides to test your structured data. (beginner resources: https://schema.org/docs/gs.html & https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/structured-data/intro-structured-data)

Utilize First Party Data:

• If a business has a strong customer base, then that business has access to first party data. This data is invaluable.
• Use this data to create content that is highly personalized, and highly valued by your customer base.

Advanced Strategies

Moving beyond general advice, let’s now focus on tactics that directly address the challenges posed by AI Overviews. These strategies require a deeper understanding of search engine technology and a more strategic approach to content creation. But they are not outside the realm of understanding! They are designed to position your website as a valuable source of information in the age of AI Overviews.

“Answer Snippet Hijacking” (Advanced Schema & Content Structure):

• While Google’s AI generates Overviews, it still pulls data from websites. Deep dive into the specific Schema markup that Google uses to populate those overviews.
• Analyze the structure of the data that Google is pulling and replicate that structure on your web pages.
• Craft extremely concise and direct answers to specific questions, formatted in a way that aligns perfectly with how Google extracts information for snippets. Use lists, tables, and very short paragraphs.
• Strategically position your content to be the source of its answers.

“Semantic Clustering” for Topical Authority:

• AI understands context and relationships between concepts. Instead of chasing individual keywords, build “semantic clusters” of content around specific topics.
• Create a network of interconnected pages that explore various facets of a topic, using related keywords and concepts. Something as simple as an intralink that points back to my main Blog page, for example.
• Use internal linking to reinforce the relationships between these pages, signaling to Google that your website is a comprehensive authority on the subject.
• This is about building topical depth, not just keyword density.

“Data-Driven Storytelling” with Proprietary Data:

• AI can summarize existing data, but it cannot generate new data. If you have access to unique or proprietary data, leverage it to tell compelling stories.
• Create original research, surveys, or case studies that provide insights that are not available elsewhere.
• Present this data in visually engaging formats, such as interactive charts and graphs.
• This positions your website as a source of original insights, which AI Overviews are less likely to replace.

“API Integration and Structured Data Delivery”:

• Explore ways to deliver structured data to Google through APIs. This allows for more direct control over how your information is presented.
• If you have a large dataset, consider creating an API that allows Google to access and index your data in a structured format.
• This is a more technical approach, but it can provide a significant advantage in terms of data visibility.

“E-E-A-T Signal Amplification”:

• While E-E-A-T is not a direct ranking factor, it heavily influences how Google evaluates content quality.
• Amplify your E-E-A-T signals by:
  • Highlighting the credentials and expertise of your authors.
  • Building a strong network of external citations and endorsements.
  • Providing transparent information about your business and its practices.
  • Create content that proves the real-world experience of your business.
• This is about demonstrating genuine authority and trustworthiness, not just claiming it.

Put Your Humanity on Full Display

Ready to escape the matrix Neo? If you haven’t yet grasped the simple beauty of this plan and its core principles, in essence, your goal is to create content that:

Demonstrates Human Nuance:

• AI, while powerful, struggles with the subtle nuances of human language and context.
• Content that relies on shared cultural understanding, humor, irony, and emotional intelligence will be harder for AI to replicate.
• This includes things like:
  • Using idioms and colloquialisms in a natural way.
  • Referencing current events and cultural trends.
  • Expressing genuine emotions and opinions.

Requires Complex Interpretation:

• AI can process data, but it struggles with complex visual and abstract reasoning.
• Content that requires the user to interpret information or draw inferences will be more valuable.
• This includes:
  • Infographics that combine data with visual metaphors.
  • Artistic imagery that evokes emotions or tells a story.
  • Content that uses analogies and metaphors to explain complex concepts.
  • Complex data sets that require a reader to consider many factors.

Shows Real World Experience:

• AI can’t show real world experience. Therefore, content that shows the real-world experience of a business, or content creator, will be very valuable.
• This is shown through things such as:
  • Behind the scenes videos.
  • In person event coverage.
  • Case studies that show the actual process of completing a project.

Why This Works:

• It creates a “human filter.” AI can summarize and present information, but it cannot authentically replicate human experience and understanding.
• It forces users to engage with the content on a deeper level. This increases dwell time and user engagement (supposedly these aren’t ranking factors, but who really knows!), which may be positive signals to search engines.
• It positions your content as a source of unique value that cannot be easily replicated by AI.
• In short, you’re not just creating content for search engines; you’re creating content for humans. And by doing so, you’re creating content that AI will have a harder time replacing.

Won’t all of my efforts just be stolen by the next AI?

The potential for generative AI to absorb and repurpose human-created content. is a valid worry, and while there are no foolproof guarantees, here’s a breakdown of the realities and your potential counter-strategies:

The Reality of AI Content Absorption:

• Training Data:
  • Large language models (LLMs) are trained on massive datasets of text and code, which inevitably include a significant amount of human-created content from the internet.
  • This means that your unique insights, creative expressions, and even proprietary data could potentially be absorbed into these models.
• Repurposing and Synthesis:
  • LLMs can then use this absorbed information to generate new content, potentially replicating your style, insights, or even specific phrases.
  • This raises concerns about copyright infringement, intellectual property theft, and the devaluation of original content.

Counter-Strategies and Considerations:

• Copyright and Legal Protection:
  • Copyright laws are still evolving to address the challenges posed by generative AI.
  • It’s crucial to understand your copyright rights and take steps to protect your original content.
  • This could involve:
    • Clearly marking your content with copyright notices.
    • Registering your works with copyright offices.
    • Monitoring for unauthorized use of your content.
• Watermarking and Content Authentication:
  • Techniques like digital watermarking and blockchain-based content authentication can help establish the provenance and ownership of your content.
  • These methods can make it more difficult for AI to claim ownership of your work.
• Focus on Ephemeral and Experiential Content:
  • Content that is highly ephemeral (e.g., live events, real time social media interactions) or deeply experiential (e.g., in person workshops, interactive installations) is harder for AI to replicate.
  • This also applies to content that is based on real time data, that changes so fast that it is hard for a language model to keep up.
• Build Strong Brand Identity:
  • A strong brand identity can create a sense of authenticity and originality that is difficult for AI to replicate.
  • Focus on building a unique brand voice, style, and personality.
  • A strong brand will also help customers to recognize the difference between the real thing, and an AI generated copy.
• Embrace Human Interaction:
  • Fostering a strong community, and having direct interaction with your customers, creates a human connection that AI can not replicate.
• Adapt and Innovate:
  • The AI landscape is constantly changing. Be prepared to adapt your strategies and explore new ways to create and distribute content.

Summary

You’ve got your marching orders. Go forth, John Connor!