SEO after AI Overviews: where does the uncertainty for companies come from?

The companies' uncertainty stems from the fact that the user increasingly gets the first answer already in the search results. He or she doesn't always have to click through immediately to understand the basics of a topic, compare options or check a course of action.

It used to be the goal of many companies to go as high as possible in Google and collect clicks. Today, a user often asks longer questions, compares solutions, checks reviews, analyzes available options and only then goes to a website.

This does not mean that the website has lost its meaning. On the contrary. It is the source from which Google and AI systems try to understand what the company does, who it helps, what problems it solves and why its offerings fit a particular need.

The problem begins where the content is generic: „comprehensive service,” „individual approach,” „highest quality.” Such slogans tell the customer little and are difficult to use as a concrete answer. In 2026, SEO should primarily answer three questions:

1. What is the customer looking for?
2. How does the company solve his problem?
3. Why should he trust this particular brand?

What are AI Overviews and how do they affect SEO?

AI Overviews are Google-generated summaries of answers to a user's question. Google describes them as a brief presentation of information on a topic with links that allow you to dig deeper into the topic on web pages.

The biggest change concerns information and comparison queries. A user can ask: „how to choose a marketing agency?”, „does SEO make sense for an online store?”, „how much does Google Ads cost?” or „which is better: SEO or ads?”. Instead of just a list of links, he can see a ready summary.

In practice, there is a growing importance of content that answers a question quickly, uses natural language, shows examples and has a logical structure. It's not about writing for a robot. It's about text that humans can understand and AI can correctly read, summarize and relate to the user's intent.

What still works for SEO in 2026?

Basic best practices still work in SEO: a technically sound site, content that matches user intent, a logical structure, up-to-date information and brand credibility.

It is a mistake to think that after AI Overviews, all SEO must be thrown in the trash. Google indicates that basic SEO best practices are still relevant to AI features in search. Nor is there a separate set of special technical requirements just for AI Overviews and AI Mode.

So companies don't have to chase magic tricks. They need to do more orderly what was previously put off.

They continue to matter:

• A technically sound site: fast loading, mobile version and correct indexing,
• Content tailored to user intent,
• Internal linking that leads from the problem to the solution,
• timeliness of information, especially with topics such as Google, AI in business or marketing automation,
• Brand credibility: reviews, portfolio, contact information, case studies and implementation examples,
• A clear CTA that leads the user to the next step.

SEO in 2026 is less a game of words and more about working on a consistent and useful online presence for the company.

What stopped making sense after AI Overviews came in?

It has become the least profitable to produce content that pretends to be expert. Long text is not automatically good text. The sheer number of phrases doesn't give you an advantage either, if the user still doesn't know what to do.

Practices such as:

• Artificially stuffing phrases into each paragraph,
• creating many similar articles with a slightly changed title,
• Copying topics from competitors without your own point of view,
• publishing content without examples, definitions and specifics,
• Running a blog with no link to the offer,
• ignoring what happens after the user enters the site,
• Creating texts that do not answer any real question of the customer.

SEO can attract traffic, but if the site does not lead the user further, the business effect will be poor. A lack of a clear CTA, a chaotic offer, a slow store, or an illegible form can squander well-earned inputs.

How do you write content that Google and AI can more easily understand?

Content under AI Search should start with the answer and only then develop the details. Each important section should act as a self-contained unit of knowledge: include a clear statement, context, an example and a logical transition to the next topic.

SEO content starts with intent. Phrases are needed, but they should follow from the topic, not control every sentence.

If a user types „does SEO still make sense,” he doesn't want a lecture on the history of search engines. He wants to know if the investment will pay off for him, when it's worth starting, and what to do to avoid burning through the budget.

Answer first, details later

A good section starts with a clear answer. Then you can add context, exceptions and examples. This helps the reader, who scans the text, and AI systems, which look for passages that can be meaningfully summarized.

Example: „SEO still makes sense if a company treats it as a process of building visibility and trust, rather than a one-time addition of phrases to a page.” Such a sentence works on its own and can easily be quoted in a response.

Definitions, examples and business context

In content, it's a good idea to explain concepts simply. SEO is activities that help a site be visible in organic search results. Marketing automation is the use of tools to streamline repetitive activities, such as handling inquiries or sending messages after downloading material.

Such definitions organize the subject. Especially where the customer is not familiar with the technical language of marketing.

A structure that helps the user and AI

A good article under AI Search should be easy to scan. Headlines should resemble user questions, and paragraphs should respond to one specific thread.

Is SEO enough if a company wants to increase online sales?

Rarely. SEO is an important part of online marketing, but it alone does not solve all sales problems. It can bring in users, support the brand and build trust, but it needs a good environment.

In practice, a system in which SEO builds visibility, Google Ads allows you to test demand faster, Meta Ads supports remarketing, social media shows the brand's character, and a good website or landing page turns interest into inquiry works better.

Branding, graphic design and marketing automation are also included. Design helps make the brand memorable. Automation saves time in handling leads. Analytics shows which activities are profitable.

SEO is thus part of a larger system. Its effectiveness increases when the user, upon entering the site, sees a clear offer, concrete benefits, evidence of trust, and a simple path to contact.

How has the role of the website changed?

A website is no longer just a business card. Today, it is a hub of company information, a place for conversions and a source of data for search engines. If it's chaotic, marketing works harder than it should.

A good website for SEO and sales should have a clear structure of services, content written in the language of the customer, a fast mobile version, visible contact information, meaningful CTAs and trust elements.

In an online store, category descriptions, filtering, products, images and the entire shopping process come into play. E-commerce SEO touches on UX, technology, analytics and quality of offerings.

The site should answer not only the question „what does the company offer?” but also the questions:

• Who this service is for,
• What problem it solves,
• When it is worth using it,
• What the cooperation process looks like,
• What the user should do next.

What should companies change about online marketing?

The biggest change is in the mindset. Companies should do less haphazard activities and more structured work on visibility, trust and conversion.

Less content created „because you need to upload something,” more material that solves specific customer problems. Fewer separate channels operating without a plan, more a combination of SEO, ads, website, analytics and automation.

Good plan for 2026:

1. Arrange offerings on the site. The user is expected to quickly understand what you do, for whom and with what business effect.
2. Create content around customer questions. Questions from sales calls are often a better starting point than a dry list of words.
3. Combine SEO with advertising and analytics. Check organic traffic, form queries, quality of leads and assisted conversions.
4. Use AI judiciously. AI can help with analysis, research and marketing automation. It should not replace experience.
5. Take care of the brand. The more similar content on the Internet, the greater the importance of recognition, aesthetics and a consistent tone of communication.
6. Improve conversion. Visibility without contacts, inquiries and sales is not enough. SEO should drive the user to action.
7. Update content. Articles about AI, Google, ads and automation are aging fast. Regular updating increases their usefulness.

How to know if a company is ready for SEO in the AI era?

A company is better prepared for SEO in the AI era if its site clearly explains its offerings, answers customer questions, shows evidence of trust and leads the user to contact it.

A short checklist can be helpful:

If the answer to most questions is „no,” the problem may not be SEO itself, but the lack of a structured marketing system.

SEO in the era of AI Overviews - summary

SEO in the era of AI Overviews is not about looking for shortcuts. It's about creating content and pages that really help the user make a decision. Companies should move away from haphazard publishing and build a cohesive online marketing system: from strategy, SEO and advertising, to website, social media, branding and automation.

Content that answers right away, develops the topic logically, shows examples and guides the user to the next step works best. It's content like this that's more useful to people, easier for algorithms to understand, and better suited to the way search evolves.

At Two Colours, we look at SEO in such a broader context. As part of cost-effective marketing to organize operations, save time and support business growth. Without promising miracles. Instead, with a concrete plan, good content, technology and attention to what customers really need.

If your company wants to make better use of SEO, AI Search, advertising and your website for sales, it's a good idea to start with an audit: to see if your current content is answering customers' questions and leading them to contact you.

Sources

Google Search Central. (2025, December 31). AI-based features and your website. Google for Developers.
https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/ai-features?hl=pl

Google Search. (n.d.). AI Overviews. Downloaded May 8, 2026, from:
https://search.google/ways-to-search/ai-overviews/