As copywriters, we have to please a lot of people. By people, we also mean machines. The Google algorithm has always been a beast in the corner of any copy we write, but it’s recently grown a new head.
The emergence of AI Overviews has changed the SEO landscape, and copywriters have to catch up too. With many visitors reading these snippets and moving on, it’s now our priority to appear as a citation within the AI Overview itself.
So how do we get AI Overviews to notice our copy? Here are a few tips to get you started.
What’s changed?
It’s emerged that Google is now using a few different methods to parse and evaluate data. We know that AI uses natural language models to analyse human language and sentiment. These models favour clarity, simplicity and clear structure.
This means we have to appeal to AI like never before, making sure that our copy has these desirable traits.
It’s all about parsing
Parsing analyses sentences and breaks them down to inform its understanding. There are a few things that make this process easier, so our copy must:
- Be clear, easy to read and free from jargon
- Quickly and clearly answer the question early on in the piece
- Have short and simple sentences that are easily quotable
- Have concise paragraphs, as anything over 3 or 4 lines risks being cut or misquoted
- Contain lists, bullet points and tables, where possible
- Be organised with clear and descriptive subheadings
Anything that meets these criteria will stand a better chance of appearing in these vital citations.
Explain yourself
It isn’t enough to just parrot information or skim over a topic. We need to talk about why the information we’re providing is helpful to the reader. That’s because AI favours thorough and well-rounded explorations of a subject, backed up by quotes, stats and references.
Images, videos and infographics are also highly favoured by AI Overviews, so include them wherever you can. This enriches the reader’s experience by providing more context, connecting with people who may not relate as well to the written word.
The human touch
A human touch is still vital throughout all of this. Our ability to express empathy and creativity is still the thing that engages with readers and connects them to the brands we represent. Don’t let your humanity fall at the wayside when appealing to AI, because it’s when both work together that we produce our most powerful results.
In summary
The truth is that AI Overviews are not going away. We need to adapt to survive, and that means monitoring the ever-changing SEO and copywriting world to ensure we always have the edge. By using smart strategies to appease Google, bolstered by our irreplaceable human creativity, we can put our best foot forward as we move into this new era.
