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One of Google’s most recent updates to the search engine has been incorporating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into a user’s search results. This feature, known as AI Overviews, launched in the U.S. earlier this summer, and will be released globally by the end of the year. These additional search results, which are completely AI-generated, will radically change the way businesses and users interact with search engines. In this post, we will break down the implications of these changes to SEO strategies for law firms.

What Is an AI Overview?

The AI Overview feature is an additional search result at the top of the page that is written by AI. The AI overview summarizes and takes content from pages across the internet and attempts to synthesize them into a single cohesive answer.

One extremely powerful aspect of these new AI Overviews that separates it from other AI sources like ChatGPT is the ability to see and click on all the different sources Google’s AI was able to create its answer from. This transparency of sources allows the user to fact-check and verify the search results in their own way, enhancing the overall search experience for the user.

Positive Takeaways for Law Firms

This new feature will change how SEO is done from a structural perspective, which may cause some headaches. However, there are a lot of things that AI Overviews can make easier for businesses. Since the AI Overview allows the user to see tons of different pages, they might see a source that is lower in the overall search rankings at the top of the AI Overview.

Another positive aspect of the debut of AI Overviews into Google searches is that the results are ordered in how useful the information is to a user’s specific query in a separate tab. This means AI Overviews does not override existing search results but gives users an option to synthesize them. If they choose to navigate Google without the overview they can do so.

Google’s Future Plans for AI Overviews

Google’s general idea with the steady introduction of AI Overviews into search is that AI will become the future of its search engine, generating more powerful and comprehensive results. One of the things that they are developing for AI Overviews includes multi-step reasoning. This upgrade to the AI overview will not only synthesize the available information to a specific question but also be able to answer more open-ended or complex questions. Another somewhat controversial upgrade is potentially implementing video search, which will allow users to upload videos to enhance the strength of their query. Google also plans to implement answering options for the AI Overviews, allowing searchers to adjust the level of detail the AI provides with a ‘Simpler’ option or ‘In-depth’ overview.

The overall future of AI Overviews Google envisions is clear. They believe AI will be able to deliver users such powerful results that the traditional blue link level of search will completely disappear. Whether that happens remains to be seen, but if it does, SEO strategy will change permanently.

How Do These Changes Affect SEO For Law Firms

AI-driven search will change how users obtain information. Traditional methods of SEO, such as featured snippet optimization, will have to adapt to ensure results are still visible. Another shift firms should be aware of is that the need for higher-quality content will only increase as AI becomes more integrated into search engines. AI and Google’s algorithms are more likely to synthesize original or unique content over duplicated or repeated information on different pages, so investing in content is a must.

It also underscores the need for ethical content generation as AI-generated content that firms produce will be identified quickly, and transparency for users is a must as AI content becomes more difficult to sift through. The content created must also be easily navigated on a firm’s website for Google’s AI to pull information from the page, so a focus on user experience is also needed.

Local SEO practices also remain a top priority for firms, likely even more so with AI integration. Optimizing your site to ensure appearances in local AI Overview responses can drive significant levels of traffic to your site.

Partner With an SEO Professional to Learn More About Google’s New AI Overviews

Google’s introduction of AI Overviews at the top of search results is poised to revolutionize SEO across various industries. As these changes take effect, staying current with the evolving digital marketing landscape will be crucial for maintaining and improving your firm’s online presence.

As AI continues to integrate into search engines, adapting your SEO approach will be essential. To boost your site’s traffic and rankings efficiently, contact BluShark Digital. We are here to help you navigate these changes and optimize your digital strategy effectively.