Google’s AI Overviews (formerly Search Generative Experience, or SGE) have become a central feature of search results in 2025, appearing in ~45% of U.S. queries by mid-year (up from 30% in 2024). The March and June 2025 Core Updates significantly influenced how AI Overviews are triggered, sourced, and ranked—shifting the SEO landscape from traditional blue links to AI-driven answer aggregation.
This section explores how the 2025 core updates reshaped AI Overviews, their implications for publishers, and strategies to increase visibility within them.
1. Increased Trigger Rate & Query Expansion
| Metric | Pre-March 2025 | Post-June 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| AI Overview Trigger Rate (U.S.) | ~30% | ~45% |
| Query Types Eligible | Long-tail, informational, comparison | + Product research, local, transactional |
| Avg. Sources per Overview | 4–6 | 7–9 (more diverse) |
Key Change: The June update expanded AI Overviews into semi-transactional and local queries (e.g., “best laptop for video editing under $1500”), previously dominated by organic listings.
Impact: Traditional #1 organic positions lost ~60–80% of click-through rate (CTR) when an AI Overview appeared above them.
2. E-E-A-T Becomes a Hard Requirement for Citation
Google’s MUVERA (Multimodal Understanding, Verification, and Reasoning Architecture)—rolled out alongside the June update—introduced real-time E-E-A-T scoring for AI Overview sourcing.
AI Overview Citation Criteria (Post-June 2025):
| Factor | Weight | How to Optimize |
|---|---|---|
| Author Expertise | High | Add structured author schema with credentials, bio links, and bylines. |
| Source Trustworthiness | High | Use .gov, .edu, or high-authority domains; avoid thin affiliate sites. |
| Content Depth & Originality | Critical | 1,500+ word guides with unique data, testing, or case studies. |
| Recency | Medium | Update dates + “Last updated” in content and schema. |
| User Engagement Signals | Medium | High time-on-page, low bounce, social shares. |
Result: Sites with strong E-E-A-T gained 2–3x more AI citations than pre-update. Losers: AI-spun or low-effort content was completely excluded from AI Overviews, even if ranking organically.
3. Rise of “Zero-Click” Searches & CTR Collapse
| Query Type | Avg. CTR Drop When AI Overview Present |
|---|---|
| Informational | –72% |
| Comparison (“X vs Y”) | –81% |
| Product Research | –65% |
Example: A query like “best air purifiers for allergies 2025” now shows:
- AI Overview (with 8 cited sources)
- Organic results pushed below the fold
- People Also Ask and Related Searches
Traffic Shift: Publishers reported 40–60% organic traffic loss on AI-impacted queries, but gained branded search uplift as users sought primary sources.
4. Winners & Losers in AI Overview Citations
| Category | Winners | Losers |
|---|---|---|
| Niche Authority Sites | Wirecutter, Healthline, niche blogs with testing data | Thin affiliate reviews, AI content farms |
| Independent Creators | YouTube channels, personal blogs with first-hand experience | Mass-produced listicles |
| E-Commerce | REI, Best Buy (with detailed specs + reviews) | Amazon (reduced citations due to duplication) |
| News & YMYL | BBC, Mayo Clinic, NIH | Tabloids, unverified health blogs |
Notable Trend: Reddit and forum threads surged in AI citations (+180% YoY), especially for subjective queries like “worth it?” or “real user reviews.”
5. **How to Get Featured in AI Overviews (2025 Strategy)
Tactical Checklist:
| Action | Tool/Method |
|---|---|
| Structure for Featured Snippets 2.0 | Use <h2>, bullet points, tables, and schema (FAQPage, HowTo) |
| Add Unique Data | Original surveys, tests, benchmarks (e.g., “We tested 12 models…”) |
| Implement Author Schema | Person schema with sameAs links to LinkedIn, X, etc. |
| Optimize for “People Also Ask” | Answer 5–7 related questions in one article |
| Encourage User-Generated Content | Reviews, Q&A sections, forum-style comments |
| Monitor AI Triggers | Use GSC > Performance > Search Appearance > AI Overviews (new filter, rolled out July 2025) |
Pro Tip: Content ranked #1–3 organically + high E-E-A-T has a 68% chance of AI citation.
6. Future Outlook: AI Overviews in 2026
Google confirmed at I/O 2025 that:
- AI Overviews will expand to 70%+ of queries by Q2 2026.
- Multimodal answers (images, video snippets) will dominate product research.
- Direct answer links (e.g., “Buy now” in AI box) will test monetization.
Prediction: Sites not cited in AI Overviews will see organic CTR fall below 5% on high-intent queries.
Summary: AI Overviews After 2025 Core Updates
| Factor | Before 2025 | After June 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Trigger Rate | 30% | 45%+ |
| E-E-A-T Required? | Helpful | Mandatory |
| CTR Impact | –50% | –70% avg |
| Best Strategy | Rank #1 | Rank #1 + Prove Expertise + Add Unique Value |
Bottom Line: The 2025 core updates transformed AI Overviews from an experimental feature into the new #1 ranking position. Websites must now optimize for citation, not just clicks—or risk invisibility in the AI search era.
Next Step: Audit your top 50 pages for E-E-A-T gaps and unique data. The sites winning AI Overviews aren’t just ranking—they’re authoritative, tested, and user-trusted.