Avion’s agency secrets: Writing for Google AI Overviews

by Brenna Watson-Paul

Once upon a time, it was all about getting your website listed on the first page. Then Google sneezed, and the story changed. Today, AI Overviews are the hero – or elusive villain – of modern content strategy. Done right, they cut through complexity to drive organic traffic, engage diverse audiences, and position your brand as a topic authority.

 Insights and key learnings: 

• Google AI Overviews (AIOs) are on the rise, now appearing in over half of all queries.

• To be featured, structure is key. Clear, skimmable content with strong H2s, bullet points, and front-loaded answers increases the chance of being cited in AIOs. 

• Writing for AI starts with writing for people: A conversational, authoritative tone backed by current data builds trust and earns placement. 

• You don’t need to rank first to be featured – pages ranked 11–20 often appear in AIOs, helping level the SEO playing field.

We’ve seen the payoff firsthand. Our clients’ content has achieved prime visibility (some wins we can’t name, but they’re there) on Google’s AI Overview (AIO) stage. What we love is AIOs aren’t reserved for the big paid search players – around 40% of AIO sources come from pages ranked 11-20 in search results.

Avion’s client in the AI spotlight

Our approach to Simpro’s EOFY blog focused on clarity and structure, we aligned the copy with Google AI Overview principles. And it paid off! Their UK site now features in a highly competitive AI Overview with indexed content highlighted, bringing greater visibility to their expertise and site.

Here’s what we’ve learned about Google’s AI Overviews: what they are, how to write for them, and why they’re critical in today’s content playbook.

What is Google’s AI Overview feature?

Last year, Google launched their AIOs, a search engine results page (SERP) feature that uses AI to generate answers to queries. AIOs gained traction, appearing for 14% of searches in May 2025 – up 65% from the previous month.

Right now, there are three common types of AI Overviews:

• Summarised answers and information: A digestible AI-written response combining key facts from multiple sources.

• Step-by-step instructions: Often triggered by task-based queries like "how to change insurance providers" or "how to write a cover letter."

• Product or service recommendations: Lists and summaries for “best X for Y” searches – think “best CRM for law firms” or “top insurance providers in 2025.”

Here’s an example of an Informational AI Overview. If you search for "postpartum depression symptoms," Beyond Blue content ranks #2 in this highly competitive area of postpartum and women’s mental health.

Why should I care about Google’s AIO?

Google’s AIO represents one of the most powerful organic opportunities to reach new audiences at scale. While still relatively early days, AIOs already appear in nearly half of all search results.

What’s vital to know is that within these AIOs  43% link back to Google-owned content, thus creating the “walled garden” effect Google’s infamous for encouraging (enforcing) – an ecosystem where users are encouraged to stay within its platform rather than visiting external sites.

With this in mind, your inclusion in AIOs is key for two reasons:

• Strategic content visibility: AIOs are more than a gateway to your content. They support SEO, strengthen brand credibility and topic authority.

• Audience accessibility: While there is public scrutiny of AIOs, there’s no denying they make it easier for people to quickly scan and find answers. And as AIOs evolve, they’re becoming increasingly accurate at pulling relevant content.

How to write and structure content for AI Overviews

To stand a chance of landing in one of Google’s AIOs, content structure is everything. Clear, relevant, and specific content is more likely to be surfaced and cited. Focus on answering the question at hand with precision, and format your content in a way that aligns with how Google parses information. Here are our tips to get you started:

1. Write for intuitive questions, not just keywords

Almost every keyword that triggers an AI Overview is informational – nearly 100%. In contrast, commercial or transactional searches only have about a 10% chance of generating one. AI Overviews are answer engines, not just search engines. So instead of just optimising for terms like “tax changes 2025,” write content that answers “What are the key tax changes for 2025?”

Tip: Use tools like Google’s "People Also Ask" feature and internal site search data to uncover real, user-driven questions.

2. Front-load the answer

The first 2-3 lines of your content should directly answer the question – no fluffy intros, less throat-clearing. Think: highlights first, detail later. That way, Google can lift your summary directly into an AI Overview.

By frontloading the answer to a key customer question, our content for Masseuse Massage Chairs earned a spot in Google’s AIOs for the search: “Can I claim a massage chair on NDIS?” Clear, direct copy made all the difference.

3. Structure like a cheat sheet

Use clear H2s, bullet points, and bolded subheaders. AI Overviews tend to favour well-structured, skimmable content that looks like it was made for summarising. Your cheat list:

• Answer the question

• Explain the context

• Support it with evidence (studies, data, citations)

• Keep wordcount tight

4. Balance simplicity with authority

Google’s AI looks for trustworthy content that doesn’t talk down to readers. That means:

• No jargon without explanation

• Use metaphors or examples where helpful

• Keep a consistent, confident tone (e.g. “Here’s what this means” instead of “You might want to consider…”)

Within six months, our EOFY blog for Simpro features in the #1 spot of Google’s AI Overview for ‘EOFY for Australian businesses’ – thanks to smart content structure and strong informative insights from the client.

5. Keep fresh and up to date

Overall, AI Overviews appear in just over half (55%) of all Google searches, showing how widespread they’ve become. To avoid the risk of outdated or inaccurate info casting your brand in a bad light, keeping your content fresh and accurate is essential. Here’s what Google wants:

• If your content includes data, keep it recent, ideally from the last 12 months.

• References to reputable sources such as government sites, industry leaders, or original research.

• Regular updates to high-performing content; freshness really matters.

6. Write for people, edit for AI

AI-generated summaries still pull from human-written content. So your tone should feel like a smart expert explaining something at a dinner party – not a robot reciting search terms.

Then, go back and check for:

• Sentence clarity

• Repetition

• Overuse of keywords

• Factual accuracy

Do I need to overhaul my site to feature in an AIO?

No. This isn’t about throwing your website in the bin and starting again. But it is a chance to rethink how your content is structured, written, and surfaced. The right content, framed the right way, is what earns you a spot at the top.

We’re passionate about Google’s AIOs because they’re leveling the playing field. Unlike traditional rankings, they offer a genuine opportunity for lean, smart content to outshine the biggest players.

We’ve helped clients feature within AIOs in highly competitive paid search categories by rewriting content to be expert-led and easy to digest. And, it’s not always about ranking #1. Even when a mention sits deeper in Google’s AIOs, you're still shaping the narrative and making sure your brand has a seat at the table.

Needing content that speaks fluently to both AI and people? That’s our wheelhouse. Let’s chat.

Image credits: Illustration by pch.vector on Freepik. Custom GIF by BBC on Giphy.