How to Make Sure Your Content Performs Well in Google’s AI-Powered Search

I have been in the SEO industry for more than 15 years now. Over the years, I have seen search evolve from simple blue links to rich results, voice search, and now AI-powered search experiences like AI Overviews and AI Mode. As always, change is constant, and adapting to these changes is what keeps us ahead.

Recently, Google shared some important advice for website owners and content creators who want their content to perform well in these new AI search experiences. In this post, I will explain everything you need to know, based on Google’s official guidance, along with my insights from years of working in SEO.

AI Search Is Changing How People Search

Google has introduced AI Overviews and AI Mode to give users more detailed and contextual answers. This means users are now asking longer, more specific questions, and even follow-up questions in the same session.

This is a big shift. And for us as web publishers, bloggers, and content creators, it is an opportunity. If your content is detailed and helpful, there is a higher chance it will show up in these AI results.

Google’s John Mueller says it best:

“Focus on your visitors and provide them with unique, satisfying content.”

That principle has always worked and it still holds true today.

Content Quality Is Still the Most Important Factor

Let us be clear: AI or no AI, if your content is poor, you will not rank. Google still prioritizes high-quality, original, and people-first content.

Now more than ever, your content needs to stand out. Avoid writing generic articles that say what everyone else is saying. Add your own insights, real examples, visuals, and useful information that actually helps the reader.

AI users are often looking for in-depth information. So, the more valuable and thorough your content is, the better it will perform. Before I start writing about something, make sure to add value and provide content that is better than what is already available. Google now wants to keep its index as small as possible for making search experince faster. It won’t index your blog post if it feels like a rewritten content.

Make Sure Your Website Meets Technical Requirements

Even if your content is great, it will not appear in search results if Google cannot access it. So, double-check your technical SEO:

• Do not block Googlebot.
• Make sure your pages load properly and return a 200 status code.
• Ensure your content is indexable.

Here I have an interesting personal experince. Once I was experimenting with Cloudflare’s settings and found an option to blog AI bots. Since AI bots were putting too mich loads on my service, I decided to enable the option. In next few days, I saw a drop in traffic and realized that my site has stopped ranking on Bing. After checking, I found that my site has been completely delisted from Bing. The Cloudflare’s setting to blog AI bots was also blocking Bing bots from accessing my website. And this technical issue gave a frustration of more than 2 weesk.

Also, pay attention to page experience. Is your site mobile-friendly? Does it load fast? Is the main content easy to find? We already know that most people now access the web on mobile phones. So, your website must be mobile friendly and fast enough.

The user expereince is another important factor. If a user lands on your page and finds it cluttered or confusing, they will leave. And Google’s AI systems take that into account and will push your page down in search results.

Use Meta Tags to Control Visibility

Google confirmed that current meta tags still work with AI search. If you want to control how your content appears, or if it should appear at all, you can use:

• nosnippet
• data-nosnippet
• max-snippet
• noindex

Quick Summary

Just remember: more restrictions mean less visibility in AI Overviews. So, use these carefully.

Add Images and Videos Wherever Possible

AI search is becoming more “multimodal,” which means it can understand and respond to images as well as text. If someone uploads a photo and asks a question, Google wants to show pages with strong visuals and supporting text.

So, do not rely on text alone. Add helpful images, infographics, and even videos to your pages. This is especially important for ecommerce sites—keep your product images up to date and link your content with your Merchant Center and Business Profile if possible.

Rethink How You Measure Success

This part is really important. In AI search results, people often spend more time on a site after clicking. These are not just random clicks—they are better, more qualified visits.

So, instead of just tracking traffic volume, focus on what those visits are doing. Are they buying something? Are they signing up? Are they reading more pages?

Recently, I noticed a spike in affiliate sales on my gadget blog. What surprised me was that this increase was not just from regular Google search traffic, but from users coming through ChatGPT search results. People were searching for reliable buying guides, and seeing my blog mentioned in ChatGPT responses made them trust it even more.

Even though the traffic from ChatGPT was smaller compared to Google Search, it was converting much better. Fewer visitors, but more sales. That clearly shows how important trust and context are when people make buying decisions.

The Core SEO Principles Still Work

Google’s new AI features may feel like a big shift, but the core principles of SEO are still the same. At the heart of it, success still comes down to creating helpful content for people and making sure your website runs smoothly.

If you have been doing SEO for a while, you already know these basics. The difference now is that AI-powered search is more focused on context, depth, and user satisfaction. So here is a more detailed look at what you should continue to prioritize:

• Create original and helpful content.
• Make sure your site is technically sound.
• Use meta tags wisely to control visibility.
• Add high-quality images and videos.
• Focus on user experience.
• Track real engagement, not just clicks.

This is not the time to panic or chase shortcuts. Google is evolving, and so should we. Google has said that AI search traffic tends to be more engaged. That matches what I have seen on some of my own sites. So instead of only looking at traffic volume, also look at how long users stay, what they click on, and whether they sign up or make a purchase.

Final Thoughts

I have seen many phases of SEO, from keyword stuffing to mobile-first indexing, and every time, those who focused on real value have come out on top. AI search is just another chapter in this journey. If your content is honest, helpful, and technically strong, it will find its way to the right audience, even in a world of AI-powered search.

So keep doing what works, adapt where needed, and most importantly, write for people.

Deepanker

Tech enthusiast and blogger. Passionate about exploring the latest tech trends and sharing insights.