Google’s AI Overviews: A Guide to Analyzing Your Site’s Performance
Google’s AI Overviews feature has revolutionized the way users get information by providing direct answers to queries on search result pages. This innovative feature often eliminates the need to visit external sites, although it includes links for deeper research. However, Google provides no comprehensive reports of links in Overviews, leaving publishers with little official insight into their performance. Third-party tools that offer this data come at a high cost, making it unaffordable for many merchants.
To gain insight into how your site is performing in AI Overviews, Search Console can be a valuable tool. By analyzing the “Positions” data in the Performance tab, you can uncover where your site’s URLs rank in organic search results. Each section of search results, including AI Overviews, counts as one position. This means that all links in a single AI Overview for a specific query will show in Search Console as position 1.
To identify your URLs in AI Overviews, start by looking at those in the top position. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you analyze your site’s performance in AI Overviews using Search Console:
Step 1: Create a Filter
– In the Performance tab, scroll down to “Queries” and create a filter to see where your site ranks number 1.
– Click the “filter” icon and select “Position.”
– In the filter settings, select “Smaller than” and type “2.”
– Your report will now be filtered for search queries where your site ranks below 2, including average positions.
Step 2: Sort Results by Clicks
– Click-through rates in AI Overviews are typically lower than traditional organic listings.
– Sort your filtered report by “CTR” to isolate queries with low clicks, which are good candidates for AI Overviews.
– Clicking on any query in the list will show when an AI Overview likely began citing your URL, indicated by an increase in average position and a drop in CTR.
While this method may not provide a complete overview of your site’s performance in AI Overviews, it offers a free and effective way to evaluate the impact of AI Overviews on your site’s visibility in search results. By identifying URLs better optimized for AI-driven answers, you can enhance your site’s performance and make strategic improvements.
In conclusion, Google’s AI Overviews feature has transformed the search experience for users and publishers alike. By leveraging tools like Search Console, you can gain valuable insights into how your site is performing in AI Overviews and optimize your content accordingly. Stay informed, stay proactive, and stay ahead in the ever-evolving world of search.