Hedge Your SEO Strategy Against Google’s AI Overviews

As the digital landscape evolves, Google’s AI Overviews are reshaping how websites rank in search results. Many businesses have leaned on basic SEO tactics for years, but today, strategies like information gain are more critical than ever for staying relevant. With AI-generated answers and content saturating search results, brands must find ways to differentiate themselves and maintain visibility.

Let’s dive into why this shift matters and how information gain can give your content a critical edge in this new era of SEO.

What Are AI Overviews?

Google’s AI Overviews are designed to provide users with summarised responses to their queries, pulling from multiple sources to create a “consensus” answer. While this might improve the user experience, it presents challenges for businesses and content creators relying on organic traffic.

Why? These AI-generated overviews typically pull from popular sources, often surfacing copycat content and prioritising what’s already widely available. This makes it difficult for any single brand to stand out—especially if they’re using the same content strategies as everyone else.

Enter Information Gain: The Key to Standing Out

Information gain in SEO refers to offering unique, original content that goes beyond what’s already known. Instead of recycling what’s out there, it focuses on delivering new perspectives, data, or stories that Google’s AI can’t replicate.

Recent studies, such as one from Stratabeat on B2B SaaS websites, reveal that sites incorporating original research or first-party data saw a 25.1% increase in Top 10 Google rankings over a one-year period. These gains were observed before Google’s 2024 updates, showing how valuable unique content can be in standing out from the crowd.

Why AI Overviews Are Changing SEO Forever

Google’s shift to AI-generated summaries has transformed how users interact with search results. Now more than ever, cookie-cutter content—the kind that regurgitates the same ideas over and over—will no longer suffice. According to a 2024 Pew Research Study, over 80% of users trust content that is insightful and unique more than generic summaries.

Here’s where information gain comes into play. First-party research, expert interviews, and unique perspectives are elements that Google’s AI models still struggle to replicate. By integrating these into your content, your website can earn more backlinks, organic visibility, and ultimately build trust with both search engines and users.

Why You Should Focus on Information Gain

Let’s break down why information gain should be the cornerstone of your SEO strategy in 2025 and beyond:

Higher Rankings in SERPs: Content with original insights tends to outperform generic copy in the long run. As AI overviews become more common, only content with real value-added information will stand out. According to Ahrefs, websites with original research see a 45% higher chance of being featured in Google’s AI overviews.

Improved User Trust: Users increasingly trust brands that offer something different from the norm. By publishing first-party data or unique customer stories, you establish yourself as an industry leader. A 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer study found that 67% of consumers trust content from brands offering original perspectives.

More Organic Backlinks: Unique research and perspectives can earn more natural backlinks, a key ranking factor. The more authoritative websites reference your unique data or insights, the more likely it is for Google to view your site as a trusted source of information.

Implementing Information Gain at Scale

Now that we understand the importance of information gain, the next question is, how can you implement it in your SEO strategy, especially if resources are limited?

Here are some actionable steps to get started:

Audit Existing Content: Identify content that’s outdated, lacks originality, or simply mimics existing information. Focus on enhancing these pieces by adding new data, customer interviews, or expert opinions.

Leverage First-Party Data: Run surveys, polls, or even case studies using your own customers or internal data. This is highly valuable information that can’t be easily replicated by AI models. Companies like HubSpot and Buffer have successfully used this strategy, with Buffer’s annual State of Social Media report driving significant traffic and backlinks.

Create an Information Gain Swipe File: Keep a running document of potential information gain opportunities—this could be under-researched topics, new trends in your industry, or unique customer insights that only your brand has access to. This “swipe file” can become your go-to for inspiration during content creation.

Invest in Expert Interviews: Incorporate subject matter expert interviews into your content strategy. Whether it’s insights from thought leaders or internal experts within your company, these unique perspectives will help differentiate your content from consensus-generated AI outputs.

The Future of SEO: It’s About Staying Original

As AI continues to transform the search landscape, it’s crucial to adapt. AI-generated overviews are here to stay, and information gain is your best defence. By creating content that offers new perspectives, original research, and expert insights, you can ensure your business stands out in an increasingly competitive space.

At ETRAFFIC , we understand the intricacies of SEO and the evolving role of AI. If you want to future-proof your SEO strategy and learn how to incorporate information gain into your content, contact us today. Let’s work together to build an SEO approach that not only ranks but also resonates.

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Sources:

Stratabeat B2B SEO Analysis, 2024

Ahrefs Study on Original Content, 2024

Pew Research Study on User Trust, 2024

Edelman Trust Barometer, 2024