Google is changing the rules of the search game again—this time, through its increasingly prominent AI Overviews (AIO). If you're a publisher or SEO strategist, buckle up: the latest data from BrightEdge reveals that Google is prioritizing deep, context-rich content far below the surface of homepages, reshaping how traffic is distributed across the search landscape.
AIOs Are Growing—Literally and Functionally
In March 2025, BrightEdge observed that Google expanded the pixel height of AIOs by 18.26%, meaning these summaries are taking up more visual real estate in search results. And it’s not just a layout tweak. These expanded AI Overviews are delivering more targeted, nuanced answers—and citing content that's several clicks away from a site's homepage.
Why does this matter? Because it reflects a deliberate move toward what Google recently called “Predictive Summaries” and “Grounding Links.” These features aim to offer users the most relevant, contextually grounded information right at the top of the SERP. For site owners, it means the homepage is increasingly irrelevant unless it offers specific value—something most homepages simply don’t do.
Deep Content Is Winning the Citation Game
The data is clear: 82.5% of AI Overview clicks now go to content that’s two or more levels deep within a website’s structure. In stark contrast, homepages account for less than 0.5% of all cited links.
Not only that, but 86% of pages cited in AI Overviews rank for only a single keyword—typically a high-volume one. That presents a unique SEO opportunity: instead of chasing dozens of keyword variations per post, strategically targeting one relevant, high-intent term may be more effective in an AI-first world. In fact, the median keyword volume for AI-cited content was a hefty 15,300 monthly searches, and nearly 1 in 5 keywords cited had over 100,000 searches.
Industries Feeling the Shift Most
Interestingly, the rise in AIOs isn't uniform across industries. Some sectors have seen dramatically higher increases in AIO presence:
- Travel: +39.49%
- B2B Tech: +37.13%
- Education: +35.49%
- Finance: +32.89%
These aren’t minor bumps—they’re tectonic shifts. If you’re in one of these sectors, expect your analytics to change dramatically (if they haven’t already). This isn’t just a search UI update—it’s a reshuffling of how visibility and traffic are distributed.
What Should SEOs and Publishers Do?
Monitor performance like a hawk. It’s no longer enough to look at traffic alone. You need to zoom in on CTR, impressions, and especially sales or revenue trends. If traffic is dropping but conversions remain steady, you may be benefitting from better-qualified leads via AI Overview referrals.
Also, it’s time to get proactive with your content strategy:
- Revive older pages. Google’s deep dives mean even aging blog posts could become valuable assets—if updated with current information.
- Create citable content. Think beyond “clickbait” and aim for concise, accurate, and richly informative content that could be lifted into an AI Overview.
- Optimize inner pages. Forget homepage glamour—optimize category, service, and blog pages where Google is more likely to pull from.
As Jono Alderson recently pointed out, it’s wise to target users early in their journey, before they even know what product or service they need. This aligns with how AI Overviews present information—context first, links second.
Technical SEO Is More Crucial Than Ever
A fully indexed site is now non-negotiable. Google’s AI crawlers won’t cite what they can’t find. That includes older or deeper pages, which may need refreshing to align with current search trends and accuracy expectations.
The homepage-first mentality is outdated, at least outside of local SEO. The deeper your content and the clearer its purpose, the more likely it is to get picked up and cited by AI.
Final Takeaways
- AI Overviews are growing rapidly in both size and influence within Google’s search results.
- Deep-linked content is overwhelmingly preferred over homepages for citations.
- Pages cited by AI often rank for a single, high-volume keyword, offering niche but powerful ranking opportunities.
- Industries like Travel, B2B Tech, Education, and Finance are seeing the most significant AIO presence increases.
- Technical SEO and full indexing are essential if you want your content to be in the running for AI citations.
- Staying updated isn’t enough—your content needs to be updated, too.
In short, SEO is entering a new era. The surface-level game is over. It’s time to go deep.
