Search for almost anything on Google now and there's a good chance the first thing you see isn't a list of links. It's an AI Overview: a summary written by Google's AI, with a handful of source links beside it. And since 22 August 2025, people in New Zealand can also switch to AI Mode, a full conversational search where the answer is the page.
So the question small businesses keep asking is a fair one: how do I get my website into those answers?
The official answer is shorter than most of the advice online. The practical answer takes a bit longer. This post covers both.
What Google officially says
Google's own documentation on AI features is unusually direct. To appear in AI Overviews or AI Mode, a page has to be indexed and eligible to be shown in Google Search with a snippet. That's it. In Google's words, there are "no additional requirements" and no "special optimizations necessary".
It also says you don't need:
- special schema markup for AI features
- AI text files (like
llms.txt) or new machine-readable files - a separate submission or sign-up
AI Overviews draw from the same index as normal search results. If you're not indexed, you can't be cited. If you are indexed and ranking well, you're already in the running.
That's worth sitting with, because a lot of "AI SEO" advice sells the opposite: secret formats, special files, magic prompts. Google's position is that AI search runs on the same foundations as regular search.
There's no back door into AI Overviews. The front door is being indexed, ranking, and having the clearest answer on the page.
What actually decides whether you get cited
"Nothing special" doesn't mean "nothing to do". Being eligible gets you considered. These are the things that make your page the one Google actually quotes.
1. Be indexed and ranking first
This is the unglamorous part, and it's where most small business sites fall down. If Search Console shows your pages as "Discovered – currently not indexed" or "Crawled – currently not indexed", no amount of AI-specific work will help.
Start with the basics: is the page in Google's index, is it in your sitemap, and do other pages on your site link to it? If you're not sure, work through why your website isn't showing on Google before anything else.
2. Answer the question in the first sentence or two
AI Overviews are built from passages, not whole pages. The page that gets cited is often the one where a clear, self-contained answer sits right under the relevant heading.
Compare these two openings under a heading like "What is a Google Business Profile?":
Weak: Local search has changed a lot over the years, and there are many tools businesses can use to get found online, so before we get into specifics it's worth looking at how local search works...
Strong: A Google Business Profile is the free listing that shows your business on Google Maps and in local search results, with your hours, location, photos and reviews. You create and manage it at business.google.com.
The second one can be lifted straight into an answer. The first one can't.
3. Use the real question as your heading
People type full questions into Google and AI Mode: "how much does a website cost in NZ", "is SEO worth it for a small business". Headings that match those questions make it obvious which passage answers which question, for readers and for Google.
You don't need to turn every page into an FAQ. But where a section answers a common question, phrase the heading as that question.
4. Cover the follow-up questions too
When someone asks AI Mode a complicated question, Google breaks it into several smaller searches behind the scenes (Google calls this "query fan-out") and stitches the results together. A question like "should my café use Google Ads or SEO" might trigger searches about cost, timelines, local search and what works for hospitality.
Pages that cover a topic thoroughly, including the natural follow-up questions, have more chances to be picked up for one of those sub-searches. That's an argument for one strong page per topic rather than several thin ones, and for linking related pages together so the whole picture is easy to find.
5. Show first-hand experience
When an AI summary can explain the basics of any topic, generic content is easy to replace. What it can't replace is something only you know: real examples, real numbers, a process you actually use, a mistake you made and fixed.
That's also exactly what Google's quality guidelines reward. I've covered how that works in E-E-A-T explained, and it matters even more when the competition is a summary.
6. For local searches, your Google Business Profile matters
If someone asks "who's a good electrician in Hamilton" or "best brunch in Wellington", the answer often leans on Google Business Profile information and reviews, not just websites.
A complete, accurate profile with recent reviews is part of AI visibility for any business with a local customer base. The local SEO starter guide covers what to fix first, and getting more Google reviews covers the part most businesses skip.
7. Don't accidentally block yourself
AI features respect the same controls as normal search snippets. If a page uses nosnippet, max-snippet limits or noindex, it can't be quoted. This happens more often than you'd think, usually from a theme setting, an SEO plugin or a staging site configuration that made it into production.
If you're using these deliberately to keep content out of AI answers, that's a valid choice. Just make sure it's a choice.
How to check whether you're showing up
This is the frustrating bit. Search Console doesn't separate AI Overview traffic. Google counts clicks and impressions from AI features inside the normal "Web" search performance numbers, with no filter to isolate them.
So in practice, checking is a mix of:
- Manual searches. Search the questions your customers actually ask, in a private window, and note whether an AI Overview appears and who it cites. Do it monthly with the same list so you can compare.
- Search Console patterns. If impressions for a page rise while clicks stay flat, it can be a sign the answer is being shown on the results page without people needing to click. It isn't proof, but it's worth noticing.
- A wider AI visibility check. AI Overviews are one AI tool out of several. To test ChatGPT, Perplexity and Gemini as well, use the process in how to audit your brand's visibility in AI search.
What not to waste money on
Be cautious of anyone selling:
- Guaranteed AI Overview placement. Nobody controls what Google's AI cites, and the answers change with the wording of the search.
- Special AI markup or files sold as a requirement. Google has said plainly they're not needed for its AI features.
- Mass-produced AI content to "cover every question". Thin pages are exactly what Google tends to leave out of its index, and an unindexed page can't be cited.
The short version
To show up in Google AI Overviews and AI Mode: get indexed, rank for the question, answer it clearly in the first sentence under a heading that matches what people search, cover the follow-up questions, show real experience, and keep your Business Profile in good shape if you serve local customers.
None of that is a trick. It's good SEO with the answer moved to the top, which is also what showing up in ChatGPT comes down to.
FAQ
How do I get my website into Google AI Overviews?
Make sure the page is indexed and eligible to show a snippet in Google Search, then make it the clearest answer to the question. Use the question as a heading, answer it directly in the first sentence or two, cover related follow-up questions, and show first-hand experience. Google says no special markup or files are needed.
Do I need special schema markup for AI Overviews?
No. Google states there is no special structured data required for AI Overviews or AI Mode. Standard structured data can still help Google understand your page, but it isn't a requirement for being cited.
Is AI Mode available in New Zealand?
Yes. Google launched AI Mode in English in New Zealand on 22 August 2025. It sits alongside AI Overviews, which appear at the top of many normal search results.
Can I see AI Overview traffic in Google Search Console?
Not separately. Google includes clicks and impressions from AI Overviews and AI Mode in the overall "Web" search performance data, with no filter to isolate them. Manual searches are the most reliable way to check whether you're being cited.
Do I need an llms.txt file to appear in AI Overviews?
No. Google says you don't need to create new machine-readable files or AI text files to appear in its AI features. Other AI tools may treat these files differently, but they aren't required for Google.
Can I stop my content appearing in AI Overviews?
Yes. AI features follow the same preview controls as normal search snippets, so nosnippet, data-nosnippet, max-snippet or noindex will limit or prevent your content being used. Bear in mind these also affect how your page appears in regular search results.
Jayne Hamilton
Digital marketing strategist working across SEO, paid media, analytics and website optimisation.
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