Since the emergence of search engines equipped with generative AI—such as AI Overview—various marketing strategies, including SEO for content marketing, have likely been reevaluated.
While various generative AI services—such as ChatGPT and Bing AI—are available, in this article, we’ll explain Google’s “AI Overview,” touching on its relationship with user-generated content (UGC).
1. What Is AI Overview? Google’s Latest Search Experience Powered by Gemini
—What Is AI Overview?
AI Overview is a feature that leverages Gemini, a generative AI model, to select and provide higher-quality information from the search index. Prior to its official announcement as AI Overview, it was offered as SGE (Search Generative Experience) for experimental purposes.
It is a new search experience that instantly displays high-quality answers tailored to the user’s search intent. Unlike traditional search results, which list links, the AI synthesizes information and generates and presents answers in a question-and-answer format.
—An Evolved Search Experience: Multimodal Support
In addition to traditional text search, Google AI Overview supports a variety of search methods, including the following:
✔︎ Image search (e.g., using a photo to find details about a product or service)
✔︎ Voice search (e.g., asking a question verbally and receiving an immediate AI response)
✔︎ Video search (e.g., filming a home appliance to look up product information)
It provides an intuitive experience that helps users overcome the “barriers to search” even in situations where it’s difficult to put thoughts into words.
Another notable feature is that traffic and visits are reflected in Google Search Console (*1).
*1 Google Search Console allows you to measure your site’s search traffic and ranking on Google’s SERP (Search Engine Results Page). It includes features such as the ability to view the queries users enter to access your site, as well as the capability to analyze metrics like impressions and clicks.
2. How Is AI Overview Transforming Marketing Strategies? New Strategies for the Zero-Click Era
With the introduction of Google’s AI Overview, user search behavior and companies’ web acquisition strategies are beginning to undergo significant changes.
—An Era of Obtaining Information Without Visiting a Site
A key feature of AI Overview is that, when users search via Google Chrome, their search results are summarized and consolidated by generative AI and displayed at the very top of the page.
For users, this offers the following benefits:
✔︎ Obtain
the information they want without visiting a website ✔︎ Instantly grasp summaries from multiple sites
Since AI Overview’s responses include links to the source websites, users can click through to those sites to obtain further information.
On the other hand, since AI Overview provides summaries of information extracted from various websites, when answers—such as definitions or concepts—are available within AI Overview itself, there is no longer a need to navigate to the linked sites.
While this reduces the number of clicks required for users and provides a more convenient search experience, SEO professionals aiming to increase website traffic face a potential decline in visitor numbers, forcing them to adopt new strategies.
—Is SEO Alone Insufficient? Generative AI Countermeasures = LLM-based Solutions Are Now Necessary
Traditional SEO has focused on increasing organic traffic by achieving top search rankings to meet marketing goals such as improving conversion rates (CVR).
However, with the advent of AI Overview, so-called “zero-click searches” have begun to gain traction, and relying solely on SEO to drive traffic to a site is becoming insufficient. Consequently, attention is turning to Large Language Model Optimization (LLMO) (*2). It is now necessary to implement LLMO and create content that is “selected” by AI.
*2 This aims to optimize for search engines equipped with generative AI.
It is cited as a strategy for getting content cited by generative AI.
For more on “how to implement LLMO” as a strategy for AI Overview, please refer to this article
3. What Are AI Overview and LLMO? Search Strategies for the “Generative AI Era” That SEO Alone Can’t Achieve
—LLMO Is the Next-Generation Content Marketing Strategy
In AI Overview, when search results are displayed, site links appear as the source sites. Moving forward, the key to content marketing will not only be implementing measures to “rank high in search results”—the goal of SEO—but also implementing LLMO strategies to “be selected as an answer by generative AI.” In other words, it is necessary to implement LLMO, the next-generation content marketing strategy.
—What Are the Specific Methods of LLMO? Content Design That Addresses Search “Intent” Is the Key
While SEO focuses on optimizing for search engine ranking algorithms, LLMO focuses on optimizing for AI-powered generative engines.
While user search keywords—as with SEO—remain important, LLMO is said to prioritize the user’s search intent when determining which results are displayed.
Therefore, specific strategies include publishing brand-specific information, providing answers designed from the user’s perspective, utilizing reliable sources, incorporating specific figures and data, and offering an FAQ section.
4. What Is the Relationship Between AI Overview and UGC (User-Generated Content, such as Reviews)? User Voices Hold the Key to SEO and LLMO
—Why Is UGC Effective for SEO and LLMO?
Google’s Search Quality Rating Guidelines frequently cite E-E-A-T (*3) as an evaluation criterion.
What is E-E-A-T?
✔︎ Experience
✔︎ Expertise
✔︎
Authoritativeness ✔︎ Trustworthiness
Previously, the evaluation criteria consisted of the three E-A-T factors (excluding Experience), but Experience has since been added.
User-generated content (UGC), such as customer testimonials and reviews, is considered effective not only for LLMO but also for traditional SEO. UGC represents “authentic user voices” and is easily recognized as information presented from the user’s perspective.
UGC, such as reviews and testimonials, consists of unfiltered feedback based on the actual experiences of users who have used products or services. Google tends to recognize this as a “highly reliable” and useful source of information for users, making it an integral part of both SEO and LLMO.
*3 Elizabeth Tucker. “Latest Updates to the Quality Rating Guidelines: Adding the ‘E’ for Experience to E-A-T.”December 15, 2022, https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2022/12/google-raters-guidelines-e-e-a-t?hl=ja, (accessed February 27, 2025).
—Is UGC Effective for User Journey Design in the Zero-Click Era? How to Leverage User Reviews to Balance SEO and LLMO
Relying solely on objective information may result in the search experience ending with a “zero-click” result, but authentic user reviews and testimonials provide information from the user’s perspective, so publishing them can improve your site’s reputation. Since this approach can also draw attention to reviews beyond those displayed in search results, users are more likely to go out of their way to visit your company’s website.
Since UGC is effective not only for LLMO but also for SEO, it is no exaggeration to say that using these user reviews as a hook to implement LLMO and SEO strategies constitutes a new content marketing approach.
Additionally, since some UGC tools include an FAQ feature, utilizing such tools also constitutes LLMO.By replying to and publishing reviews posted by customers, you can share content from the customer’s perspective with other customers, increasing the likelihood that this information will be utilized by search engines as valuable content. At the same time, this serves as an effective SEO strategy.
Summary: The New Norm in the Era of AI Overview—What Is the UGC Utilization Strategy That Supports SEO and LLMO?
In this article, we’ve explained Google’s “AI Overview” feature, touching on its relationship with UGC.
AI Overview is a groundbreaking feature that significantly transforms the search experience. Since AI summarizes and presents the information users want directly on the search results page, we have entered an era where traditional SEO alone is no longer sufficient.
Amid this shift, a new concept—Generative Engine Optimization (LLMO)—is gaining importance. User-Generated Content (UGC), such as customer testimonials and reviews, proves highly effective for both LLMO and SEO. By implementing a UGC management tool, businesses can reap various benefits, including the ability to leverage UGC marketing strategies and streamline UGC management.
U-KOMI is a UGC (user-generated content) management tool designed to collect and utilize customer feedback. By using this tool, you can not only display reviews attractively on your e-commerce site and improve your conversion rate (CVR) by leveraging Instagram content, but you also gain access to features that allow you to utilize reviews—a vital information asset—in real time.
Furthermore, U-KOMI features an AI function called U-KOMI AI. U-KOMI AI is a suite of smart AI functions that performs sentiment analysis, keyword extraction, AI score calculation, and automated replies for reviews. From
customer support to service and product improvements, it takes your marketing to the next level.
Click here for more details on U-KOMI AI
As we look toward the new LLMO era, we encourage you to consider the benefits of implementing a UGC tool and evaluate its adoption in line with your company’s marketing strategies.
View a list of UGC use cases here: https://u-komi.com/jirei
Download materials here: https://u-komi.com/
Click here to contact U-KOMI: https://u-komi.com/contact/
