How to Rank in AI Overviews: Your 2026 Playbook

2025 was the year AI Overviews went from experiment to expectation. I watched client after client see traffic patterns shift—pages ranking #1 getting fewer clicks while AI-generated answers dominated above the fold. The SEO playbook that worked for a decade needed a rewrite. Now, heading into 2026, the question isn't whether AI Overviews matter—it's whether you've adapted your strategy to get cited. The brands that figured this out in 2025 are already seeing the benefits. Those still optimizing the old way? They're falling further behind. Here's what I learned in 2025 and how I'm positioning my clients to win in 2026. What 2025 Taught Us About AI Overviews The data from 2025 tells a clear story. According to Advanced Web Ranking , AI Overviews appeared in 60.32% of U.S. Google searches by November 2025. That number will only grow in 2026. More importantly, Seer Interactive's study of over 25 million organic impressions revealed the stakes: Metric 2025 Impact Organic CTR with AI Overvie