🤖 AI Overviews & LLM Optimization — What Actually Works

AI Overviews still rely heavily on Google’s core rankings, which means if you’re not on page one, you’re effectively invisible to LLMs. The good news is you don’t need to be top three—pages ranking in positions five through ten are regularly pulled into AI Overviews, especially when the content is structured in clear list or comparison formats like “best X for Y.” Domain authority and DR matter far less than most people assume; a newer site with a clean structure, clear intent, and a focused listicle can absolutely get cited.

For brand visibility inside LLMs, what works best is:

• Consistent brand mentions across the web

• Real reviews on trusted platforms

• Inclusion in relevant listicles

Backlinks are no longer the main lever. The takeaway is simple: clarity, structure, and recognizable brand signals beat raw authority in the current LLM landscape.