How to Get Chosen in AI Overviews

Ranking #1 on Google feels wonderful. But are you being chosen when and where buyers make decisions? In 2025, choice isn’t made on your website alone. It happens in TikTok comments, AI chat tools like ChatGPT, Reddit threads, and Amazon reviews, far before anyone clicks through. This article shows how to switch from chasing clicks to earning decisions by optimising with intelligence and intention.

1. “Why isn’t my website converting, even when I rank on Google search results?”

Is traditional SEO content optimisation still enough in 2025?

Google now accounts for only about 27% of search activity, and most decisions are happening elsewhere.

People are making buying decisions on AI platforms. 

People decide via TikTok, YouTube, Amazon, ChatGPT, and Reddit. By the time they get to your website, it may already be too late. To win, you need to be present throughout that journey.

2. “What is a Search Everywhere Optimisation strategy?

Isn’t Google still the most important search platform?

Google matters, but it’s now one piece of a larger ecosystem. Discoverability today means being visible on all platforms where your audience can search or decide.

What’s the difference between being visible and being chosen?

Visibility is being found; chosen is being trusted. Search Everywhere Optimisation means crafting your presence so customers see you at the moment they decide, not just when they search.

3. “How are AI crawlers and ChatGPT sending customers without me noticing?”

AI assistants (ChatGPT, Google’s AI Overviews, Bing Copilot, and Perplexity) read your website and business profiles and answer the user directly in the chat tool with a link, phone button, or map pin. Many people call, email, or message straight from that answer, so there’s no pageview for your analytics to record.

Is AI search traffic real, and how do I track it?

Yes, AI-driven referrals surged tenfold from mid-2024 to early 2025 in the U.S. alone (Search Engine Land, business.adobe.com). You can now use specialised tools like AI Traffic Analytics to view conversion rates and user behaviour from platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude.

Why are AI-driven visitors so much more valuable?

Visitors from AI platforms convert at rates up to 23× higher than organic searches because they come as decision-ready buyers.

  • Pre-qualified by the assistant. ChatGPT/AI Overviews shortlist 1–3 options that match the user’s intent, budget, and location—so the traffic you get is already filtered.

  • Later in the buying journey. People ask assistants specific, action-oriented questions (“Book a lawn mow for Friday” and “Who installs modular stables near me?”). They’re closer to purchase, so conversion rates jump.

  • Fewer distractions. Assistants send users straight to the thing they need (call, quote, booking), not to a generic homepage—less drop-off, more actions.

  • Trust borrowed from the assistant. If the AI recommends you, that endorsement acts like social proof—higher first-visit conversions.

4. “What matters more in 2025, great content or backlinks?”

Backlinks help with Google and authority, but AI tools prioritise content clarity, trust, and format over backlink counts. Helpful, structured content wins in the AI era. AI tools notice and quote content that is clear, conversational, structured, and concise. It’s about being answer-worthy, not just link-worthy.

How does generative AI decide which brands to cite or recommend?

AI engines cite sources based on contextual authority, clarity, and trustworthiness, not link volume, but rather search optimisation strategies. Generative AI (ChatGPT, Google’s AI Overviews, Bing Copilot, and Perplexity) recommends brands that are clearly relevant, trustworthy, and easy to verify. It leans on the search index and its own crawlers, then applies safety/quality filters. Brands that win have clean signals about who they are, where they operate, what they offer, proof it works, and third-party validation.

5. “How can I get my business to show up in AI engines like ChatGPT or Gemini?”

What kind of content do these AI tools recommend?

AI tools prefer content that summarises, compares, and delivers value; think: “Best CRM for small teams”, “Top email tools under $50”, or “Hair salon software vs freelance system”.

How do I format my content for AI visibility and citations?

Use summary bullets, clear subheadings, schema markup, and FAQs, all structured for ease of extraction by AI models (aleydasolis.com, Wikipedia).

Where should I focus on building trust beyond my website?

Earn mentions in product reviews, Reddit discussions, YouTube explainers, and podcasts; these citations build your brand into AI’s reference network.

6. “How Do I Optimise My Content to Be Picked in AI Answers?”

If you’re still writing content just to “rank”, you’re missing the point of where visibility is heading in 2025. AI search tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity don’t rank web pages; they recommend answers through advanced search optimisation. And those answers are based on how useful, trustworthy, and relevant they are for traditional search engines. decision-ready, your content is optimised for AI search engines.

What Makes Content ‘Answer-Worthy’ to AI?

It starts with the foundation: EEAT, expertise, experience, authority, and trust. Google uses it. AI tools reflect it. So if your content doesn’t feel helpful and trustworthy to a human, it won’t cut it with machines either.

But here’s the key shift: once you’ve written genuinely helpful, human-first content, you must frame it for high-intent decision-making. That means search engine optimisation is essential for visibility.

  • Answering clear buyer questions like:
    “What’s the best web design for tradies in the age of AI-powered search?”
    “Is SEO worth it for regional businesses?”
    “Top email tools under $50/month”

  • Structuring your content so someone can confidently:

    • Compare options

    • Evaluate pros and cons

    • Make a buying decision that enhances your search experiences.

This isn’t about general “how-tos” or long explainers. It’s about helping readers choose.

How Should I Structure Content So AI Search Algorithms Quote It?

AI tools, like ChatGPT, summarise and lift content. So make it easy for AI-driven searchers to find your content.

  • Use clear subheadings that double as questions

  • Include summary bullets or “key points” at the top of each page

  • Break down complex ideas into comparison tables or pros/cons lists

  • Add FAQ sections that answer specific, product-related or service-specific queries through AI systems.

  • Use schema markup to help search engines interpret your content semantically.

Ask yourself: If an intern had 5 seconds to pull three useful quotes from this page, could they do it? That’s precisely how AI models scan and select content.

Writing for AI Doesn’t Mean Writing Like a Robot

The best content still speaks to humans first. But it’s now packaged for machines too.

Keep your tone natural; write like you’re talking to a real customer, but organise your content with AI citation in mind. The result? Enhanced search experiences and improved rankings. You don’t just show up; you become the trusted source in the exact moment a buyer is ready to act.

7. “Do I have to be active on every platform now?”

How do I know which platforms matter for my business in the context of voice search?

Use a simple prioritisation tool like RICE (Reach, Impact, Confidence, Ease) to pick 2–3 platforms where your audience is most likely to decide.

Can I win by being strategic instead of showing up everywhere?

Yes. Strategic presence in a few key places compounds influence; Red Mentions boosts your Google and AI visibility and cross-channel trust.

8. “Is my website ready for how people buy now?”

What does an optimised AI website look like?

It’s fast, structured, clear, and built for humans and AI. Content is scannable, answers are front and centre, and metadata is machine-readable.

How does Brighter Websites make this simple for small business owners?

We build SEO-first, AI-powered search websites for busy owners – no jargon, just results. Based in Ballarat and Brisbane, we deliver local care, visibility across decision engines, and support that evolves with AI-driven search.

“How do I start getting chosen more in 2025?”

It’s time to stop chasing clicks and start crafting trust for better search optimisation. SEO still matters, but only if you’ve redefined your goal: you don’t just want attention; you want to be the answer.