As we enter the holiday season, October’s data reveals significant shifts and stabilization across industries in AI Overviews (AIOs). Critical insights from October reveal growth in certain sectors, stability in others, and strategic changes in content types and sources. These insights offer actionable strategies for marketers aiming to optimize for AIOs during this critical period.
YouTube Citations In AI Overviews: September Through October
YouTube AI Overviews citations surged in September by 400 – 450% more than the baseline from August when YouTube citations were first tracked. The level then stabilized in October at a level of about 110% to 115% of the August baseline. This gives the impression that this level of YouTube AIO citations may represent a new normal.
The kinds of video content that Google AIO tended to cite were:
- How-to’s
- In-depth reviews
- Product comparisons
BrightEdge’s report observed that YouTube AIO citations in November continued to be stable:
Current State (November): Stabilized at approximately 115-120% with minimal day-to-day variation (±3%).
The next few months will show how satisfied users are with YouTube citations. Presumably Google tested YouTube citations before rolling them out so expectations for dramatic a change should be kept in check because the volatility of YouTube AIO citations was low, indicating that Google may have found the sweet spot for these kinds of citations. So don’t expect this level of YouTube citations to drop although anything is possible.
This trend highlights the continued importance of YouTube video channel as a way to expand reach and the continued evolution away from purely text content. If you embed video on web pages then it’s important to use Video Schema.org structured data.
Massive Growth In Travel Industry AIO Citations
Travel AIO citations surged by 700% from September through October. This may reflect Google’s confidence in AI for making travel recommendations.
BrightEdge offered this advice:
“To capture AIO visibility, travel brands should optimize content around seasonal travel, local events, and specific activities. Many of the keywords that are part of this surge start with “Things to do” which then triggers an unordered list.”
Localized and Activity-Specific Travel Queries
Google AIO is showing citations for more localized travel related queries that are more specific and longtail, which may mean that AI Overviews is handling more of the local travel type queries as opposed to the big destination queries that drilled down to the neighborhood level.
BrightEdge suggested the following tips for optimizing travel AIO topics:
“This trend highlights an opportunity for travel brands to capture AIO visibility by creating content that aligns with users’ more refined search intents.
- Optimizing for queries related to local events, neighborhood attractions, and seasonal activities can improve relevance as AIOs continue to focus on detailed, location-specific travel information.
- For example, content targeting searches like “best winter activities in New England” or “holiday events in small towns” is likely to resonate well with users seeking unique travel experiences.”
BrightEdge explained:
“Initially, travel AIOs were dominated by broad, general queries focused on major tourist destinations. However, as the month progressed, there was an increase in more localized, activity specific, and seasonal travel searches, reflecting a deeper level of user intent. By November, AIOs were increasingly focused on niche travel queries covering smaller cities, specific neighborhoods, and unique local activities.”
Examples of the pattern of travel queries that triggered AIO are:
- Top attractions in
- Things to do in
- Family friendly activities in
- Fall festivals in
AIO Is Stabilizing And Maturing
Another interesting insight from the BrightEdge data is that the daily growth of AIO citations slowed down to 1.3%, indicating that we are now entering a more stable phase.
BrightEdge offers this insight:
“We are now six months into the AIO era and seeing macro-changes in AI overviews that are gerng smaller and smaller”
Another statistic that confirms that AIO are here to stay is that volatility in AIO citations decreased by 42%, another sign of stability. This is good news because it means more predictability for what keyword phrases will trigger AIO citations.
BrightEdge notes:
“The stabilization in AIO appearance allows brands to optimize for a consistent presence, par:cularly for evergreen holiday keywords. This benefit campaigns where a steady AIO presence can drive significant traffic and conversions. As AIOs stabilize, planning and incorporating them into strategies becomes easier. This is pivotal insight for marketers who wish to make AI Overviews part of their 2025 strategy.”
Education Topic Performance
Education topics were on a steady growth trajectory of a 5% increase in keyword that trigger AIO, representing 45-50% of keywords. The growth was seen in more complex educational queries like:
- cybersecurity certification prerequisites
- career options with a psychology degree
- psyd vs phd comparison
B2B queries experienced modest growth of 2%, representing 45-50% of keywords and with less volatility in October than September. Healthcare AIO citations were similarly stable with only a 1% change in October and with 73-75% of keywords triggering AIO citations.
Read more about BrightEdge data here:
https://www.brightedge.com/ai-overviews
Featured Image by Shutterstock/Dynamic Ink
