Google says normal SEO is all you need for AI answers
No bot-written text, no special AI files, no scattered mentions, according to a new Google post.
Google has published guidance on how to show up in its AI answers, and the short version is that it is the same work as normal SEO. The piece, credited to Google's Brendon Kraham, is called "Good SEO is good GEO". GEO means getting your site surfaced inside AI-written answers.
The summary comes from Alex Groberman, who walked through the post.
You do not need awkward content written for bots, artificial snippets everywhere, special AI text files for Google Search or random low-quality mentions sprayed across the web.
Same index, same systems
AI Overviews and AI Mode are Google's AI-written answers at the top of search. Google says they pull current information from its existing search index, and that its generative AI features sit on the same core ranking and quality systems as traditional search. So a page that can be crawled, understood, trusted and matched to what a searcher wants is still the job.
Google also pushes back on the shortcuts people have been selling for the past year. Per Groberman's summary, you do not need text written for bots, artificial snippets everywhere, special AI text files for Google Search, or low-quality mentions scattered across random sites.
That last one matters because Google does say its AI features can use information from across the web, including blogs, videos and forum discussions. Groberman's point is that a fake mention on a random page is not the same thing as credible coverage, customer proof or a page that already has authority on the topic.
What Google actually asks for
Publish fresh and genuinely useful content. Contribute something original. Show real expertise. Keep a good website experience. Keep your business information accurate on the platforms that matter to you. For a local business that means Google Business Profile. For an online shop it can include product feeds. Search Console and Merchant Center can show you whether the work is turning into visibility.
Why one page may not be enough
Google's post also covers query fan-out. A normal search may be one query, but a complicated AI Mode question can trigger several searches across related subtopics behind the scenes.
Groberman's example is someone asking for the best payroll software for a construction company with employees and contractors in multiple states. Google may go looking for construction payroll, contractor payments, multi-state compliance, pricing, integrations, alternatives and support. One generic page about payroll software will not cover that whole decision. A site with useful pages on each of those questions has more chances to be picked up while Google researches the answer.
If you own a small business, ignore anyone selling you a separate AI search playbook. Instead, write out the real questions your customers ask before they buy, and check whether you have an honest page answering each one.