What Kind of Content Gets Clicked in Google’s AI Overviews?
- Sabrina Bulteau
- Oct 20
- 3 min read
By PingPrime Editorial Team
Sources: Search Engine Journal – Roger Montti, October 17, 2025, Interview with Liz Reid, Google VP of Search, 2025.
Google’s Message: Depth and Authenticity Win
In a recent interview, Liz Reid, Google’s Vice President of Search, revealed new insights about how AI Overviews determine which content earns clicks - and which content fades into the background.
Her message is clear: Google now prioritizes content with human depth, expertise, and perspective, while expanding the definition of spam to include repetitive or generic information.
1. User Behavior Shapes What AI Overviews Show
Reid explained that user behavior actively shapes Google’s ranking systems. When people engage more with certain formats - short videos, forums, or long-form articles - Google’s algorithms adapt accordingly.
“We respond to who users want to hear from,” said Reid. “The system learns and adjusts based on how users act.”
👉 Takeaway: Monitor your audience. Experiment with content formats. Let engagement data - not assumptions - drive your SEO and content strategy.
2. AI-Generated Content Isn’t Spam - Unless It’s Shallow
Reid made an important clarification: AI-generated content isn’t automatically considered spam. What matters is quality, originality, and depth.
“AI-generated content doesn’t necessarily equal spam,” she said. “But we really want to make an effort that low-value content doesn’t surface.”
👉 Takeaway: Whether human or AI-created, content must provide authentic value. Use AI to enhance creativity - not to mass-produce mediocrity.
3. People Click on Rich, Human-Centered Content
When it comes to click behavior, Reid shared that users are drawn to richer, deeper content that reflects genuine human insight.
“People want content from that human perspective — what’s the unique thing you bring to it?”
Google’s data shows that AI Overviews generate fewer bounce clicks when they feature content that offers unique value and expertise.
👉 Takeaway: To earn clicks, don’t just inform — interpret, analyze, and personalize. Bring your human voice forward.
4. The New Definition of Spam
Perhaps the most revealing insight from Reid’s interview is that Google now considers repetitive or unoriginal content a form of low-value spam.
“We’ve expanded beyond the concept of spam to low-value content… content that doesn’t add very much or just tells you what everybody else knows.”
At the same time, Google up-weights content that reflects expertise, perspective, and craftsmanship.
“We’re trying to up-weight content from someone who really went in, brought their perspective or expertise, and put real time and craft into the work.”
👉 Takeaway: Invest in expertise and effort. The “copy-and-paste” era of SEO is officially over.
5. How to Rank Better in AI Overviews?
Based on Liz Reid’s insights, here’s what today’s marketers, creators, and SEO professionals should focus on:
Create Rich & Deep Content: Share original thoughts, data, and experiences. Avoid surface-level summaries.
Reflect a Human Perspective: Write like an expert, not an algorithm. Authentic voices drive engagement.
Demonstrate Craft & Expertise: Effort shows — and Google rewards it.
Adapt to User Behavior: Track engagement trends and adjust your format and tone accordingly.
Deliver Real Value: Always add something new to the conversation.
The Bottom Line
Google’s direction is unmistakable:Depth beats duplication. Authenticity outperforms automation.
In the age of AI-powered search, visibility will increasingly belong to creators and brands who bring true insight, craft, and human perspective to the table.
Sources:
Search Engine Journal – “Google Says What Content Gets Clicked On AI Overviews” by Roger Montti, October 17, 2025
Interview with Liz Reid, Vice President of Search at Google, October 2025
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