How to show up in Google AI Overviews

AI Overviews and AI Mode are built from Google's search index, and for a local business they lean on its Google Business Profile: ratings, reviews and hours. Google says there is no extra trick beyond showing in Search with a snippet.

Last updated 25 September 2026

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An example with a made-up business, showing the kind of sources Google AI Overviews answers from.

What Google AI Overviews reads

Google AI Overviews

Crawler to allow: Googlebot
Limits quoting: nosnippet

Google's search indexTo be a supporting link, a page must be indexed and able to show a snippet in Search. Google lists no extra technical requirement.¹
Google Business ProfileIn BrightLocal's August 2026 study, Google's AI answers used the Business Profile for virtually every business checked.²
Place detailsFor restaurants and other local spots, AI Mode shows ratings, reviews and opening hours from Google's local business information.³
Yelp and other directoriesYelp was the next most used source for AI Overviews and AI Mode in the same study.²
Several searches per answerBoth features may run related searches across subtopics and data sources (Google calls it query fan-out) to build one response.¹

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Your checklist for Google AI Overviews

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Tick a step when it is done. Your ticks stay in this browser.

Verify your Business Profile and complete itGoogle's help says businesses with complete and accurate information are more likely to show up in local results.⁴
Set special hours before holidays and season changesGoogle names business hours, including special hours, among the details to keep up to date.⁴
Ask every guest for a review, and replyGoogle says more reviews and positive ratings can help your local ranking, and replies help you stand out.⁴
Show what you offer in photosGoogle suggests photos and videos to tell guests what you offer, and AI Mode's place cards draw on the same listing.⁴
Keep Googlebot able to crawl youAI Overviews follow your robots.txt rules for Googlebot, so a block there keeps you out of Search and its AI answers alike.¹
Skip the special AI filesGoogle says you need no new machine-readable file, AI text file or special schema to appear in its AI features. Plain markup that matches the page is enough.¹

Google AI Overviews: questions owners ask

Do I need llms.txt or special markup for AI Overviews?

No. Google's documentation says you don't need new machine-readable files, AI text files or special schema.org markup to appear in its AI features.

Why is there no AI Overview for searches in my town?

Google shows one only when its systems judge that it adds something to the normal results, so many searches get none.

Does blocking Google-Extended take me out of AI Overviews?

No. Google says Google-Extended does not affect inclusion in Search. It controls Gemini training and grounding in the Gemini apps; AI Overviews follow your Googlebot rules.

What is the difference between AI Overviews and AI Mode?

AI Overviews give the gist of a question on the results page. AI Mode is for longer questions and comparisons. Google says they may use different models, so they can link different pages.

Can I stop Google quoting my pages?

Yes, with nosnippet, data-nosnippet, max-snippet or noindex. But a page that cannot show a snippet cannot be a supporting link, so you would drop out of these answers.

Free tools and terms to know

Where these facts come from

To be a supporting link in AI Overviews or AI Mode a page must be indexed and eligible for a snippet; no additional requirements; no AI text files or special schema needed; keep Business Profile information up to date; structured data should match visible text; AI Overviews often don't trigger (last updated 10 December 2025)developers.google.com
Google Business Profile is the source of choice for AI Overviews and AI Mode, used for virtually every location; Yelp is second (published 26 August 2026)brightlocal.com
AI Mode shows ratings, reviews and opening hours for local spots from Google's local business information (May 2025)blog.google
Local results are based on relevance, distance and prominence; complete, accurate information, hours including special hours, reviews and photos helpsupport.google.com
Googlebot rules apply to all Google Search features; Google-Extended controls Gemini training and grounding and does not affect Search (last updated 14 July 2026)developers.google.com

See what Google AI Overviews would find

Google is where the free audit looks hardest: your listing, your rankings and your site's speed.

Try it free About the audit

It checks

Your Google listing exists, links to your website, names the right categories and shows your hours
Restaurants: dine-in, takeout, delivery and reservations are stated
Where you rank on Google for your own name and the searches guests make in your language
How fast your home page loads on a phone, when Google PageSpeed can score it

Then PlacePilot

Listing fixes stay in your hands: the report tells you which field to set in your Business Profile
The new site is built as fast static pages, each with a title, a description and the words guests search for in your language

Not checked yet: Whether an AI Overview appears for those searches, whether it cites you when it does and your photos on the listing.

Try it free