AI Overviews are eating Google search results. Here's how your small business responds.

Picture a Brattleboro cafe owner checking her Google rankings. When she Googles "breakfast Brattleboro VT," her site ranks second organically (below one competitor, above everyone else). She is happy with this. Her SEO consultant tells her the ranking is excellent.

Then she notices something strange. When she Googles "breakfast Brattleboro VT" on her phone, the top of the screen is occupied by a box labeled "AI Overview." The box lists three breakfast spots with descriptions, hours, and highlights pulled from various sources. Her cafe is not in the Overview. The first organic result (her competitor's site, ranked #1) appears below the Overview, which means it is below the fold on mobile (you have to scroll past the Overview to see it). Her own site (ranked #2 organically) is even further down.

She asks a friend to Google "best breakfast in Brattleboro" on their phone. Same result. AI Overview at the top (three cafes listed, hers not included), organic results below the fold. She tests a dozen variations ("where should I eat breakfast in Brattleboro," "cafe near me Brattleboro VT," "breakfast spots southern Vermont"). Many of those queries trigger an AI Overview, and her cafe appears in none of them.

She realizes that her #2 organic ranking is worth far less than it used to be. If customers see the AI Overview and click one of those three recommendations, they never scroll down to see her organic result. Her ranking is technically good, but functionally invisible to anyone who trusts Google's AI recommendations. The lesson is simple: ranking #1 organically is no longer enough. You need to be in the Overview, or you are below the fold on most mobile searches. And getting into the Overview requires the same optimization you need for ChatGPT and Perplexity: structured data, detailed content, trusted citations, and answers to the questions people actually ask.

A cafe owner in this position has optimized for traditional Google SEO (keywords, backlinks, fast site, mobile-friendly design). But she has not optimized for AI. She has no schema markup beyond basic LocalBusiness and her homepage copy is vague and fluffy. She also has no external citations on regional food blogs or tourism sites. Google's AI cannot extract enough detail from her site to include her in Overviews, so searchers who trust the Overview go to competitors instead, even though she ranks well organically.

This post explains what Google AI Overviews are and how they have changed search results in 2025, why ranking #1 organically no longer guarantees visibility (and what percentage of clicks AI Overviews capture), what Google's AI looks for when it decides which businesses to include in Overviews (and what it ignores), and what Brattleboro and southern Vermont businesses need to add or fix to show up in AI Overviews and stop losing traffic to competitors who are optimized for AI.

What AI Overviews are and how they pushed organic results below the fold

Google AI Overviews (formerly called SGE, Search Generative Experience) are AI-generated summaries that appear at the top of Google search results for certain queries. When you Google a question or a local search query ("best pizza Brattleboro VT," "where should I stay in southern Vermont," "plumber near me"), Google's AI synthesizes information from multiple sources (websites, Google Business Profiles, reviews, structured data) and generates a summary answer with recommendations. The Overview occupies the top 30% to 50% of the screen on mobile (and 20% to 40% on desktop).

AI Overviews started rolling out in mid-2024 and became widespread by late 2024. As of early 2025, roughly 40% to 60% of local search queries and question-based queries trigger an AI Overview (Google has not published official numbers, but third-party studies and testing suggest this range). The percentage is higher for queries that sound like questions ("where should I eat in Brattleboro") and lower for branded queries ("Whetstone Station menu").

What an AI Overview looks like and what it does to organic rankings

When a query triggers an AI Overview, the Overview appears at the top of the search results page. It includes:

• A short AI-generated summary (2 to 4 sentences answering the query).
• A list of 3 to 5 recommended businesses, websites, or resources (pulled from Google's index, Google Business Profiles, and other sources).
• Brief descriptions or highlights for each recommendation (hours, price range, key features, pulled from structured data or scraped from the site).
• Links to the sources (you can click to visit the business website or Google Business Profile).

Below the AI Overview, the traditional organic search results appear (the blue links ranked by Google's algorithm). On mobile, the Overview pushes organic results down. If the Overview occupies 40% of the screen, the first organic result (#1 ranking) appears at the 45% to 50% mark (below the fold on most phones). The second and third organic results are even further down. Many mobile users never scroll past the Overview. They see the AI recommendations, click one, and leave. Organic results (even #1) get fewer clicks.

For example, say a Bellows Falls bookstore ranks #1 organically for "bookstore Bellows Falls VT" (above all competitors). Then Google starts showing an AI Overview for that query, and the Overview lists three bookstores: two competitors from nearby towns, but not the Bellows Falls shop. The bookstore's organic ranking stays #1, but clicks from that query fall, because the searchers who never scroll past the Overview go to the businesses listed in it. The #1 organic ranking is worth less than it used to be.

AI Overviews favor businesses with structured data, detailed content, and external citations

Google's AI does not just pull from the top-ranked organic results. It synthesizes information from multiple sources and recommends businesses based on:

• Structured data (schema markup): Businesses with detailed schema markup (Restaurant, LodgingBusiness, LocalBusiness with service properties, Product markup, FAQ markup) provide more extractable information for the AI. Google's AI can pull hours, cuisine type, price range, amenities, and other details directly from schema.
• Detailed, specific content: Businesses with clear, specific homepage copy (not vague marketing fluff) give the AI more useful information to summarize. If your homepage says "we serve delicious food in a welcoming atmosphere," the AI cannot extract anything useful. If your homepage says "farm-to-table cafe, breakfast and lunch 7am to 3pm, $8 to $14 entrees, vegan and gluten-free options, locally roasted coffee," the AI can extract and cite those details.
• External citations and reviews: Businesses mentioned on trusted external sources (Google reviews, Yelp, regional tourism sites, local blogs, news articles) are more likely to be included in AI Overviews. Google's AI cross-references information from multiple sources. If your business is only mentioned on your own website, the AI has lower confidence. If your business is mentioned on your website, VisitVermont.com, a local food blog, and 30 Google reviews, the AI has high confidence and is more likely to include you.
• Relevance to the query: Google's AI matches businesses to the query context. If someone searches "vegan breakfast Brattleboro," the AI looks for businesses with vegan menu items or content mentioning vegan options. If your site does not mention vegan, you will not appear in the Overview for that query (even if you rank well organically for generic "breakfast Brattleboro" searches).

Traditional Google SEO optimizes for ranking in organic results (keywords, backlinks, site speed, mobile-friendliness). AI Overview optimization requires schema markup, detailed content, external citations, and answers to specific questions. A site optimized for traditional SEO but not for AI will rank well organically but get excluded from Overviews. Over time, this costs you 30% to 50% of your search traffic as more queries trigger Overviews and more users click Overview recommendations instead of scrolling to organic results.

Say a Putney farm store ranks third organically for "farm store Putney VT." The site has good traditional SEO (fast load time, mobile-friendly, keywords, backlinks). But it has no schema markup beyond basic LocalBusiness, the homepage copy is generic ("family farm offering fresh, local products"), and the farm has no external citations (not listed on VisitVermont.com, no reviews on Google or Yelp, no mentions on local food blogs). When an AI Overview appears for "farm store Putney VT," the farm is left out in favor of competitors with better schema and more external citations, and users click the Overview recommendations instead of scrolling to organic results. The fix is the work this post describes: full Store schema with Product markup for raw milk, eggs, and produce, a homepage rewritten with specific details (hours, product list, pricing), and listings on VisitVermont.com and a southern Vermont farm directory. That gives the AI what it needs to consider the farm for "farm store Putney VT" and "raw milk southern Vermont."

Why ranking #1 organically no longer guarantees traffic (and the math on how many clicks AI Overviews steal)

For the past 20 years, ranking #1 in Google organic results was the goal. The #1 result captured roughly 30% to 40% of all clicks for a given query (depending on the query type and competition). Ranking #2 or #3 was good but delivered far fewer clicks (10% to 15% for #2, 5% to 10% for #3). Ranking on page 2 was essentially invisible.

AI Overviews have changed this math. When an AI Overview appears, it captures a significant portion of the clicks that would have gone to the top organic results. Early data (from third-party SEO tools and case studies, Google has not released official click-through data) suggests:

• Queries without an AI Overview: The #1 organic result still captures 30% to 40% of clicks (traditional behavior).
• Queries with an AI Overview: The AI Overview captures 20% to 40% of total clicks (split among the 3 to 5 businesses or sources listed in the Overview). The #1 organic result (below the Overview) captures 15% to 25% of clicks (down from 30% to 40%). The #2 and #3 organic results capture even fewer clicks (5% to 10% for #2, 2% to 5% for #3).

This means that if your business ranks #1 organically but is not included in the AI Overview, you lose 30% to 50% of the traffic you would have received before AI Overviews existed. If your business ranks #2 or #3 organically and is not in the Overview, you lose 50% to 70% of your traffic. If your business is included in the AI Overview (even if you rank #4 or #5 organically), you capture more traffic than the #1 organic result that is not in the Overview.

Being in the AI Overview is now more valuable than ranking #1 organically.

Consider a hypothetical Wilmington ski lodge that ranks #2 organically for "lodging Wilmington VT" (good ranking, steady traffic). Google starts showing an AI Overview for that query, and it lists four lodges: not the #2 lodge, but two competitors that rank lower organically and have better schema and more detailed content. The #2 lodge's traffic from that query drops, while the competitors in the Overview gain. The owner's response should be to upgrade her site with full LodgingBusiness schema, rewrite her homepage with specific details (room count, amenities, price range, pet policy, distance to Mount Snow), and get listed on regional ski lodging directories, so the AI has a reason to include her lodge.

Mobile users rarely scroll past the AI Overview

On desktop, AI Overviews occupy 20% to 30% of the screen (annoying but not catastrophic for organic results). On mobile, AI Overviews occupy 40% to 50% of the screen (sometimes more for long Overviews with multiple recommendations). The first organic result appears below the fold (you have to scroll to see it). Many mobile users never scroll. They read the AI Overview, click one of the recommendations, and leave.

Roughly 60% to 70% of Google searches now happen on mobile (Google has stated this publicly). If 50% of queries trigger an AI Overview, and 60% of users are on mobile, that means 30% of all Google searches show an AI Overview above the fold on mobile (blocking organic results from immediate view). For local businesses, the percentage is even higher (local queries like "restaurant near me" or "plumber Brattleboro VT" trigger Overviews more often than informational queries).

If you are not in the AI Overview, you are invisible to a large percentage of mobile searchers (even if you rank #1 organically). This is especially painful for small businesses in southern Vermont, where most customers search on their phones (tourists driving Route 5, locals searching "near me" queries, people asking Google for recommendations while out and about).

Say a Brattleboro pizza shop ranks #1 organically for "pizza Brattleboro VT." An AI Overview starts appearing for that query and lists three pizza places: not the #1 shop, but two competitors with better schema and more Google reviews. If the owner tests the query on her phone, she sees the AI Overview filling the screen and her #1 organic result below the fold. Most users never scroll; they click one of the recommendations in the Overview. The way back in starts with Restaurant schema and menu markup. After that she rewrites the homepage with specific menu items and hours and asks customers to leave Google reviews.

The four AI Overview gaps that keep southern Vermont businesses invisible (even when they rank well organically)

Most Brattleboro and southern Vermont businesses have decent traditional SEO. Their sites load reasonably fast and have basic keywords and meta tags, and they rank in the top 5 or 10 for local queries. But traditional SEO is not enough to get into AI Overviews. Here are the four most common gaps that exclude you from Overviews (even when you rank well):

Gap 1: Missing or incomplete schema markup (especially business-type-specific properties)

Schema markup is structured data (invisible code on your site) that tells Google exactly what your business is and what you offer. It also spells out key details like hours, pricing, amenities, and services. Traditional Google SEO tolerates missing schema (you can rank without it if your site is fast and has good backlinks). AI Overviews require schema. Google's AI pulls details directly from schema to generate Overview summaries and recommendations. If your schema is missing or incomplete, the AI cannot extract enough information to include you.

Most southern Vermont businesses have basic LocalBusiness schema (name, address, phone) but are missing business-type-specific properties. A restaurant should use Restaurant schema (not just LocalBusiness) and include servesCuisine, acceptsReservations, menu markup, priceRange, and openingHours. A lodging business should use LodgingBusiness schema and include checkinTime, checkoutTime, petsAllowed, numberOfRooms, amenityFeature, and priceRange. A service business should use LocalBusiness with detailed service descriptions and areaServed properties.

If your schema is generic or missing, Google's AI skips you and includes competitors with complete schema.

For example, say a Townshend inn ranks #2 organically for "inn Townshend VT." The site has basic LocalBusiness schema (name, address, phone, logo) and no LodgingBusiness-specific properties (no checkinTime, no petsAllowed, no amenityFeature, no priceRange). When an AI Overview appears for "inn Townshend VT," competitors with full LodgingBusiness schema are the ones listed. Upgrading the schema (checkinTime: "15:00", checkoutTime: "11:00", petsAllowed, numberOfRooms: 6, amenityFeature: ["Free WiFi", "Free parking", "Breakfast included"], priceRange: "$$") gives the AI concrete facts it can pull, including for queries like "pet-friendly lodging southern Vermont."

Gap 2: Vague, fluffy homepage copy that provides no extractable details

Google's AI reads your homepage content and extracts key details to include in the Overview summary. If your homepage says "welcome to our charming cafe, where we serve delicious food in a warm, inviting atmosphere," the AI cannot extract anything useful. That sentence could describe any cafe anywhere. The AI skips your site and pulls details from competitors with specific, clear content.

Compare this to specific homepage copy: "Locally roasted coffee, breakfast and lunch 7am to 3pm daily, sandwiches $9 to $13, vegan and gluten-free options, free WiFi, dog-friendly patio, located on Main Street in Brattleboro." The AI can extract hours (7am to 3pm), price range ($9 to $13), dietary options (vegan, gluten-free), amenities (WiFi, dog-friendly), and location (Main Street, Brattleboro). This makes your business a strong candidate for inclusion in the AI Overview.

Traditional SEO tolerates fluffy copy (as long as keywords are present). AI Overviews reward specific, detailed copy that answers the questions users ask.

Say a Brattleboro bakery ranks #3 organically for "bakery Brattleboro VT," and the homepage says: "artisan breads and pastries, baked fresh daily with love and care, using the finest ingredients. Visit us and taste the difference." This is fluffy and vague. The AI cannot extract useful details (what are the hours? what do you sell? what is the price range?), so the Overview lists competitors with specific details on their homepages instead. A rewrite fixes that: "sourdough bread, croissants, scones, and pastries baked daily. Open Tuesday through Saturday, 7am to 2pm. Loaves $6 to $9, pastries $3 to $6. Vegan and gluten-free options available. Located at 123 Main Street, Brattleboro. Order ahead by phone or walk in." Now the AI has hours, pricing, and dietary options it can extract.

Gap 3: No external citations on trusted regional sources

Google's AI cross-references information from multiple sources before including a business in an Overview. If your business is only mentioned on your own website (and nowhere else), the AI has low confidence and is less likely to include you. If your business is mentioned on your website, Google Business Profile, Yelp, regional tourism directories, local blogs, and news sites, the AI has high confidence and is more likely to include you.

Many southern Vermont businesses have good websites but no presence on external sources. They are not listed on VisitVermont.com or in regional tourism directories. They have no reviews on Google or Yelp and have never been mentioned in local blogs or news. To Google's AI, these businesses are less trustworthy (because there is no independent verification).

You do not need dozens of citations. You need 5 to 10 high-quality mentions on trusted sources (VisitVermont.com, your local chamber directory, Google Business Profile with reviews, Yelp, regional tourism sites, a local blog or news article).

Picture a West Dover lodge that ranks #4 organically for "lodging West Dover VT." The site has good traditional SEO (fast, mobile-friendly, keywords, backlinks), but the lodge is only mentioned on its own website. No Google Business Profile, no Yelp listing, not on VisitVermont.com, no mentions on ski resort lodging guides or regional blogs. If the AI Overview lists three competitors that all have Google Business Profiles with reviews and listings on VisitVermont.com and regional ski lodging directories, the gap is obvious. Claiming the Google Business Profile, getting listed on VisitVermont.com, and reaching out to a Vermont ski blogger who covers southern Vermont lodging all give the AI independent sources to pull from.

Gap 4: No answers to the specific questions travelers and customers actually ask

Google's AI Overviews are triggered by question-based queries ("where should I eat in Brattleboro," "what's the best inn near Mount Snow," "pet-friendly lodging southern Vermont"). The AI looks for businesses whose content directly answers those questions. If your site does not answer the questions, you will not appear in the Overview (even if you rank well for generic keyword queries).

Common questions for southern Vermont businesses:

• Lodging: Is it pet-friendly? Family-friendly? What's included (breakfast, WiFi, parking)? What's nearby (skiing, hiking, dining)? What's the cancellation policy?
• Dining: What type of cuisine? Vegan/gluten-free options? Reservations required? Price range? Hours?
• Attractions: Is it accessible? Family-friendly? Free or paid admission? What's the best time to visit?
• Services: Do you serve my area? What's your response time? Do you offer emergency service? What's your pricing?

If your homepage or FAQ section answers these questions in plain text and in schema markup, the AI can extract the answers and include you in Overviews for those queries. If your site does not answer them, the AI cites competitors who do.

Say a Newfane inn ranks #3 organically for "inn Newfane VT." The site provides basic information (room types, photos, contact form) but does not answer common traveler questions (pet policy, breakfast details, WiFi availability, nearby attractions). An AI Overview for "inn Newfane VT with breakfast included" would list competitors that mention breakfast on their homepages and in schema, and leave this inn out because the AI cannot confirm breakfast is included. One paragraph on the homepage changes that: "all rooms include full farm-to-table breakfast, served 8 to 9:30am. Free high-speed WiFi, free parking. Pet-friendly (dogs under 50 pounds, $25 per night). Walking distance to Newfane Common, 15 minutes to skiing at Magic Mountain." Add amenityFeature schema (["Free WiFi", "Free parking", "Breakfast included"]) and petsAllowed: true, and the AI has details it can pull for "inn Newfane VT with breakfast," "pet-friendly inn southern Vermont," and "lodging near Magic Mountain."

What Brattleboro and southern Vermont businesses need to add or fix to show up in AI Overviews

If your business ranks well organically but does not appear in AI Overviews, here is the step-by-step checklist to close the gaps and start capturing Overview traffic:

Step 1: Add or upgrade your schema markup to business-type-specific schema with detailed properties

Check your current schema using Google's Rich Results Test (search.google.com/test/rich-results). Enter your homepage URL and see what schema Google detects. If you have only basic LocalBusiness schema (or no schema at all), upgrade to a more specific type:

• Restaurants and cafes: Use Restaurant or Bakery schema. Add servesCuisine (e.g., "American", "Italian", "Farm-to-table"), acceptsReservations (true/false), menu markup (with MenuItem properties for 5 to 10 signature dishes including name, description, price), priceRange ($ to $$$$), and openingHours.
• Lodging businesses: Use LodgingBusiness or a subtype (BedAndBreakfast, Hotel). Add checkinTime, checkoutTime, petsAllowed (true/false), numberOfRooms, amenityFeature (array of amenities like "Free WiFi", "Breakfast included", "Parking"), priceRange, and starRating (if applicable).
• Retail and farm stores: Use Store or LocalBusiness with Product markup. Add individual Product schema for key products (name, description, image, price, availability) and paymentAccepted properties.
• Service businesses: Use LocalBusiness with detailed service descriptions and areaServed properties (list the towns and regions you serve: Brattleboro, Putney, Guilford, Vernon, Windham County, etc.).

If you are not technical, hire a developer to add or upgrade your schema ($300 to $800 one-time). If you are comfortable with code, you can add schema yourself using JSON-LD format (paste it into your site's <head> section). Search "schema.org [business type]" for documentation and examples.

For example, a Brattleboro restaurant with only basic LocalBusiness schema could upgrade to Restaurant schema and add menu markup for 12 signature dishes (each with name, description, price, and dietary properties like "vegan" or "gluten-free"). That gives the AI menu details and dietary tags it can pull for queries like "vegan restaurant Brattleboro," "gluten-free dining southern Vermont," and "farm-to-table Brattleboro VT."

Step 2: Rewrite your homepage with specific, detailed, AI-friendly content

Replace vague marketing language ("we offer exceptional service in a welcoming environment") with specific, useful details that answer customer questions. Write 2 to 4 paragraphs on your homepage that include:

• What you are: Business type, location (town, address or landmark).
• What you offer: Specific products, services, menu items, room types, tour offerings (not generic descriptions, actual examples).
• Hours or availability: Open year-round? Seasonal? Days and hours of operation? Advance reservations required?
• Pricing: Price range ($ to $$$$) or specific prices for key items/services.
• Key amenities or policies: Pet-friendly? Family-friendly? WiFi? Parking? Breakfast included? Vegan options? Wheelchair accessible?
• What is nearby: Distance to Brattleboro, Mount Snow, Route 5, attractions, hiking, skiing (helps with regional queries).

Write this in plain, clear sentences (not marketing fluff). Use natural language (the way customers ask questions). The AI reads your homepage and extracts details to include in Overviews. The more specific your content, the more likely you are to be included.

Say a Putney farm store's homepage says: "family-owned farm offering fresh, local products in a beautiful rural setting." The AI cannot extract useful details from that. Compare a rewrite: "working organic farm in Putney offering raw milk, pastured eggs, grass-fed beef, pork, seasonal vegetables, and maple syrup. Open May through October, Wednesday through Sunday, 9am to 6pm. Farm stand located on Route 5, five miles north of Brattleboro. Farm tours available by appointment. Raw milk $8/gallon, eggs $6/dozen, beef $9 to $14/pound." Now the AI has hours, products, pricing, and location it can use for queries like "raw milk Putney VT," "farm stand Route 5 Vermont," and "organic farm near Brattleboro."

Step 3: Claim and optimize your Google Business Profile (if you haven't already)

A complete, optimized Google Business Profile is critical for AI Overviews. Google's AI pulls heavily from Business Profiles (hours, categories, photos, reviews, Q&A). If your profile is incomplete or unclaimed, you are less likely to be included in Overviews.

Go to google.com/business and claim your profile (or update it if you already claimed it). Fill out every section:

• Business name, address, phone: Use the exact same name, address, and phone number (NAP) as on your website (NAP consistency is critical for local SEO and AI citations).
• Categories: Choose the most specific primary category (Restaurant, Bed & breakfast, Coffee shop, Ski resort, etc.) and add 2 to 4 secondary categories if relevant.
• Hours: Add your hours (or seasonal hours if applicable). If you are closed certain days or months, mark it clearly.
• Photos: Upload 10 to 20 photos (exterior, interior, products, menu items, rooms, your team, completed work). Photos with people, products, or activity perform better than empty room shots.
• Description: Write a clear, specific 1- to 2-paragraph description (what you offer, hours, key details). Use natural language.
• Services or menu: If applicable, add services (for service businesses) or menu items (for restaurants). Include descriptions and prices.
• Q&A: Answer common questions (Is parking available? Are you pet-friendly? Do you take reservations?). Users can ask questions on your profile; answer them promptly.
• Reviews: Ask customers to leave Google reviews. Respond to all reviews (positive and negative). Google's AI weights businesses with more reviews higher.

A complete Google Business Profile signals to the AI that your business is active, legitimate, and trustworthy. An incomplete or unclaimed profile signals the opposite.

Picture a Londonderry ski rental shop with a Google Business Profile it has never optimized (no photos, no description, hours blank, no reviews). The shop ranks #2 organically for "ski rental Londonderry VT" but does not appear in AI Overviews. Updating the profile (15 photos of the shop and rental equipment, a description, hours, a list of rental services with pricing, and a few customers asked for reviews) gives the AI the information it needs to consider the shop for "ski rental Londonderry VT" and "ski rental near Magic Mountain."

Step 4: Get listed on 5 to 10 trusted regional and tourism sources

External citations on trusted sources increase your credibility in Google's AI. The AI cross-references your information from multiple sources. The more consistent citations you have, the more likely you are to be included in Overviews.

Priority sources for southern Vermont businesses:

• VisitVermont.com (the official state tourism site; submit a listing or update your existing one).
• Brattleboro Area Chamber of Commerce (or your local chamber: Bellows Falls, Londonderry, Wilmington, etc.).
• Windham County or southern Vermont tourism directories (regional sites that list lodging, dining, attractions).
• Google Business Profile (already covered in step 3).
• Yelp (claim your listing, add photos and details, respond to reviews).
• TripAdvisor (if you are a lodging business, restaurant, or attraction).
• Ski resort lodging/dining guides (if you are near Mount Snow, Magic Mountain, Stratton, get listed on resort partner directories).
• Local blogs or news sites (pitch a story about your business, offer a tour or tasting, or sponsor a local event that gets coverage).

Each listing should include your business name (exactly as it appears on your website and Google Business Profile), full address or service area, phone number, website URL, a detailed 2- to 4-sentence description (specifics, not fluff), hours or seasonal availability, and 3 to 5 photos.

Getting listed takes time (budget 2 to 6 hours to submit listings and gather content). But once listed, Google's AI can verify your information from multiple sources and include you in Overviews with higher confidence.

Say a Wilmington restaurant is not listed on VisitVermont.com or any regional dining directories. It ranks well organically but does not appear in AI Overviews. An afternoon spent submitting listings to VisitVermont.com, the Mount Snow dining guide, and the southern Vermont Chamber tourism directory, each with a detailed description (cuisine type, hours, price range, dietary options, location relative to Mount Snow) and 8 photos, gives the AI independent sources to confirm the restaurant for "restaurant Wilmington VT," "dining near Mount Snow," and "vegan restaurant southern Vermont."

Step 5: Add a FAQ section to your homepage that answers common customer questions

FAQ sections are gold for AI Overviews. The AI reads FAQs heavily because they are structured as questions and answers (which matches how users query Google). If your FAQ section directly answers a traveler or customer question, the AI is more likely to include you in the Overview for that query.

Add a section to your homepage (or a separate FAQ page linked from the homepage) with 6 to 10 common questions. Write the questions in natural language (the way customers ask Google or ChatGPT). Write clear, specific answers (2 to 3 sentences each). Examples:

For a lodging business:

• Are pets allowed? (Answer: "Yes, we welcome dogs under 50 pounds. $25 per night pet fee. Please let us know when booking.")
• Is breakfast included? (Answer: "Yes, full farm-to-table breakfast is included, served 8 to 9:30am daily.")
• What's nearby? (Answer: "We're 15 minutes from Magic Mountain ski area and 20 minutes to Brattleboro restaurants and shops. Hiking trails and swimming holes are 5 minutes away.")
• Do you have WiFi? (Answer: "Yes, free high-speed WiFi in all rooms.")
• What's your cancellation policy? (Answer: "Cancel up to 7 days before arrival for a full refund.")

For a restaurant:

• Do you take reservations? (Answer: "Yes, reservations recommended for dinner Friday and Saturday. Call [phone] or book online.")
• Do you have vegan options? (Answer: "Yes, we offer 4 vegan entrees and can modify many dishes to be vegan. Ask your server.")
• Are you kid-friendly? (Answer: "Yes, we have a kids menu and high chairs. Families welcome.")

For a service business:

• Do you serve my area? (Answer: "We serve Brattleboro, Putney, Guilford, Vernon, Marlboro, and surrounding Windham County towns within 20 miles.")
• Do you offer emergency service? (Answer: "Yes, 24/7 emergency plumbing service available. Call [phone] anytime.")

The AI reads FAQ sections and extracts answers to include in Overviews. If your FAQ directly answers the query, you are more likely to appear.

For example, a Brattleboro cafe could add a FAQ section to the homepage with five questions: "Do you have vegan options?" (Answer: "Yes, vegan pastries, avocado toast, veggie sandwiches, and oat milk available.") "Do you have WiFi?" (Answer: "Yes, free WiFi for customers.") "Are you dog-friendly?" (Answer: "Yes, dogs welcome on our outdoor patio.") "What are your hours?" (Answer: "7am to 3pm daily.") "Where are you located?" (Answer: "123 Main Street, Brattleboro, across from the Co-op.") Each answer is something the AI can pull directly for queries like "vegan cafe Brattleboro," "dog-friendly coffee shop southern Vermont," and "breakfast Brattleboro VT."

Step 6: Test your site with Google AI Overviews every 2 to 4 weeks and iterate

After you make changes (upgrade schema, rewrite homepage, optimize Google Business Profile, get listed on directories, add FAQ), test whether you appear in AI Overviews. Google your core queries ("restaurant [your town] VT," "lodging [your town] VT," "plumber southern Vermont," etc.) and see if an AI Overview appears. If it does, check whether your business is included.

Test variations of the query ("best [business type] [town]," "[business type] near me," "[specific feature] [town] VT" like "pet-friendly lodging Newfane VT" or "vegan restaurant Brattleboro"). Note which queries trigger Overviews and if your business is included.

If you are not included, check which competitors are included and what information the AI is pulling from their sites (hours? pricing? amenities? reviews?). Look for patterns. Are competitors mentioning specific details you did not mention? Do they have FAQ sections you do not have? Do they have more Google reviews? Do they have external citations you are missing?

Iterate. Add the missing details to your homepage. Expand your FAQ. Ask more customers for reviews. Get listed on more directories. Test again in two weeks. Over 2 to 3 months, you will close the gaps and start appearing in Overviews consistently.

Say a Bellows Falls bookstore is not appearing in AI Overviews for "bookstore Bellows Falls VT," and when the owner tests the query, the Overview lists two competitors. Both have FAQ sections and plenty of Google reviews, plus listings on regional tourism sites. The bookstore has a handful of reviews, no FAQ, and no directory listings. The to-do list writes itself. Add a FAQ (hours, parking, special orders, used books availability) and ask customers to leave Google reviews. Then get listed on VisitVermont.com and the Bellows Falls Chamber directory and test again.

Why southern Vermont businesses have an edge in AI Overviews (if they move fast)

Most small businesses in southern Vermont have not optimized for AI Overviews yet. They have traditional SEO (decent rankings, basic sites) but they lack the schema, detailed content, and external citations that AI requires. This is an opportunity.

If you are the first lodging business, restaurant, or service business in your town to fully optimize for AI Overviews (upgrade schema, rewrite homepage, optimize Google Business Profile, get external citations, add FAQ), you will dominate AI search results for your queries for the next 6 to 12 months (until competitors catch up). You will appear in Overviews while competitors (even those who rank #1 organically) are excluded.

AI Overviews are still new. Most business owners do not know they exist or do not understand how they work. The businesses that optimize now will capture early-mover advantage. In 12 to 24 months, AI Overview optimization will be standard (just like mobile-friendly sites became standard). The businesses that wait will be playing catch-up.

Picture a Brattleboro hotel that does this work early (Hotel schema with full amenities, a homepage rewritten with specific details, an optimized Google Business Profile, listings on regional tourism sites) while its competitors do nothing. Until the others catch up, it has the field to itself. Even after they optimize, the first hotel keeps an edge: more reviews, more external citations, and a longer history of being cited.

The bottom line: ranking #1 organically is no longer enough: you need to be in the AI Overview or you're invisible to 30% to 50% of searchers

For 20 years, the goal was to rank #1 in Google organic results. That is no longer enough. AI Overviews have moved the goalposts. If you rank #1 organically but are not in the AI Overview, you lose 30% to 50% of your search traffic to competitors who appear in the Overview (even if they rank #4 or #5 organically).

The good news: getting into AI Overviews requires the same optimization you need for ChatGPT, Perplexity, and other AI tools. Upgrade your schema markup to business-type-specific schema with detailed properties. Rewrite your homepage with specific, clear, AI-friendly content (not vague marketing fluff). Claim and optimize your Google Business Profile. Get listed on 5 to 10 trusted regional sources. Add a FAQ section that answers common customer questions. Test your queries, see if you are included, iterate based on what is missing.

The cost is low (upgrading schema and rewriting your homepage takes 3 to 6 hours, or $300 to $800 if you hire a developer; getting listed on directories takes 2 to 6 hours; optimizing your Google Business Profile takes 1 to 2 hours). The ROI is high (every customer who clicks your business in the AI Overview is traffic you would have lost to a competitor).

AI Overviews are not going away. They are expanding. Google is rolling them out to more query types, more locations, and more devices. Within 12 to 24 months, AI Overviews will appear on 60% to 80% of local and question-based queries. Businesses that optimize now will dominate those results. Businesses that wait will be buried below the fold, wondering why their #1 organic rankings no longer deliver traffic.

Your traditional SEO (fast site, good keywords, backlinks) is still important. But it is no longer sufficient. You need AI-friendly content, schema markup, and external citations to appear in AI Overviews and capture the traffic that AI is redistributing. The gap between traditional SEO and AI optimization is the gap between visibility and invisibility in 2025 and beyond.

If you do not have a website yet, or yours is too thin for the AI to read, a plain, specific one is the starting point. Our website for local businesses is $499 a year with everything included: six pages written for you from what you tell us (home, about, services or menu, the areas you cover, common questions, and contact), on your own domain with hello@ your domain forwarded to your email, with hosting, a security certificate, and backups kept current all year. Those pages give the AI exactly the kind of specific, plain answers this post describes. You also get a login to edit any text, price, photo or phone number on them yourself. You can see examples of sites, and when you are ready you can start your site here. It goes live as soon as it is built. If any answer on it needs adjusting for AI Overviews later, tell us and we change it. The rest of the checklist above (schema tuning, directory listings, your Google Business Profile, reviews) is work you can do yourself, starting today.