Optimising your website for generative AI features on Google Search

Google just answered the question everyone in digital advertising is asking - and if you work in the industry you've probably already had this conversation: Does SEO still matter now that AI is changing how people search? Google has just published a definitive answer, which is worth reading.

The guide to maximising your website for generative AI features released via Google Search Central, addresses a lot of noise that has built up around generative AI search. Terms like AEO (answer engine optimisation) and GEO (generative engine optimisation) have been circulating as if they represent an entirely new discipline. Google's position is more straightforward: the fundamentals haven't changed. Good content, clear technical structure, and genuine usefulness to your audience remain the foundation.

What's changing is the context in which those fundamentals operate. Google's AI features - including retrieval-augmented generation and query fan-out - still rely on the same indexed, crawlable content that SEO has always prioritised. The difference is that content now needs to do more to stand out: offering genuine expertise and original perspective rather than recycled information that any AI model could produce.

For IAB New Zealand members working across publishing, adtech, and media, this has practical implications. As AI reshapes how audiences discover content - and how advertisers reach them - understanding what Google is actually rewarding becomes more important, not less. The guide also does useful myth-busting, addressing tactics like chunking content for AI or adding llms.txt files, confirming these are unnecessary distractions.

You can read Google's full Optimization Guide on Google Search Central here.