Introduction to Google AI Overviews
Google AI Overviews are a new feature that is being rolled out by the search engine giant. Recently, SEOs on social media have reported that recipe-related queries are triggering AI Overviews, which may indicate that this feature is now officially rolled out. Tom Critchlow, a well-known SEO expert, posted about this on LinkedIn, stating that he is starting to see AI Overviews show up for recipe queries and that they are "pretty good."
What are AI Overviews?
AI Overviews are a type of search result that provides users with a brief summary of a topic, along with links to relevant websites. They are designed to provide users with a quick and easy way to get an overview of a topic, without having to click on multiple links. According to Critchlow, each link in an AI Overview comes with a reason to click it, which makes them more useful than traditional search results.
Triggering AI Overviews for Recipe Queries
However, it appears that AI Overviews are not showing up for all recipe queries. Queries that use the word "recipe" or "recipes" still show the regular recipe rich results, regardless of the device used. On the other hand, queries that have a recipe intent but don’t contain the word "recipe" trigger AI Overviews. For example, the keyword phrase "chicken cordon bleu" triggers an AI Overview, while the keyword phrase "chicken cordon bleu recipe" triggers a regular recipe rich result.
Recipe Intent Screenshot
The screenshot below shows an example of an AI Overview triggered by the keyword phrase "chicken cordon bleu".
The AI Overview provides a brief summary of the topic, along with links to relevant websites.
Recipe Keyword Phrase
On the other hand, the screenshot below shows an example of a regular recipe rich result triggered by the keyword phrase "chicken cordon bleu recipe".
The regular recipe rich result provides a list of recipes from various websites, along with images and ratings.
Device-Specific Results
Interestingly, AI Overviews for recipe queries appear to be device-specific. While they show up on desktop devices, they do not appear to show up on mobile devices. For example, the query "Cordon Bleu" triggers an AI Overview on desktop, but not on mobile. Similarly, the keyword phrase "healthy dinner ideas" triggers an AI Overview on desktop, but not on mobile.
Keyword Phrase on Mobile Device
The screenshot below shows an example of a regular rich result triggered by the keyword phrase "chicken cordon bleu" on a mobile device.
The regular rich result provides a list of links to relevant websites, along with a brief summary of the topic.
Mobile Device Results for Query: Healthy Dinner Ideas
The screenshot below shows an example of a regular recipe rich result triggered by the keyword phrase "healthy dinner ideas" on a mobile device.
The regular recipe rich result provides a list of recipes from various websites, along with images and ratings.
Impact on Recipe Bloggers
The rollout of AI Overviews for recipe queries may have a significant impact on recipe bloggers. As more users rely on AI Overviews for recipe information, recipe bloggers may see a reduction in traffic to their websites. This trend may accelerate as more people begin to rely on chatbots like ChatGPT and Claude for recipes.
ChatGPT and Recipes
Chatbots like ChatGPT are trained to output plausible responses to user queries, including recipe queries. While they may not always provide authentic recipes, they can provide synthetic recipes that satisfy user expectations. The screenshot below shows an example of a recipe provided by ChatGPT for the query "chicken cordon bleu recipe".
The recipe provided by ChatGPT is plausible and may be useful for users who are looking for a quick and easy recipe.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Google AI Overviews are a new feature that is being rolled out by the search engine giant. While they may not be showing up for all recipe queries, they appear to be device-specific and may have a significant impact on recipe bloggers. As more users rely on AI Overviews and chatbots for recipe information, recipe bloggers may see a reduction in traffic to their websites. However, it’s worth noting that AI Overviews and chatbots can provide useful information to users, and may be a useful tool for those who are looking for quick and easy recipe solutions.