Nearly Half of Tracked Google Queries Now Show AI Overviews, KL SEO Expert Warns
Google AI Overviews now appear in 48% of tracked search queries, up from 30% a year ago. This shift means nearly half of search results are no longer just traditional rankings. Only 17% of sources cited in AI Overviews also rank in Google’s organic top 10. Malaysian SEO specialist Terence Lim warns that businesses focused only on traditional SEO risk missing customers. He advises adapting strategies to account for AI-generated answers.
The rapid expansion of AI Overviews to 48% of Google queries fundamentally changes search. Ranking #1 organically now means less if AI systems do not cite your content. This creates a citation gap. Businesses must optimize for AI systems directly, not just traditional keywords. This is a technical shift, not just a marketing one.
For Malaysian businesses, this transition is critical. While 38% use AI tools, 67% rely on basic chatbots. Only 19% have a formal AI strategy. This suggests most Malaysian SMEs are unprepared for AI-driven search. They risk losing visibility to competitors who structure their content for AI systems. JinMatic's Terence Lim notes this gap for small and medium enterprises.
The thing to watch is how quickly Malaysian businesses adopt structured data and direct answer content. A technical SEO audit is a practical starting point. Expect a split between those who adapt quickly and those who lose ground in AI-dominated search results. The market will reward early movers.
