How Art Businesses Can Be Included in AI Search Overviews

Google is changing how people discover information online. If you’ve noticed search results starting to look more like summaries than lists of links, you’re seeing what Google calls AI Overviews – and they’re reshaping online visibility in a major way.

These AI-generated summaries sit above or beside traditional search results and often take up a large portion of the screen – up to 67% of the visible area on some devices. If your gallery, art fair, museum or foundation isn’t showing up in these summaries, you’re losing out on visibility, clicks, and authority.

Here’s what art professionals need to know – and what you can do.

1. What Are AI Overviews, and Why Should You Care?

AI Overviews are short, automated summaries generated by Google in response to questions. They pull information from high-performing pages across the internet – often from the top 10–12 results. These overviews usually feature a few cited sources, and if your business isn’t one of them, you’re missing out on prime placement.

This matters because fewer people are scrolling past these summaries. If a potential buyer searches “how to authenticate a painting” or “what is a catalogue raisonné,” and your business isn’t mentioned, a competitor might be.

2. How to Identify the Appropriate Queries for Your Business

You don’t need to be an SEO expert to start identifying opportunities. Focus on these three types of searches:

Informational queries – e.g., “how to ship art internationally”

Transactional queries – e.g., “buy contemporary South African art”

Navigational queries – e.g., “Artfundi art management platform”

What you can do:

Use Google Search Console to see what terms people already use to find your site.

Free tools like AnswerThePublic or AlsoAsked can show question-style searches people are typing into Google.

Look for gaps – questions your site could answer better or more clearly.

3. Create Content That AI Overviews Prefer

Google prefers clear, structured, and concise content. That doesn’t mean it should be bland – but it does mean it should be easy to understand quickly.

Simple content improvements that help:

Start pages with a 3-bullet summary that answers the key question.

Use step-by-step guides or checklists (e.g., “5 Steps to Photographing Art for an Online Catalogue”).

Keep sentences short and avoid jargon. Tools like Hemingway Editor help you simplify language.

Regularly updating your content also helps – Google favours fresh and relevant information.

4. Pick the Right Topics and Keywords

Don’t chase high-traffic keywords only. Instead, target specific, lower-competition questions your audience actually cares about.

Smart targeting tips:

Focus on long-tail questions like “how to value an estate art collection” rather than broad terms like “art valuation”.

Think about mid-funnel and bottom-funnel topics – not just educational content, but queries that suggest the user is ready to act.

Avoid just chasing volume – relevance and authority matter more for AI Overviews.

5. SEO Basics Still Matter

You don’t need a full-time SEO team, but the technical health of your website plays a role. Some essentials:

Make sure your website is mobile-friendly and loads quickly.

Use schema markup (especially for FAQs, How-To articles, and videos).

Highlight author expertise and link to reputable sources when making claims.

If you’re not sure whether your site is technically sound, Artfundi can audit it for you.

6. Track Whether You’re Being Cited

Treat AI Overviews like another form of search ranking. Here’s how to know if you’re showing up:

Use tools like Semrush or Advanced Web Ranking to monitor mentions.

Watch for changes in branded searches on Google Trends after content updates.

Set goals for your team, like increasing “AI overview mentions” or “brand search volume.”

If this sounds technical, don’t worry – we can help set up these tools.

7. Is Video Worth It? Yes.

Google increasingly pulls video content – especially from YouTube – into AI Overviews. If you’re not using video, now’s the time.

Quick wins:

Record short, educational videos – like “how to pack a painting for shipping.”

Post them on YouTube and use Video Schema on your site to help Google index them.

Repurpose that same video for TikTok or Instagram Reels. Even TikToks have been showing up in search results.

Just make sure videos don’t slow down your website – use lazy loading to delay playback until the viewer clicks.

8. Can Smaller Art Businesses Compete? Yes – And Here’s How

Google doesn’t just favour big brands. In fact, AI Overviews are increasingly pulling content from local and niche sources when the context is relevant.

Here’s how to compete:

Make sure your Google Business Profile is complete and up to date on Google Search Console

Collect and respond to customer reviews regularly on Capterra and similar comparison review sites.

Engage in relevant online forums or communities – mentions on Reddit or Quora can signal credibility.

Write and publish timely, current, and engaging content to highlight your expertise using the EEAT formula (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness & Trustworthiness)

9. Align Internally – and Keep Testing

If you work with a team or agency, make sure everyone is aligned:

Share insights between marketing, content, PR, and digital teams.

Set new KPIs beyond traffic – track your mentions in AI Overviews.

Treat your content as a work in progress. Test different formats, monitor results, and adjust.

Next Steps

AI Overviews aren’t going away. They’re part of Google’s shift toward summarizing information for users instead of simply listing it.

That’s a challenge – but also an opportunity. If you write clearly, target the right topics, and keep your site in good shape, your business can earn valuable visibility that competitors might miss.

If you’d like help evaluating your site’s AI visibility or setting up your tracking tools, Artfundi can support you. Reach out to discuss how we can help you claim your spot in next-generation search.