Written content marketing, or “blogging”, has been the backbone of internet marketing since its very inception. By producing quality written content that answered compelling questions posed by potential customers, businesses large and small could generate new business by being at the top of Google search. Google on the other hand benefited (greatly) by advertisements placed on the search results page. This mutually beneficial relationship is significantly responsible for the internet as we know it today. But all that has changed….
In May 2023, Google introduced its “AI Overviews” feature as part of its broader push into generative AI search. These AI-generated summaries, which appear at the top of search results, aim to provide users with instant, ai-generated answers to their queries without having to click any links. This change has sparked serious concern among digital marketers, content creators, and SEO professionals, many of whom are now asking the same question: is this the beginning of the end for written content marketing?
The Role of Content Marketing
For the past decade or more, businesses have relied heavily on written content—blog posts, articles, guides, and landing pages—to improve visibility through organic search. The strategy was straightforward: create valuable content, optimize it for search engines, and earn clicks by ranking highly on relevant queries.
This model fueled a massive ecosystem. SEO agencies, freelance writers, niche blogs, and in-house content teams flourished. Traffic translated into leads, and leads translated into business. But the introduction of AI-generated summaries threatens to cut into that traffic, potentially bypassing the need for users to visit websites at all.
What AI Overviews Offer Users
AI Overviews is designed to give users direct answers to complex questions. It might combine information from several sources, distilling them into one digestible paragraph or bulleted list. This is particularly useful for quick comparisons, summaries, and broad “what is” or “how to” style questions.
However, AI Overviews doesn’t replace all types of content. It still pulls from human-written sources and is limited by the scope of its training and the quality of data it can access. Also, it typically doesn’t provide deep, nuanced perspectives, original research, or brand-specific narratives—things that high-quality content marketing excels at.
Not Quite the End of Content Marketing
Rather than marking the end of content marketing, AI Overviews likely signals a pivot point. The rules are changing, but the game isn’t over. Here’s why:
- Search Intent Still Matters: Users searching for quick facts or summaries may never have converted into customers anyway. These were often low-value clicks by casual browsers. The more serious and high-intent users are still more likely to engage with long-form content.
- Trust and Expertise Still Counts: When people need a reliable source, they still look for branded content, expert authorship, and in-depth coverage. AI Overviews can’t offer trust, authority, or human connection.
- Content Fuels the AI Itself: Ironically, AI Overviews depends on content marketing to function. It pulls from web pages, articles, and forums—all created by people. If everyone stops producing content, the quality and freshness of AI-generated responses will suffer.
What Should Content Marketers Do Now?
Rather than retreat, content marketers should evolve. Here are a few strategies to stay relevant:
- Focus on Thought Leadership: Create content that offers unique perspectives, insights, and opinions. AI can’t replicate original thinking.
- Prioritize Branded Search and Loyalty: Build relationships and direct traffic channels so you’re not fully reliant on organic search.
- Invest in Visual and Interactive Content: AI can summarize text, but can’t recreate compelling infographics, tools, calculators, or video content—yet.
- Target Long-Tail and Specific Intents: Get granular. AI Overviews often handles general queries well, but more nuanced or specific questions still require thorough content.
- Optimize for AI Overviews Themselves: Structure content clearly and offer concise answers that might be featured in AI-generated summaries.
Google’s AI Overviews is not the death knell for written content marketing—but it is a wake-up call. The days of easily rising to the top of search by simply writing a keyword-laden blog post are fading. What’s emerging is a landscape where quality, originality, and user value are more important than ever. Written content isn’t dying—but it is changing. Those who adapt will not only survive the shift but can use it to their advantage. If your small business is ready to take on this challenge, contact Blink;Tech today!
