For years, SEO has had one major protagonist: links. Earning high-quality backlinks has been one of the most effective strategies for demonstrating authority to Google and improving organic rankings.
Now, with the arrival of AI Overviews and AI Mode, the landscape is evolving. While links remain fundamental, everything points to brand citations and mentions gaining increasing importance within Google’s artificial intelligence systems.
Gary Illyes’ latest statements during Search Central Live Shanghai seem to reinforce this idea. “Buying mentions to appear in AI Overviews = spam” may seem completely contradictory to our thesis, but it actually reinforces it.
Just as we needed a link building strategy, we now need a citation strategy, because not every approach is valid. But the fact that Google is setting boundaries around this practice and giving it such a prominent focus confirms that, yes, it is changing everything.
If Google is fighting artificial citations, it’s because it considers them important
Google has explained that its spam policies also apply to attempts to manipulate AI-generated responses.
In practice, this means the company will target artificial citation patterns in the same way it has spent years fighting manipulated links.
Although many have interpreted this message from a negative perspective, it also provides a very interesting insight for those working in search positioning.
Google would not dedicate resources to detecting manipulated citations if they did not influence its AI systems.
It is exactly the same reasoning that we have applied to link building for years.
Citations become a new authority signal
Generative responses need to determine which brands deserve to be recommended.
To do so, they do not only analyse links, but also authority signals distributed across the entire web.
It is becoming increasingly clear that a brand that is repeatedly cited in specialised media, relevant blogs, studies, comparisons, or industry publications has a greater chance of becoming a recognised source for AI.
It is not simply about accumulating mentions.
It is about building a consistent digital presence that demonstrates a company is a trusted reference within its industry.
The brands that perform best in the coming years will be those capable of combining:
- high-quality editorial links;
- consistent presence in specialised media;
- natural mentions within relevant content;
- digital PR campaigns;
- continuous brand authority building.
Not all citations will have the same value
Google’s message also leads to another important conclusion.
Just as not all links pass the same level of authority, not all mentions will be equally valuable.
Citations obtained solely through automation or large-scale AI-generated content will become increasingly easier to detect.
On the other hand, mentions that appear within genuine editorial content, published on high-quality media outlets and with relevant topical context, will continue to provide much stronger trust signals.
The key will no longer be getting hundreds of mentions.
It will be getting the right mentions.
An opportunity to get ahead in generative SEO
The rise of AI Overviews is transforming the way users discover brands and businesses.
For years, the goal was to earn links that helped a page rank. Now, it will also be necessary to develop a strategy that increases a brand’s presence across the sources consulted by artificial intelligence models.
Google’s statements should not be interpreted solely as a warning against spam.
They also represent a confirmation that citations are becoming one of the most valuable assets for gaining visibility in generative search.
Companies that start developing a strategy based on natural editorial mentions and publications in relevant media outlets today will be much better prepared to compete in the new AI-driven SEO landscape.
Take the next step, we’ll support you
For years, we’ve helped thousands of brands build authority through our managed service.
Earning editorial mentions in relevant media outlets not only strengthens brand awareness, but can also become one of the keys to gaining sustainable visibility in AI Overviews and AI Mode.
With a dedicated SEO manager and a strategy fully aligned with your goals, adapted to your pace and project needs, with complete transparency and security, starting from a €500 investment.
