Digital Marketing Reads: Volume 32

Here’s the latest instalment of Digital Marketing Reads, a roundup of some of the more interesting articles we’ve read lately in the digital marketing world. Missed the last one? Read Volume 31.

Google AI Overview Citations From Top-Ranking Pages Drop Sharply

A new Ahrefs study found that only 38% of the pages cited in Google’s AI Overviews come from the top 10 search results, a sharp drop from 76% in a similar study last year.

Many AI citations now come from pages that rank much lower or do not rank in the top 100 results at all. This may be because Google breaks searches into several related sub-questions and pulls information from a wider range of sources, rather than relying only on the highest-ranking pages.

The study also found that YouTube is being cited more often, accounting for 5.6% of all AI Overview citations.

Overall, the findings suggest that ranking highly for a single keyword may matter less than covering related topics comprehensively across multiple platforms.

5 Key Enterprise SEO And AI Trends For 2026

Enterprise SEO is evolving quickly as people search across multiple platforms, including AI tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity, rather than relying on Google alone.

This shift means brands need to focus on “search everywhere optimisation”, making sure their content can be discovered and cited across both traditional search engines and AI systems. Strong SEO foundations such as technical site health, clear content structure and high-quality information are still critical because they help AI systems understand and trust a brand’s content.

The article emphasises the growing importance of original insights, multimedia content and strong brand reputation, since AI tools are more likely to reference trusted sources with unique perspectives. It also highlights that automation is becoming essential for large organisations to manage SEO and AI visibility at scale.

For businesses, the key takeaway is that success in search will increasingly depend on building authority, publishing valuable content across formats and platforms, and making sure their brand is recognised as a trustworthy source online.

The complete guide to topic clusters and pillar pages for SEO

Note: this lengthy article is an SEO encyclopedia of sorts, so we recommend you bookmark it and refer back to it as you’re optimising your site.

Topic clusters are a modern SEO strategy that organises content around a main topic and several related subtopics, rather than creating separate pages for individual keywords. This approach helps search engines understand a site’s expertise and often leads to stronger rankings, with clustered content driving more traffic and lasting longer in search results than standalone posts.

A typical structure includes a pillar page that covers the main topic and links to supporting articles that explore specific questions or angles in more detail. Strong internal linking and thorough coverage signal authority to search engines and can also keep visitors engaged longer on a site.

The guide also stresses the importance of regularly updating and maintaining these clusters so content stays relevant and competitive. For businesses, this strategy can help turn content into a long-term asset that builds authority, attracts more qualified traffic and supports conversions over time.

Rock Solid Marketing helps businesses in Mildura and across Sunraysia with SEO and web design. Contact us to talk about your website or your search plan.