Enhanced SERPs API: Complete AI Overview Data Integration Guide

New SERPs API Feature: AI Overview Data at Your Fingertips

As AI Overviews (AIOs) reshape the search landscape, we're excited to announce comprehensive AIO support in our SERPs API. This update enables developers and technical SEOs to programmatically access and analyse AIO data with unprecedented detail.

Our enhanced API goes beyond simple AIO detection, allowing you to capture the complete AIO ecosystem within search results.

The SERPs API tracks keywords and SERPs in countries with full AIO rollout to all users (no requirement to be logged-in to a Google account). For monitoring your AIO presence in emerging markets, use our early AIO analysis service.

Key Feature: AIO Expansion Support

N/B: Check our Global AIO Status Blog Post to see whether AIOs are available to all users in your country and language before making queries. We use anonymouse users not logged-in user accounts, so this service is only available in countries and languages where Google has completed its launch to all users.

To enable comprehensive AIO tracking just add this simple parameter to your request.

{

 "include_sge": true

}

This addition unlocks:

- Automatic AIO trigger detection

- Full expansion of AIO content by emulating user clicks on ‘Show More’ links and buttons and/or scrolling along carousels

- Comprehensive data capture

- Detailed positioning information – left/right/overlaid, x/y position, visible/hidden

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New JSON Objects for AIO Data

1. Generative Trigger Detection

"generative_trigger": {

   "1": {

       "page_number": 1,

       "visible": true,

       "markup": 1,

       "sub_type": "generate_button",

       "above_the_fold": true,

       "description": null,

       "top_left": "230,301",

       "bottom_right": "1905,2013",

       "type": "generative_trigger",

       "title": null,

       "url": null,

       "content": "Sample AIO content..."

   }

}

Three distinct trigger types supported:

- Auto-generated AIOs

- Generate button triggers

- Show more expansions

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2. AIO Result Types

Standard Links and Citations

"generative": {

   "1": {

       "page_number": 1,

       "visible": true,

       "markup": 1,

       "sub_type": null,

       "position": "right",

       "type": "generative",

       "title": "Sample Title",

       "url": "https://example.com"

   }

}

Specialised Content Types:

1. Carousels (Mobile)

  - Horizontal scrolling content

  - Up to 10 related pages

  - Sub-type: "carousels"

2. Citations

  - Source attribution links

  - Icon indicators

  - Sub-type: "citations"

3. Listings

  - Right-rail content (desktop)

  - Scrollable container

  - Sub-type: "listings"

4. Local Results

  - Business listings

  - Place information

  - Sub-type: "place"

5. Product Listings

  - Product grids and carousels

  - Variable layouts

  - Sub-type: "product"

6. Overlaid Content

  - Mobile-specific

  - Favicon-triggered

  - Sub-type: "overlaid"

3. Follow-up Questions

"generative_follow_up_question": {

   "1": {

       "items": {

           "1": {"title": "Sample question 1?"},

           "2": {"title": "Sample question 2?"},

           "3": {"title": "Sample question 3?"}

       }

   }

}

Understanding Result States

The API provides two critical result states:

- `universal_initial`: Pre-AIO expansion state

- `universal`: Post-expansion or standard results

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Implementation Guidelines

1. Billing and Resource Usage

- AIO-enabled queries currently cost the same as standard queries (but we may introduce a small premium to reflect additional costs of collection once Google has rolled out in more territories).

- If we make an additional charge then this will be reflected in usage reports and invoices

- Subject to market availability

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2. Priority Levels

- Initially available on Standard priority

- Higher priority support coming soon

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3. Best Practices

Query Optimisation

- Recommend 30-50 results per query

- Mimics natural user behaviour

- Reduces rate limiting risk

AIO Position Tracking Model

Our sophisticated ranking model prioritises:

1. Right-hand-rail results (1-10)

2. Citation order in expanded content

3. Left-to-right, top-to-bottom positioning

Looking Ahead

Future enhancements planned:

- Higher priority query support

- Additional result type support

- Enhanced performance metrics

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Resources and Support

- See our full SERPs API documentation and help article to get more details

- Sample code repositories

- Implementation guides

- Technical support contacts
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Tips for Success

1. Response Handling

  - Implement robust error handling

  - Cache responses appropriately

  - Monitor rate limits

2. Data Processing

  - Parse all result types

  - Handle missing data gracefully

  - Implement fallbacks

3. Performance Optimisation

  - Batch similar requests

  - Implement smart retries

  - Cache where appropriate

Ready to enhance your AIO tracking capabilities?

Get a free API key or contact our API team to discuss your implementation needs or request additional documentation.

Need to understand AIO impact before implementation? Check out our market-specific AIO analysis service.

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