Google is updating the display of AI Overviews for brand searches on desktop. Rather than showing the AI summary above the regular search results, it is now appearing in the right-hand column of the screen for an increasing number of brand names. This means the AI overview is taking the place of the traditional Google Knowledge Panel.
With this move, Google is responding to widespread criticism that brand websites were being pushed down on desktop by large AI blocks at the top of the search page.
Why this layout change matters
Previously, a user searching for your brand name would first see an AI Overview above the organic search results. As a result, your official website quickly slipped out of the visitor’s view. By moving the AI Overview to the right-hand column, the top position in the main column is once again directly reserved for your own website.
At the same time, the role of the sidebar is changing dramatically:
- From static data to AI synthesis: Where the Knowledge Panel previously displayed mainly fixed company details (such as address, opening hours, or Wikipedia information), Google now generates a dynamic AI summary based on sources from across the web.
- Direct impact on your brand image: Visitors searching for your brand will see at a glance on the right-hand side how AI summarises your company, services, and reputation.
- Third-party citations: External links are displayed within the AI block in the right-hand column. If Google cites articles or comparison sites there, those will help shape the initial impression a potential customer gets of you.
What does this mean for you?
This adjustment calls for a targeted look at your brand visibility within AI search engines:
- Check your brand display on desktop: Search for your own brand name in Google and see what appears in the right-hand column. Ensure that the facts, services, and cited sources are accurate.
- Work on brand consistency beyond your own site: Because Google compiles the AI summary in the sidebar using information from across the web, up-to-date listings on industry platforms, news sources, and review sites are more important than ever.
- Make the most of your top organic position: Your own brand website is immediately visible and clickable again in the main column. Ensure your brand page is fully aligned with the visitor’s intent.
Source: Search Engine Roundtable
