Observed Signal · May 27, 2025 · Technical Release · Source: OnlineMarketing.de · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Neutral
SEO Manager at Kicker on AI Overviews and Rankings
Simon Eberlein, the SEO Manager at kicker, explains how the publisher’s SEO strategy spans content optimization, metadata, internal linking, and performance analysis to ensure articles surface in search results. His daily routine combines SERP ranking reviews with technical checks, while long-range planning anticipates interest around events such as the European Championship and World Cup. The article notes that kicker rose into the top 30 of SISTRIX’s 2024 winners thanks to an expanded SEO editorial team, a bigger Audience Development unit, and early EM/WM content planning. It also discusses Google's AI Overviews and the broader shift toward AI-assisted search, warning that many AI results can be No Click, which makes high-quality content and strong brand authority essential. Eberlein underlines ongoing collaboration with editors to optimize headlines and structure for online discovery, and the importance of structured data, UX, and credible expertise.
Industry contextual discussion of AI Overviews and publisher SEO practices; not a major platform release or earnings event.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Simon Eberlein is the SEO Manager for kicker.de, overseeing SERP analysis, content optimization, metadata, and internal linking.
- Kicker was listed among the top 30 winners in SISTRIX's 2024 SEO Ranking.
- Google's AI Overviews were introduced in Germany and are visible for many search queries.
- AI Overviews can produce No Click searches, increasing emphasis on structured data, E-E-A-T, and site authority.
- The article illustrates SEO headline optimization with examples such as online vs print headlines for Juri Knorr.
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