Google’s AI Overviews are changing the way people interact with search results. Since the launch of these AI-generated summaries, fewer searchers are clicking through to websites. While this makes Google more convenient for users, many websites have seen a significant drop in organic traffic. In this post, we take a detailed look at the impact of AI Overviews and discuss what it means for your SEO strategy.
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What are Google AI Overviews?
Launched in May 2024, AI Overviews are a feature that displays an AI-generated answer above the traditional listings in search results. Essentially, Google collates information from the most relevant websites and uses AI to shape a coherent answer. Websites whose content is featured in the AI Overview are listed next to the answer, with clickable links to the relevant pages.
Where AI Overviews appear
While not every search features an AI Overview, the percentage is rising, up from 6.5% to 13.1%, for US desktop searches between January and March 2025.
According to Search Engine Land, 88% of AI Overviews appear in informational query results. The rest appear for commercial queries, with a growing number of Overviews for sectors like science, health, law, government, travel and people & society.
Consider other ways that users search. Read: The Impact of Voice Search on SEO and Content Strategy
How AI Overviews affect search behaviour
By providing users with quick, comprehensive answers, many people get the information they need without having to click through to another website. Known as ‘zero-click searches,’ they have raised concerns among website owners who worry about their impact on visibility and organic traffic.
Zero-click searches were increasing before AI Overviews were introduced – from 34% in 2017 to nearly 60% in 2024. According to SparkToro, in 2024, 59.7% of European Google searches resulted in no clicks, while a quarter of those who did click went on to visit another Google service, like YouTube or Maps. Only 37% of all searches resulted in a clickthrough to another website.
AI Overviews have made matters worse. A recent study by Ahrefs shows that when an AI Overview appeared in the results, clickthrough rates declined by 15.49%. Moreover, when both AI Overviews and featured snippets are displayed, CTRs drop 37.04%.
Discover other ways AI affects search, read: How AI is Transforming Search and Its Impact on Websites
Winners and losers
While many websites have seen traffic fall, not all websites are negatively impacted by AI Overviews. High authority websites are more likely to be cited and can benefit from increased visibility and links in the references. Though there is no evidence that citation leads to an increase in CTRs, Head of Google Search, Elizabeth Reid, claims there are other benefits to citation, including clicks of higher quality, with people spending more time on the sites. She adds that AI Overviews also show a greater diversity of websites, opening new opportunities for site owners, creators and publishers.
According to Amsive, searches that included branded keywords (i.e., where brand names are mentioned, e.g. new Apple iPhone) saw CTR increases of nearly 19% with AI Overviews, while non-branded searches (e.g., new smartphone) dropped by almost 20%.
Implications for SEO
Websites will need to adapt their SEO strategies to accommodate the changes brought about by AI Overviews. Based on the latest research, here are the most effective ways to help your pages achieve clickthroughs:
- Create AI-friendly content: You can improve your chances of citation by structuring your content with clear headings, bullet points, summaries and FAQs. This makes it easier for Google’s AI to parse and cite. At the same time, use structured data to help Google better understand your content.
- Optimise for E-E-A-T: Google wants to feature content that demonstrates experience, expertise, authority and trustworthiness. You can help with this by using named authors, citing sources and showing real-world knowledge.
- Target intent-related keywords: General questions are more likely to be answered fully by AI Overviews. By creating content that focuses on specific user intent, such as product comparisons or how-to posts, you are more likely to attract searchers who will click through for more details than provided by the AI.
- Aim for Featured Snippets: As Featured Snippets remain highly clickable, format content in a way that can result in a snippet. For instance, create listicles, how-to guides and Q&A posts.
- Focus on brand-building: As branded queries are less affected by Overviews, you can improve your CTR by increasing your brand awareness.
Looking to boost brand identity? Read: How Domain Extensions Affect Trust and Brand Perception
Conclusion
Google’s AI Overviews are causing significant disruption for websites. By providing answers to queries, fewer searchers are clicking through to the web pages listed in the results. While this will have an impact on traffic, there are ways to mitigate losses. These include optimising content for AI, focusing on content quality and EEAT, improving brand awareness and creating content that addresses user intent.
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