Remember when people actually clicked on search results? Those were the days. Now there’s a new sheriff in town, and it’s making websites everywhere feel the pain.
Multiple studies have confirmed what many SEO professionals have suspected for a while – Google’s AI Overviews are decimating click-through rates for both organic and paid listings. If you’ve noticed your website traffic from Google taking a nosedive since AI Overviews launched, you’re not imagining things.
Let’s look at what’s happening and, more importantly, what you can do about it.
Four studies that all say the same thing
Four different studies have now reached the same conclusion – AI Overviews are taking a massive bite out of website clicks. Here’s what they found:
Ahrefs study shows a third of clicks vanishing
Ahrefs analysed 300,000 keywords and discovered a 34.5% lower average click-through rate for top-ranking pages when AI Overviews appear, compared to similar informational queries without them.
Amsive reports double-digit CTR decline
Amsive’s research across 700,000 keywords in five industries revealed an average CTR decline of 15.49% for keywords triggering AI Overviews.
Their data showed something particularly interesting: non-branded keywords suffered most with a nearly 20% drop, while lower-ranking keywords (outside the top 3 positions) saw clicks plummet by 27.04%.
Seer Interactive finds organic CTRs cut by more than half
Seer’s study found that for queries where AI Overviews appear, organic CTR plummeted from 1.41% to 0.64% year-over-year – a stunning 55% decrease.
Even more alarming, they discovered that for queries where AI Overviews are present, paid CTR also declined significantly.
Similarweb data confirms the trend
Similarweb’s research (posted on Twitter/X) aligns with the others, showing approximately 20% fewer clicks on search results featuring AI Overviews:
The double whammy – featured snippets + AI Overviews
If you thought one zero-click feature was bad, try two. Amsive (mentioned above) found that keywords triggering both AI Overviews and Featured Snippets saw the largest CTR drop of all – a massive 37.04% decline.
With both these features appearing, there’s practically no organic listing visible above the fold, making clicks increasingly rare.
It’s not all doom and gloom
A couple of interesting bright spots emerged from the research:
Being featured in the AI Overview helps
Data from the Seer study mentioned earlier showed that when clients appeared in the AI Overview itself, organic CTR actually increased from 0.74% to 1.02%, and paid CTR jumped from 7.89% to 11%.
This suggests that while total clicks are down, the distribution of those remaining clicks favours sources cited in the overview.
Branded queries are somewhat protected
Only 4.79% of branded keywords triggered AI Overviews according to Amsive’s research. Even better, branded keywords that did trigger AI Overviews actually saw an 18.68% CTR increase.
What you can do about it
Don’t panic – adapt. Here’s what you should consider:
Double down on featured snippet optimisation
With AI Overviews here to stay, capturing Featured Snippets becomes even more important. They remain highly clickable elements on the page.
Create content with clear FAQ sections or list-formatted information to improve your chances of appearing in these snippets.
Focus on high-intent, lower-funnel queries
Those broad, informational, top-of-funnel keywords you’ve probably been focusing on are precisely the ones being cannibalised by AI Overviews. Shift your strategy toward mid and bottom-funnel queries where user intent is stronger and conversion likelihood is higher.
Strengthen your brand presence
Branded keywords are proving more resilient against AI Overview impacts. Building brand recognition means more people searching specifically for you – searches that are both less likely to trigger AI Overviews and more likely to result in clicks even when they do.
Optimise for AI Overview inclusion
If you can’t beat them, join them. Being mentioned within an AI Overview seems to improve CTR compared to just appearing in the regular listings below it. Focus on creating authoritative, factual content that Google might reference in these overviews.
Look beyond Google
With organic search delivering fewer clicks, diversifying your traffic sources becomes essential. Social media, email marketing, and even alternative search engines deserve more attention in your overall digital strategy.
Don’t navigate this new landscape alone
The search landscape is shifting beneath our feet at a pace we’ve not seen in years. What worked yesterday isn’t working today, and what works today might be obsolete tomorrow.
Seo strategy has never been more critical
With Google’s AI Overviews now slashing click-through rates across the board, having someone on board who understands these changes and can adapt your strategy accordingly isn’t just beneficial – it’s essential.
The opportunity hidden within the crisis
While many websites will watch their traffic dwindle as they cling to outdated tactics, forward-thinking brands will see this disruption for what it truly is – a chance to outmanoeuvre the competition.
The websites that analyse the data, adjust their approach, and implement new strategies will not only survive – they’ll thrive by capitalising on the opportunities that others miss.
Act now or fall behind
Don’t wait until your traffic has disappeared to take action. The brands and websites that keep pace with these changes are the ones that will make the most of the opportunity and avoid falling prey to the downfalls.
In a landscape where clicks are becoming increasingly precious, can you afford to navigate these choppy waters without expert SEO help?
