AI Overview: A New Era of Search Results
Google has been steadily introducing AI-generated summaries, or AI Overviews, at the top of many search results. These summaries are meant to quickly answer a user’s question by pulling together snippets of information from multiple sources.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai claims this feature boosts visibility for the pages cited within the overview, stating, “If you put content and links within AI Overviews, they get higher clickthrough rates than if you put it outside.”
However, a very different picture emerges when you look past the press releases and dig into real user data.
The Study: What 300,000 Keywords Tell Us
Thanks to new research by Ahrefs data scientist Xibeijia Guan, we now have a clearer understanding of what AI Overviews are doing to your SEO traffic.
Here’s how the study worked:
- Researchers analyzed 300,000 keywords from Ahrefs’ Keywords Explorer database.
- Half the keywords (150,000) triggered an AI Overview in the Google SERP.
- The other half (150,000) were informational keywords of similar intent that did not display an AI Overview.
Why focus on informational queries? Ahrefs found that 99.2% of keywords that trigger AI Overviews are informational in nature. These include queries like “how to start a garden” or “what is SEO”—the bread and butter of most content marketing strategies.
They then used aggregated Google Search Console (GSC) data to determine the average clickthrough rate (CTR) for the top-ranking page (position #1) on both keyword sets. The team compared CTRs for March 2024 (before AI Overviews were widely rolled out in the U.S.) and March 2025 (after the rollout).
Here’s what they found:
- In March 2024, before AI Overviews, the average CTR for position #1 on these keywords was 0.073.
- By March 2025, that average had dropped to 0.026 when AI Overviews were present.
To isolate the effect of AI Overviews, Ahrefs also forecasted the CTR without AI Overviews in 2025 based on normal traffic trends. That expected number was 0.040.
Comparing the actual CTR (0.026) to the forecasted CTR (0.040) revealed a 34.5% drop in clickthrough rate for the top result when an AI Overview was present. This isn’t just a rounding error; it significantly disrupts how people interact with search results.
If your content lives in the informational space, this data matters a lot.
Why AI Overviews Hurt Clickthrough Rates
So why are AI Overviews such a threat to traditional SEO?
First, their core design is meant to resolve a query directly on the SERP, without requiring the user to visit any website. The need for a click disappears if Google can answer a question immediately using aggregated AI-generated summaries.
These summaries are more comprehensive than Featured Snippets. Instead of quoting a single source, they combine information from multiple websites. That means even if your content is cited, you compete with many other sources for attention. Your share of the visibility pie becomes smaller and more fragmented.
Additionally, because AI Overviews often don’t follow the structure of your original content, context can be lost, reducing the persuasive power of your copy, CTAs, or internal links—tools that are essential for conversions.
The most frustrating part? You have no visibility in Google Search Console into how these summaries perform. Clicks and impressions from AI Overviews are not separated out. You can’t measure which queries are getting scooped by AI summaries, which pages are losing traffic because of them, or how much they impact your SEO ROI.
This lack of transparency creates a central blind spot for marketers trying to adapt and optimize in this new environment.
In short:
- Google is keeping users on its platform longer.
- Your ranking position means less than it used to.
- And you’re flying blind unless you’re proactively tracking SERP changes with outside tools like Ahrefs.
What This Means for Your SEO Strategy
It’s a hard truth: ranking number one no longer guarantees high traffic. In fact, it may not even guarantee meaningful visibility.
This change hits especially hard for businesses that rely on informational content to attract and nurture prospects through search. If your strategy includes the following, you are directly in the AI’s Overview line of fire.:
- How-to articles
- Step-by-step tutorials
- Educational blog posts
- FAQs and resource hubs
These types of queries are the most likely to be summarized by Google’s AI and the least likely to earn clicks once that summary appears.
The impact? Even though your content may still be ranking, it may be generating significantly fewer visits, resulting in fewer leads, conversions, and revenue. This is particularly dangerous for businesses dependent on SEO for consistent pipeline growth.
We’re already seeing this play out in client Search Console data: steady impressions, flat rankings, but a noticeable drop in clicks.
In other words, you’re showing up but not being chosen.
That’s why it’s critical to adapt your SEO strategy before AI Overviews become an even more dominant force in search.
Fox and Owl Marketing's Recommendations Moving Forward
The shift in how search engines present content means your SEO strategy must evolve, not just reactively, but proactively.
Here are our top recommendations for future-proofing your content in an AI-dominated SERP landscape:
A. Double Down on Branded Search and Loyalty.
Encourage users to search for your brand directly. Branded searches are less susceptible to being overtaken by AI Overviews and more likely to result in clicks to your site. Strong brand awareness also increases trust and click intent.
B. Own Your Niche With Topical Authority.
Search engines prioritize credible sources when compiling AI Overviews. Build your site into a go-to resource by deeply covering your niche with comprehensive, expert-level content that showcases your knowledge and earns backlinks.
C. Prioritize Formats AI Can’t Replicate
AI can summarize generic advice, but can’t duplicate your personal touch. Prioritize unique content like:
- Case studies with quantifiable results
- Customer success stories that include emotional and practical wins
- Proprietary data reports from internal research
- Localized content specific to your service area or community
These content types build authority and resist being cannibalized by AI summaries.
D. Track Shifts Closely.
You can’t manage what you don’t measure. At Fox and Owl Marketing, we monitor keyword rankings, impressions, and CTR shifts in tools like Ahrefs and Google Search Console to detect when AI Overviews appear for a client’s top queries. Then, we refine our approach.
E. Diversify Your Traffic Sources.
Don’t put all your digital eggs in the Google basket. Boost your resilience with:
- Email marketing to maintain a direct line to your audience
- YouTube for video-first visibility
- Social media platforms to build and nurture community engagement
These channels work synergistically with SEO and provide more control over your traffic pipeline.
Final Thoughts: Adapt and Evolve
Overviews represent a seismic shift in how Google delivers information and how users interact with search results.
This change is not a blip. It signals a longer-term trend in search: more answers directly on the SERP, fewer opportunities for organic websites to attract and convert searchers, and a growing reliance on machine-generated summaries over curated human expertise.
But here’s the opportunity: the businesses that recognize this shift early and move decisively will have an edge. They won’t just survive—they’ll lead. Investing in high-quality, human-centered content and diversifying digital touchpoints can build long-term visibility that withstands the volatility of AI-driven updates.
We stay on the cutting edge of these algorithmic and UX shifts at Fox and Owl Marketing. We work hand-in-hand with our clients to proactively adjust strategies, optimize content, and build trust that algorithms can’t easily replicate.
Because the future of SEO isn’t just about keywords and links—it’s about connection, credibility, and staying one step ahead.
If you’re seeing lower clicks or wondering how to future-proof your digital presence, we’d love to help.
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