Back in September, we looked at how generative AI search may affect the way we write content in one of our blog posts. The AI landscape seems to have changed a lot in those few short months, and, on the back of Google’s recent I/O conference, more AI changes and updates are expected to be rolled out throughout the next year.
It’s no secret that AI overviews are set to transform the way that users search, but the question everyone is asking is will this be for the better? In our latest blog, we take a closer look at the impact of Google’s AI overviews and what this means for online users.
Changes to the search landscape
When the rushed release of SGE (Google Search Generative Experience), later renamed AI overviews, was rolled out, expectations were generally pretty low. This didn’t stop marketers, however, from predicting that this new feature would disrupt click-through data and we now have the figures to show that this concern was accurate. It’s reported that organic click through rates have dropped from 1.4% to 0.64% on average when AI overviews are present on the SERP. Of course, this is dependent on the query type.
Search volumes and intent have remained the same, but with Google’s AI overview now holding the top spot in search results and appearing in 42.5% of search results, this has led to something called “zero click searches”, where users no longer have to click through to a landing page to get the information they’re after with it now instead displayed at the top of the SERP page.
What does Google's AI overview mean for organic search?
It has been found that Google’s AI overviews mention the searched keyword around 5.4% of the time, which means that the search engine is focusing on context as opposed to exact keyword matches.
Google’s goal has been to improve the search experience, which means making it easier for users to find relevant and quality answers in as little time as possible. Google will generate an overview AI response to a query and then include links to sources it believes are the most relevant. These AI results don’t rely on a single source, but multiple different types of content to ensure accurate and relevant answers. On average, Google’s AI overviews pulled information from 4.5 different domains to generate a response.
It’s been widely contested that SEOs don’t need to be concerned about Google’s AI overviews, as content which ranks in the top 10 results has a higher likelihood of appearing in the AI overview, but this isn’t guaranteed.
Whilst AI overviews aren’t killing organic search completely, it is changing organic search as we know it. It’s important that, for SEOs, focus is placed on creating high-quality content which is more likely to appear in the AI overviews as well as on rankings.
Google’s view
Google has been trying to reframe the conversation surrounding it’s AI overviews, especially in the wake of industry data revealing large reductions in website traffic. Whilst Google executives haven’t commented directly on click volume, they have indicated that site visits which happen are of higher quality.
Studies have been carried out which show that AI overviews in search results receive fewer clicks on organic listings than traditional search results. When asked about this, Google took the stance that user behaviour should be addressed rather than specific metrics.
They say that users are now asking more questions, with the example that they’ll ask a question and get information and then go and ask another question, with the aim of refining their search and getting more information in the process. It is from here, Google believes, that users will then make a conscious decision as to which website they want to visit, therefore leading to higher-quality users.
How to get content to appear in Google’s AI overviews
There is one area of overlap between what helps content to rank highly on the SERPs and what appears in Google’s AI overview and, when SEO best practices are implemented in quality and relevant content, this gives your website a better chance of appearing in Google’s AIO.
Google’s official recommendation is to focus on website visitors and provide them with unique and satisfying content so that, as Google evolves, your site is best positioned to appear in both AI and organic search results.
Here are some ways in which you can increase the likelihood of appearing in AI overviews:
Think about search intent
Google’s AI overview prioritises content which directly meets user’s search queries, so make sure that your site content aligns with what users are actually searching for with search intent. Look at what type of content is already currently ranking for your keyword or term. If the other results are all guides or how-tos, then you know that the content needs to be in a similar format.
Focus on unique and reliable content
For many years, SEOs and content creators focused on what they thought Google wanted to see in an effort to secure top ranking positions. Now, however, the focus should be on making unique and reliable content which users will find helpful. With AI overviews, it’s been found that users are asking longer and more specific questions, so tailoring your website content to address common questions or queries should help position your site in a better place for both organic and AI search results.
Offering the same content as your competitors is unlikely to have any impact on your rankings, so instead discover what you can do to make your content unique. It might be including an expert opinion within your content or creating an original title or heading titles. Look at what is already ranking in the search results and ask how it could be better for users that land on your website.
Page experience
Even the best content is let down by poor user experience. If users arrive on a landing page which is slow, cluttered or difficult to navigate then they are unlikely to stay on your site. Ensure that you’re providing a good page experience for both mobile and desktop devices, with clear content that meets search intent.
Understand the value of site visits
As mentioned earlier, Google believes that clicks to a website from search pages that feature AI overviews are of higher quality, meaning that users are likely to spend longer on the page. AI overview results are said to have changed user behaviour and generated a more engaged audience, but if you are still focusing solely on clicks rather than the overall value of your website visits, then chances are that you’re misunderstanding what this means.
It could be that, with this change in user behaviour, the indicator of conversion has also changed. Whether this is leads or sales, email signups or longer session durations, clicks may no longer be a true indicator of your site’s conversion success.
The next phase of Google’s AI journey
In May 2025, Google held their annual I/O developers conference, where they announced another roll out of their AI technology.
This is in line with a “year-long makeover” of the search engine and its latest AI model, Gemini 2.5. This expansion of AI products is built upon Google’s transformation that started over a year ago with AI overviews which, according to Google, is regularly used by 1.5 billion people, with 136 billion monthly visits – eclipsing the use of leading AI model ChatGPT by 34 times.
It was previously predicted that Google’s AI overview would generate more searches, but in a study by BrightEdge, clickthrough rates have been shown to have decreased by 30% in the past year.
Conclusion
It’s clear that there is still a long way to go when it comes to navigating the balance between organic search and AI search, but what should be noted is that there is a definitive advantage in ensuring that your website content is up to scratch and best practices are followed so that you can see results in both AI and organic search. There’s no doubt that there will be changes to Google’s AI overview guidance along the way, so being proactive with your marketing approach is vital.
Both our content and SEO teams are on hand to provide you with advice and support with the latest Google updates, including how to improve your chances of appearing in Google AI overviews. For more information, get in touch with Formation Media today!
