Google changed their search page again: How AI Overviews affect your SEO and paid ads
Have you recently seen a drop in your organic traffic? There’s a good chance your business and services have been summarized by AI. Here’s what you need to know.
TL;DR for the busy reader
- Google’s AI Overviews (AIO) now show on a meaningful amount of search results, especially for informational queries. Independent datasets put AIO visibility around 10–13% with some markets showing higher visibility (Semrush; BrightEdge).
- When an AIO appears, fewer people are clicking on traditional links. In March 2025, users clicked an organic result about 8% of the time with an AIO vs about 15% without (Pew Research).
- Google says there’s no special markup for AIO and that any AIO or AI Mode clicks roll up under Search Console → Performance → Web. They also say AIO-page clicks tend to be higher quality.
- Ads can appear above, within, or below the AIO panel on desktop in the U.S.; you can’t target or report on AIO placements separately yet.
- Don’t abandon your traditional SEO. Extend it to “AI visibility.” Build your content with a people-first mindset, make sure your content is well structured, and locally accurate so you're more likely to have AIOs cite and link to your content.
Picture this: A Tacoma boutique launches a new line of linen shirts and searches “best linen shirts for summer.” Google responds with an AI summary outlining fabric weights, care tips, and “top picks,” citing much bigger websites and a Reddit thread. However... underneath all of this, the boutique's product page sits much further down the page. This is fast becoming a trend for many small businesses in the area. In fact, as of August 2025 AI Overviews are showing up on about 10–13% of searches and, when they appear, clicks to traditional search results are dropping from about 15% to about 8% (Semrush; BrightEdge; Pew Research). It seems that AI is coming for both our jobs and our customers.
Let's take a step back... what exactly are AI Overviews? Well, they are short, auto-generated summaries near the top of Google’s results. They answer what the customer is asking Google in a few lines and link to a handful of sources it finds useful so you can tap for more information. There’s also an “AI Mode” that opens a longer, chat-style view for trickier searches. The thing about these types of results are that there isn’t a special tag or file to force your way into the overview. However, there are a few things you can do to better your chances at getting into the AI Overviews.
Are the overviews worth it? How often does the AI Overview show up?
It depends on the query and who’s measuring it. At the moment, a safe range in the U.S. right now is about 10 to 13 percent of searches. There are some markets running a bit higher. You’ll see these types of results most on informational questions, with them slowly creeping into branded and commercial searches. Most AI Overviews fire on informational queries (about 88%) (Search Engine Land).
Why this matters for your business
- Being cited is beating out rankings. Having your site on the first page is not enough if your brand is not being cited in the AI Overview box (seoClarity).
- AI is favoring generic queries. “Best…,” “near me,” and “how to…” get summarized most often. you can easily win with more reviews, social proof, side‑by‑side comparisons, pricing ranges, and customer expectations when someone works with your business.
- There will be fewer sessions... but steadier leads. Make sure you prioritize tracking calls, form submissions, requests for directions, and checkout starts over the amount of website traffic you get (Google Search Central).
- Keep a single source of truth. Match details across your website, Google Business Profile, and Merchant Center (if applicable) so outdated third‑party info isn't being summarized.
- Pay attention to where people talk about your business. Forums, reviews, and community Q&A are often cited in AI Overviews. Show up, answer questions, and correct any inaccuracies you find.
- Make it part of your strategy. Do a monthly “AIO check” on priority keywords. If you're not being cited, update your pages to continue supporting your signals and do another check the following month.
Did you know?
When an AI Overview appears, zero‑click behavior jumps. Median sits around 80% with AIO vs around 60% without (Similarweb). If your brand is cited and linked inside the AIO, you can still win the attention game.
That's great to know... but is there special markup or way to get into AIO?
No. It's crucial to stick to the fundamentals in these situations: make your pages easy to crawl, use structured data that matches the words on your pages, and write helpful content with real data and social proof (Google Search Central). Keep your Google Business Profile up-to-date, and if you sell products, keep Merchant Center clean and up to date.
Fun fact: there’s no “AI Overviews” filter in Google Search Console. However, you can use Performance → Web, and track on-site signals like time on page, scroll depth, and leads for pages you expect to be summarized (Google Search Central).
In dealing with AIO, here's a simple playbook to help you start showing up more often.
Take questions your customers typically ask and make them into relevant content
Write down the top 25 questions customers usually ask you about your business. Put together a thoughtful answer or explanation for these questions. Then, expand them into guides, pros and cons lists, FAQs, and infographics.
Make your content easy to skim
Use short headings, bullets, and comparison tables. Keep one clear idea per section so AI can find and cite your content correctly.
Keep your website schema up-to-date
Add FAQ, HowTo, Product, LocalBusiness, and Review markup where it fits, and make sure it mirrors the visible text on your website pages.
Tidy up your local listings and product data
Keep Business Profile categories, services, hours, and photos current. For e‑commerce, keep product titles, specs, availability, and returns accurate in Merchant Center.
Earn mentions and build social proof
Partner pages, local press, chambers of commerce, and niche directories all help when building an online presence for AIO. Also continue building up reviews on your Google Business Profile and engage with your community on social media to show continual activity.
How does AIO affect paid ads I'm running with Google Ads?
Google is blending ad placements above, inside, and below the AI Overview. You still can’t target or report those placements separately, and ads served within AIO are reported as Top ads (Google Ads Help). The Google Ads auction isn’t going away anytime soon, they'll simple rebalance the search page so ads keep working while the AI Overview captures a user's attention.
What this means for your ads: On informational searches, expect fewer ad clicks. On shopping or brand searches, performance usually holds steady. Keep an eye on where your ads show on the page as the layout on the search page changes.
What you can do right now: Focus on the extra sales or leads your ads create, not just clickthrough rate. Use ad text and assets that answer common questions up front including pricing, warranties, turnaround, financing, and returns. If you sell products, keep your Google Merchant Center feed accurate so Shopping ads stay eligible and competitive. Use bidding that values real leads or sales, and maintain a lean budget for high‑intent searches.
Need a little help with all this? We can review which searches of yours are affected by AI Overviews, refresh ad copy around customer FAQs, clean up product data, and set up clear, reliable tracking so you can see which ads drive leads and sales. Just give us a message when you're ready.
Next Steps
Think of AI visibility as an extension of your overall SEO strategy. Your content marketing shouldn't change in light of AI Overviews: make sure you're answering real questions that your customer care about, show proof for why you're the expert in your field, and make it easy for both your customers and AI to understand what you're saying.
If you’d like help prioritizing pages, structuring answers, or auditing your local and product data for AIO readiness, we're always available to take a look and see how we can help. Send us a message and we’ll pull together the scope for an AIO + SEO plan tailored to your website and business needs.
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