How Google AI Overviews Are Changing Website Traffic

Introduction

Have you noticed your website traffic going down, even though you’re doing everything right? You’re posting helpful content, using keywords, and following all the SEO rules… but still, the numbers keep dropping. If that sounds familiar, you’re definitely not the only one. Many bloggers, small business owners, and marketers are seeing the same thing. So what’s going on?

A big reason behind this sudden traffic drop is something called Google AI Overviews (previously known as Search Generative Experience or SGE). Google has introduced a new feature that displays AI-generated responses at the top of search results. Because of this, many websites that used to get regular traffic are now finding it hard to stay visible and get clicks.

In this simple guide, we’ll explain:

• Understanding Google’s AI Overviews and how they function
• Why are these leading to a decline in website clicks?
• What you can do to adjust and stay ahead
• And how to bring back your traffic (and even grow it) in this new AI-powered search world

Let’s get started and decide how to go.

1. What Are Google AI Overviews?

Short, witty responses known as Google AI Overviews are now frequently displayed at the top of search results. Instead of just showing a list of websites like before, Google now gives you a quick summary of the answer right there on the page, often with a few links or sources below it. This new feature started in the U.S. around May 2024, and by the end of the year, it had reached many other countries too. It’s powered by Google’s Gemini AI, which reads different websites and creates a short paragraph that sounds clear and reliable.

Right now, AI Overviews appear in around 35% to 56% of searches where people are asking for information. For example, if someone types “What is content marketing?” or “How can I make my Wi-Fi faster?”, Google may show the full answer in the AI Overview—so people don’t even need to click on any website. Because of this, many websites are getting fewer visitors, especially from these kinds of simple questions. The answer is already there, so users are no longer visiting the sites that used to get that traffic.

Google officially launched the AI Overviews feature in May 2024. You can read the original announcement blog here to understand more about how this feature works in detail.

2. How Search Behavior Is Changing

A) Welcome to Zero-Click Searches

The emergence of zero-click searches is one of the biggest changes brought forth by AI Overviews. These happen when a user’s question is answered directly on the search page, so they don’t need to click on any website link. In 2023, zero-click searches were already around 56%. But by mid-2025, that number jumped to 69%. That’s a huge deal. It means nearly 7 out of 10 users are now getting what they need without ever visiting your site.

News and media websites, in particular, have been hit hard. Some estimates suggest they’ve lost over 600 million organic clicks in the past year alone. Other industries have also seen their click-through rates (CTR) drop by 25–37%, even if their rankings haven’t changed.

B) Smaller Sites Are Losing Out Too

You might think this only affects giant websites, but smaller bloggers and niche publishers are also taking a hit. If your site focuses on tutorials, tips, or long-tail queries, chances are you’ve already seen a decline in your numbers. Reports show that sites in finance, health, travel, and DIY niches are experiencing traffic drops between 30% and 70%. Some bloggers on platforms like Reddit have shared stories of losing half their traffic overnight, just from the rollout of AI summaries.

C) Rankings Don’t Equal Clicks Anymore

Even if your website is ranking on page one of Google, it might be pushed below the fold, meaning users don’t see it unless they scroll. AI Overviews now take up the most prominent space, above even ads and featured snippets. A study revealed that the presence of AI Overviews led to a 34.5% decrease in click-through rates for top-ranking results. Even websites ranked in the top 3 positions lost up to 27% of their organic clicks. That’s a major visibility issue, and it’s changing how SEO works.

3. Why Google Introduced AI Overviews

A) Prioritizing Fast, Complete Answers

Google claims that the goal behind AI Overviews is to provide users with quick, accurate, and complete answers, especially for complex, multi-step questions. Instead of clicking through multiple websites, users get the full picture in one box. From a user standpoint, that’s convenient. But for content creators, it means fewer opportunities to engage readers, build trust, and drive conversions. Your hard-earned traffic is often intercepted before it reaches your site.

B) Google’s Own Interests Are Involved

Let’s not forget—Google is also a business. By keeping users on its own platform longer, it increases ad views, improves control over the experience, and reduces dependency on external content. While Google says some AI Overview links get more engagement, the numbers tell a different story. Out of the top 50 online publishers, 37 have experienced a major drop in traffic. The European Union is even investigating whether this violates competition laws.

At the same time, Google is experimenting with “Ad Offerwalls”—a new monetization model aimed at appeasing frustrated publishers. But until such solutions are fully implemented, most websites are left scrambling.

4. The Real‑World Impact on Site Traffic

A) Organic Visibility Is Shrinking

Because AI Overviews now dominate the top part of the search results, traditional organic listings are being pushed downward. In many cases, even if you’re ranked #1, your link might appear so far down that it gets lost in the scroll. This “visibility drop” means fewer users actually see your link, resulting in fewer visits, fewer leads, and fewer conversions, even though your content is still technically ranking well.

B) Industries Taking the Hardest Hits

While almost all sectors are feeling the pressure, certain industries are being hit especially hard:

• News & Media: Traffic losses between 30%–55%
• Finance, Travel, Health: Up to 70% drop in some cases
• Affiliate Blogs: Lower clicks = lower commissions

If your website answers questions, explains concepts, or teaches skills, it’s more likely to be replaced by an AI summary.

C) Smaller Traffic, Higher Quality?

Interestingly, there is a silver lining. Some analytics show that users who do click through AI Overviews tend to be more engaged. Their conversion rate may be up to 4x higher than the average visitor. So while total traffic might decline, the quality of leads could improve—if your content is tailored for action and trust.

5. Smart Strategies to Survive and Thrive

If your website traffic is going down because of Google AI Overviews, you’re definitely not alone—but the good news is, you’re not stuck. This isn’t the end of the road. With a few smart changes, you can adapt to this new AI-driven search world and come out even stronger. Below are five easy-to-follow but powerful strategies that will help you protect your site, reconnect with your audience, and grow your business.

5.1. Optimize for AI Overviews (AEO)

These days, it’s not just about ranking on page one—it’s about getting featured in Google’s new AI summary box. Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) can help with it. It’s a fresh approach to content writing that helps AI understand your content better so it can be included in those quick answers at the top of search results.

Here’s how you can do that:

• Start each blog post or main page with a short 40 to 60-word answer to the main question or keyword you’re targeting
• Use clear subheadings to organize your content
• Add helpful bullet points, numbered lists, and schema markup like FAQPage, HowTo, or Article
• Write simply and organically, as though you were describing something to a friend.

When your content is well-structured and easy for AI to scan, you increase your chances of being selected as a trusted source.

5.2. Add Real Depth and Personal Touch

AI is great at collecting facts from across the internet, but what it can’t do is tell your story or share your experiences. That’s your superpower. This is the perfect time to go beyond generic content and give your audience something truly personal and valuable. The more real and relatable your content feels, the more people will trust and connect with it.

Here are a few ideas:

• Tell personal stories or give real examples from your work, business, or clients
• Add tools like downloadable templates, checklists, or step-by-step guides
  
• Make use of visuals such as podcasts, infographics, and even audio snippets.
  

When your content has heart and personality, readers will stay longer and are more likely to come back.

5.3. Focus on E‑E‑A‑T: Build Strong Trust

Google’s focus on Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T) hasn’t changed—and in fact, it’s become even more important with AI summaries becoming the norm. If Google is going to pull content from your site, it needs to believe your information is accurate, reliable, and coming from someone who knows what they’re talking about.

To boost your E-E-A-T:

• Make sure your content is written (or reviewed) by someone with real experience or credentials
  
• Include an author bio with a name, photo, and a short intro
• Link to trusted sources—like research studies, well-known news sites, or official pages
• Don’t try to trick Google with keyword stuffing. Just write for real people
  

When your content shows genuine authority and trust, it’s more likely to be highlighted in AI results—and more appreciated by your visitors, too.

5.4. Don’t Rely Only on Google

If your entire strategy depends on Google search traffic, you’re always just one update away from a major setback. That’s why smart businesses are now looking at other ways to grow their audience. By building traffic from multiple platforms, you protect your brand and create more stable, long-term growth.

Here’s how to do that:

• Share your content regularly on platforms like YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, or TikTok
  
• Start an email newsletter so you can talk directly to your audience
• Create a tiny online community using Discord, WhatsApp, or Facebook Groups.
  
• If you have the budget, try paid ads or work with influencers to promote your brand

When your traffic comes from different places, you’re no longer at the mercy of just one platform, and your business becomes much more resilient.

5.5. Improve Your Conversions

Even if you’re getting fewer visitors, that doesn’t mean your revenue has to go down. In fact, if you focus on turning those visitors into leads, customers, or subscribers, you can still grow, sometimes even faster than before. The key is to make the most out of every click.

Here are some conversion tips:

• Use clear, strong calls to action (CTAs) on every page
• Give away free tools, checklists, or guidelines in return for an email.
• Try A/B testing to improve your headlines, buttons, or forms
• Monetize your traffic with smart options like affiliate links, premium content, memberships, or even online courses
  

A high-converting website doesn’t need huge traffic—it just needs the right strategy to turn visitors into results.

6. How to Rank in AI Overviews

A lot of people think that only websites ranking at the top of Google have a chance to appear in AI Overviews—but that’s actually not true. Google’s AI doesn’t just look at the #1 result. It also pulls helpful information from pages that are ranked in the middle—or even lower on the page—as long as the content is clear, well-structured, and easy to understand.

So even if your website isn’t at the top, you can still show up in the AI box if your content is right.

Here are some simple things you can do to improve your chances:

• Add schema markup to your blog posts
  (Use formats like FAQPage, HowTo, or Article to help Google understand the purpose of your content)
• Write short, direct answers to common questions
  (Try to include a 1–2 sentence summary early in the post)
• Avoid overly technical language unless your topic really requires it
  (Keep your words simple so that both users and AI can understand your point quickly)
• Focus on long-tail keywords and niche topics
  (Instead of trying to compete on broad, high-traffic terms, target very specific searches—like “SEO tips for local plumbers” or “how to fix a slow WordPress site”)

At the end of the day, the easier your content is to read and understand, the more likely Google’s AI will choose it to show in an Overview box. So keep things clear, helpful, and human—that’s the real winning formula.

7. Real Case Study: One Blog’s Recovery

Let me tell you about Sara, a close friend of mine who runs a travel blog. She had been blogging for years, sharing helpful tips like “Best cities to visit in the USA” and “Travel tips for solo women.” Her content was well-written and ranked Good until October 2024, when Google’s AI Overviews began to appear globally. Almost overnight, her traffic dropped by 45%. She was shocked. Even though she was doing SEO right, her posts were no longer getting the clicks they used to. Like many others, she felt frustrated and confused.

But instead of panicking, Sara took a step back and decided to adapt.

She made a few smart changes:

• She added a short summary paragraph at the top of each blog post
• She started using the FAQ schema to structure her content better
• She shared personal travel stories, including some funny travel fails that made her content more relatable
• She created a free packing checklist as a lead magnet
• She promoted her posts through short, fun TikTok videos that linked back to her blog

Within six months, things turned around. Her blog traffic wasn’t back to 100%, but it had recovered to just 10% below her old numbers—a huge win in the AI era. Even better, her email subscribers doubled, and readers were spending more time on her site, leaving comments, and sharing her posts. This just goes to show: with the right adjustments and a bit of creativity, it’s absolutely possible to survive—and even grow—after AI Overviews.

9. What You Should Do Now (Action Plan)

Now that you understand how AI Overviews are changing the game, it’s time to take action. Don’t wait for things to get worse—start making small changes today that will help protect your traffic and grow your online presence in the months ahead. Here’s a simple plan you can follow, with steps you can take right away, in the next few weeks, and in the long run.

Quick Wins (Start Today)

If you’re looking for fast results with minimal effort, these are the best places to begin. These changes don’t take much time but can make a big difference in how Google sees your content.

• Add a 40–60 word summary at the top of your most visited blog posts and pages. This helps Google’s AI quickly understand what your page is about.
• Use schema markup like FAQPage, HowTo, and Article so Google can read your content more effectively.
• Break up long paragraphs and organize your posts into short, scannable sections using subheadings and bullet points.

These small updates can improve both user experience and AI visibility—a win-win for your site.

Mid-Term Tactics (Next Few Weeks)

Once you’ve made those quick fixes, start looking at the bigger picture. What older content can you refresh? How can you connect with your audience more deeply?

• Update old blog posts with new information, updated images, and personal insights or real-life examples.
• Start an email newsletter and offer a freebie—like a checklist, guide, or template—to encourage people to sign up.
• Use tools like Google Analytics or heatmaps (such as Hotjar) to see how visitors interact with your content—this helps you learn what’s working and what’s not.

These efforts take a bit more time but will help improve your content quality and audience loyalty.

Long-Term Moves (Ongoing Strategy)

In the long run, you’ll want to build a strategy that keeps your brand strong, even if Google changes again. These ideas help you future-proof your traffic and stay one step ahead.

• Use SEO tools like Semrush or Ahrefs to track how often your content appears in AI Overviews and which keywords are working.
• Focus on branded searches and long-tail, niche questions that AI summaries can’t fully answer—this keeps people coming to you directly.
• Try new content formats like videos, infographics, podcasts, or even interactive tools like quizzes or calculators. These types of content are harder for AI to summarize, which means more users will click through to your site.

Making these moves now gives you a big advantage—and sets you up for long-term success in this new era of search.

Final Thoughts

Yes, Google AI Overviews are changing the search landscape—and fast. Traffic losses of 30–70% are becoming common across many industries. But that doesn’t mean SEO is dead. It just means we need to evolve with the technology. By adding clear answers, building trust, and offering real value, your site can still win—even in the age of AI. Start by updating just one high-traffic post today: add a short summary, apply schema markup, and improve your call to action. Then observe what happens over the next few weeks.

Even small steps like these can protect your visibility and set you up for long-term growth. SEO isn’t over—it’s transforming. The sooner we adapt, the better chance we have to stay ahead of the curve and grow smarter together.

Need Help Adapting to AI Overviews?

If all this feels confusing, don’t worry—you’re not alone. And you don’t have to fix everything by yourself. In the past few months, we’ve helped many small business owners, bloggers, and service providers recover their lost traffic, optimize for AI Overviews, and even grow more than before. Whether you need help with content optimization, schema setup, or a full SEO strategy for this new AI-powered search world, we’re here to help.

Let’s work together to future-proof your website and bring your traffic (and conversions) back on track. Contact us today and let’s talk about how we can grow your business—smarter and stronger than ever.