Since May 2024, Google has rolled out AI Overviews (formerly Search Generative Experiences or SGE) in over 100 countries, including the United States, UK, Canada, and Australia. These AI-powered summaries are reshaping organic search results and influencing how businesses drive traffic, clicks, and conversions.

In this article, we’ll break down what AI Overviews are, how they affect organic CTR, and actionable strategies for marketers to stay ahead in the AI-driven SEO landscape.

What Are Google AI Overviews?

If you use Google search regularly, you may have noticed a new feature at the top of search results – these are called Google AI Overviews. Powered by Google Generative AI (Gemini), these AI Overviews provide instant summaries of search queries while linking to trusted sources for more detailed information.

Key Features of AI Overviews:

• Position Zero: They appear above all organic search results, often pushing the first traditional listing below the scroll line.

• Informational Focus: Most AI Overviews show up for informational searches like “how-to” guides, industry trends, or research questions, rather than transactional searches like product purchases.

• High Coverage: According to a December 2024 study in Search Engine Journal, AI Overviews appear in up to 47% of Google searches, highlighting their growing influence on search behavior.

AI Overviews are Google’s way of delivering instant answers, improving user experience but also changing the dynamics of organic search traffic. Websites that rely on traditional SEO now need to adapt their content for position zero, structured data, and AI-friendly summaries to maintain visibility and clicks.

Will AI Overviews Affect Your Organic CTR?

In traditional SEO, higher organic search rankings usually mean more clicks. That’s why marketers invest heavily in search engine optimization (SEO) – the higher you rank, the greater your visibility and the more traffic your site receives. However, even ranking in the first organic position doesn’t guarantee 100% of clicks. Typically, the top result gets the most clicks, but AI-driven SERP changes are starting to shift that dynamic.

With Google AI Overviews now appearing at position zero, organic search results are being pushed further down the page, often below the scroll line. This raises an important question: will your top-ranking page get fewer clicks than before?

The History of SERP Features and CTR Impact

Even before AI Overviews, Google had introduced other SERP features like the Knowledge Panel, Google Answers, and featured snippets. Studies have consistently shown that these answer-type features reduce organic click-through rates (CTR) for informational searches.

• A 2019 study by Perficient found that organic results displaying a Knowledge Graph panel received roughly 30% fewer clicks than searches without it.

• Early research on AI Overviews indicates an even more dramatic effect: a September 2024 preliminary study by Seer Interactive found that the presence of an AI Overview can reduce organic CTR by approximately 70%.

These trends highlight that SEO is no longer just about ranking first. Today, marketers must consider:

• Position zero optimization – ensuring your content can appear in AI Overviews and featured snippets

• Structured data and schema markup – to improve visibility for Google Generative AI (Gemini)

• High-value, informative content – to encourage clicks even when users see AI-generated summaries

In essence, while AI Overviews may reduce clicks on traditional organic listings, they also present a new opportunity for brand exposure. Being featured in an AI Overview can enhance brand authority, boost user trust, and drive clicks to deeper content if your page provides comprehensive, relevant, and authoritative information.

Does This Mean SEO Is Dead?

The rise of Google AI Overviews does not signal the end of SEO. Instead, it marks a shift in strategy, requiring marketers to rethink how they approach organic search visibility, click-through rates (CTR), and brand authority.

Position zero – the space above traditional organic results – is not new, but AI Overviews have made it more prominent. In the past, marketers adapted by optimizing for featured snippets, Knowledge Panels, and answer boxes. Now, the focus is on creating content that can be summarized effectively by Google Generative AI (Gemini) while still encouraging users to click through to full content.

The Impact on Brand Recognition and CTR

Many SEO experts suggest that appearing in position zero boosts brand visibility. While concrete studies linking AI Overviews to brand authority are limited, there is a strong consensus that users exposed to AI-generated summaries may recognize and trust your brand more, even if they don’t immediately click your organic listing.

It’s also important to note that AI Overviews may not provide enough detail for complex topics, meaning your high-quality, in-depth content can still attract higher CTR than simpler pages. For marketers, this creates an opportunity to combine AI snippet optimization with comprehensive content, reinforcing authority and driving traffic.

Key Takeaway for Marketers

Being featured in AI Overviews and other SERP features is now part of a holistic SEO strategy. Focus on:

• Optimizing content for AI summaries and featured snippets

• Using structured data and schema markup to enhance visibility

• Creating high-value, authoritative content that complements AI Overviews

In short, SEO isn’t dead—it’s evolving. Marketers who adapt to the AI-driven search ecosystem can turn AI Overviews into a powerful tool for brand exposure, user trust, and organic traffic growth.

The Future of AI Overviews and Organic Search

AI Overviews are here to stay and will continue shaping digital marketing and SEO in 2025 and beyond.

• Marketers must adapt content for AI-driven SERPs.

• Focus on brand visibility, trust, and authoritative content.

• Use AI tools to track SERP trends, CTR, and optimize for position zero.

At Invospire, we help brands navigate the AI-powered search landscape by combining SEO, content marketing, and AI-driven SERP optimization. Our strategies ensure your brand stays visible, authoritative, and traffic-ready, even as Google continues evolving.