Will Google’s AI Overviews kill the click?

AI Overviews don’t just steal clicks. They dominate screens.

Google’s AI-generated summaries now stretch across the top of search results like they own the place. And let’s be real, they do. 

With links, carousels, citations (sometimes), and full how-to answers, they often push organic listings entirely below the fold.

You can’t miss them – which means you can’t ignore them.

The real question isn’t, “How do I get featured?” 

It’s, “Should I even want to be? And if so, how do I do it without losing the traffic game entirely?”

Here’s what we’ll cover:

• How AI Overviews are rewriting the rules of search.
• How misinformation and the E-E-A-T gap are colliding.
• Why AI Overviews are accelerating the zero-click trend.
• Whether being featured helps or hurts.
• How to rewrite your strategy for a post-click world.

Let’s break it down.

How AI Overviews are rewriting the rules of search

AI Overviews represent the next evolution of AI-enhanced search, powered by increasingly complex algorithms that aim to deliver answers at lightning speed. 

And while they may provide a streamlined search experience for users, they raise major questions for digital marketers about long-term discoverability and ROI.

The result? 

Content creators could be providing value without ever gaining visits, leads, or conversions, an issue that challenges traditional thinking about organic search strategy.

This creates a major dilemma for SEO strategy. 

Not only are we contending with fewer clicks, but we’re also navigating a search landscape where AI features are replacing real estate that once belonged to organic search results.

Success was measured by click-through rate, organic traffic, and conversions for years. Now? Those metrics are under siege.

In an interview with The Verge, Sundar Pichai acknowledged this shift, calling AI “a huge part of search” and affirming that the company is reimagining how search works from the ground up:

• “We’re now in the early days of this shift. But AI will deepen our understanding of what people want – and allow us to be more helpful in entirely new ways.”

Pichai called it a major pivot from the traditional search engine model. 

But from Google’s perspective, generative AI search isn’t about killing the click – it’s about serving relevant content faster, aligning with how people ask questions today.

For users? It’s seamless and efficient.

For potential customers? It offers quick access to solutions.

For SEOs? It’s a moving target in an unpredictable digital landscape.

The key takeaway? 

AI Overviews are reshaping how content is discovered, interpreted, and shared – on Google and across the broader landscape of generative AI tools. 

Whether or not you want to appear in them, you can’t afford to ignore their impact.

If your online presence still depends solely on traditional search engines, it’s time to rethink your approach. 

Why SEOs are skeptical: Misinformation, hallucinations, and the E-E-A-T gap

Despite Google’s push for high standards in experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness (E-E-A-T), early versions of AI Overviews have repeatedly gone viral for generating inaccurate – and sometimes downright bizarre – advice.

One example: Google’s AI once recommended users “add glue to pizza” to make cheese stick better. A suggestion it pulled from a clearly sarcastic Reddit comment. 

In another widely shared instance, it suggested people eat small rocks as a source of nutrients, echoing a joke from a geology website.

These hallucinations aren’t just funny – they’re harmful. They undermine the credibility of search results and raise serious concerns about Google’s ability to filter and validate information in its AI summaries.

And it gets even murkier.

Lily Ray demonstrated in a LinkedIn post how simply changing the verb tense of a query can completely alter the AI Overview result. 

For example, a question framed in the past tense (“Did XYZ happen?”) may yield a different – and possibly incorrect – summary than its present-tense version (“Does XYZ happen?”).

In response, Google has pledged to refine how Overviews work. They’ve rolled out updates to improve grounding, source validation, and trigger thresholds. 

These improvements have already reduced AI Overview triggers for “nonsensical queries,” per Google’s official blog post.

But even with improvements, the fundamental issue remains: AI Overviews often draw from sources without proper attribution, bios, or editorial oversight. 

That creates a disconnect between what Google preaches and what it publishes.

Dig deeper: Is it Tuesday? Google AI Overviews doesn’t know

How AI Overviews are fueling zero-click searches

A zero-click search ends before it even begins – no click, no visit, no chance to convert.

Instead of navigating to a website, the user gets their answer directly on the search results page – from a snippet, a knowledge panel, or now more than ever, from an AI Overview.

It’s the epitome of quick-answer culture.

This isn’t a new phenomenon. 

Featured snippets and rich results have been diverting clicks for years. 

But AI Overviews have accelerated the shift, making zero-click searches even more common – and more disruptive.

They don’t just pull one source – they combine multiple, summarize them conversationally, and often display follow-up prompts, making it even less likely a user will feel the need to dig deeper.

AI Overviews don’t just change the format of answers. 

They change the very behavior of search. For decades, users performed a search, scanned results, and clicked a link. 

That simple action created the backbone of organic traffic. 

But with AI Overviews, Google collapses that process. 

Instead of delivering a list of links, it delivers a synthesized, conversational answer compiled from various sources. 

It’s fast, digestible, and highly effective at preventing users from taking the next step.

The result? 

An explosion in zero-click searches.

AI Overviews are like the ultimate answer engine. 

For informational queries – things like “how to fix a leaky tap” or “symptoms of low iron” – they serve the entire solution in one sleek panel. 

Thanks to suggested follow-ups, users can keep digging within the Overview itself, rarely needing to explore beyond it. 

This keeps users inside Google’s ecosystem longer and keeps clicks out of reach for content creators.

The worst part? Your site might be one of the sources powering that Overview… without credit, click, or context.

There is no way to measure how often your insights were used, no analytics tag, and no traffic spike. 

Your best work becomes part of a faceless AI composite, and your ROI disappears with it.

This is a dangerous tipping point. The traditional model – create relevant content, earn clicks, convert users – is crumbling. 

If you’re not thinking beyond traffic and into brand recall, reputation, and omnipresence, you’re falling behind.

In short: AI Overviews aren’t just fueling zero-click searches; they’re making them the new default.

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Do you even want to be in an AI Overview?

Being featured can boost visibility, but don’t expect traffic, attribution, or control.

Many are starting to question whether AI Overviews actually support long-term goals, or if they simply siphon away organic traffic while offering little in the way of performance insight.

Benefits

• High visibility: You’re above the fold, front and center.
• Brand lift: Your name may be seen, even if it’s not clicked.
• Perceived authority: Inclusion signals trust to both users and Google’s AI.
• Cross-platform reach: Visibility in Overviews often syncs with exposure in tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity.

Risks:

• No click-through: Users read the summary and move on.
• Lack of credit: Citations are inconsistent or unclear.
• Misquotes: AI may remix your words into something… off.
• No metrics: You can’t see when or how you’re featured.

Right now, being in an AI Overview is a gamble, and it’s one that most SEOs didn’t sign up for.

FAQs about AI Overviews and click-through rates

Are AI Overviews reducing organic CTR?

Yes. Early data from industry studies shows a measurable decline in click-through rates where AI Overviews dominate, particularly for informational queries.

Can I opt out of my content being used in AI Overviews?

If you’re a website owner and prefer your content not to appear in AI Overviews, you can use preview controls in your site’s HTML:

• nosnippet: Prevents any snippet from appearing in search results, including AI Overviews.
• max-snippet: Limits the length of the snippet displayed.
• data-nosnippet: Prevents specific parts of your content from appearing in snippets.

These methods can help manage how your content is presented in AI Overviews, but they may also affect how your site appears in regular search results.

Should I still focus on ranking if AI Overviews dominate?

Absolutely. Organic rankings are still crucial for visibility, brand recall, and being referenced by AI, plus, not all queries trigger AI Overviews.

How can I optimize content to appear in AI Overviews?

Use concise answers, TL;DR intros, strong headings, and expert-author signals. Add schema and source credibility for context.

How to prepare your SEO strategy for a zero-click apocalypse 

If you want to stay ahead of the game, you should start by following Google’s standards and best practices. 

But beyond that, let’s look at some things you should be thinking about.

1. Build topical authority

To thrive in an AI-powered search landscape, topical authority isn’t optional – it’s foundational. 

AI systems and search engines alike now prioritize content from sources that demonstrate consistent, in-depth expertise on a subject. 

That means your SEO strategy must shift from scattershot blog posts to a structured content architecture.

Start by identifying your core topics, the ones you want to be known for. 

Create comprehensive pillar pages that act as the central hubs for each topic, then support them with clusters of related articles that explore subtopics in detail. 

Every piece should be unmistakably human content, internally link to the pillar and to each other, forming a web of content that reinforces your authority.

Update your clusters regularly. AI Overviews pull from timely, relevant sources, so stale content won’t make the cut. 

Use schema markup, real author bios, and references to trusted sources to strengthen credibility. 

And don’t forget your visuals. Charts, explainer graphics, and embedded videos help boost engagement and help AI understand the context better.

Authority is earned through depth, consistency, and clarity. 

Show Google and generative AI tools that you’re not just another voice. 

You are the voice.

Tip: Don’t just build clusters. Track their performance by mapping topic-level visibility in tools like Semrush or Ahrefs. This lets you spot content gaps and reinforce authority where it matters most.

2. Embrace the search everywhere mindset

Search is no longer confined to Google. 

Users are asking questions on Reddit, watching tutorials on YouTube, scanning product explainers on TikTok, and getting direct answers from ChatGPT. 

This is the era of search everywhere, and your content needs to meet users wherever they are.

Start by repurposing your high-performing content into different formats for multiple platforms. 

Turn blog posts into LinkedIn threads, short-form videos, Reddit answers, and Quora responses. Share insights in relevant Slack or Discord communities. 

The goal is discoverability beyond traditional search engines.

This also means monitoring where you’re already appearing in AI outputs. 

Tools like Knowatoa can track citations in Perplexity and ChatGPT. 

Use that data to reverse-engineer what’s working, and focus on content types and formats that are gaining traction.

The search landscape is fragmented, but your presence shouldn’t be. 

A search everywhere strategy ensures your brand is visible across multiple touchpoints, which not only drives awareness but also builds trust. 

The brands that win will be the ones that adapt, not the ones that cling to old rules.

3. Be structurally summarizable

Generative AI doesn’t “read” your content the way a human does. It parses, chunks, and extracts. 

Your content must be structurally easy to scan, summarize, and reuse to appear in AI Overviews (and other LLM summaries).

Start with strong, descriptive H2s and H3s that clearly label each section. 

Lead every section with a topic sentence that summarizes the key point, followed by concise, informative copy. 

Think TL;DR writing: give the value upfront, then elaborate.

Use bullet points, tables, and lists to organize complex ideas. Keep paragraphs short, 2–3 sentences max. 

This isn’t about dumbing down your writing; it’s about formatting it so AI can identify and extract value efficiently.

Also, be intentional with your metadata. 

Your title tags, H1s, and meta descriptions are some of the first things AI models assess when scanning your page. Optimize them not just for clicks, but for clarity.

When your content is structurally sound, it’s more likely to be cited in Overviews, featured in LLM answers, and even pulled into answer engines. 

Good structure isn’t just good UX. It’s good AI hygiene.

4. Use schema (properly)

Schema markup helps machines understand your content, context, and credibility. 

But too many sites either ignore it completely or treat it like SEO glitter – slapping it on without backing it up with quality content.

Focus on the types of schema that align with your goals. 

If you’re publishing informational content, use Article schema with proper attribution, datePublished, and author fields. 

For how-to guides, use the HowTo schema with step-by-step breakdowns. Include an FAQ schema for common questions. 

And always use the Author schema that links to a real, verifiable author profile.

More importantly, make sure your content actually supports the schema. 

Don’t mark a page as FAQ if it’s a glorified listicle. Don’t claim expert authorship if the content is generic or AI-written. 

Google’s AI is increasingly context-aware. Fake it, and you’ll likely be ignored.

Think of schema as your content’s resume. It gives AI tools the metadata needed to “understand” and trust your content. 

But only if it’s truthful, structured, and paired with substance.

• Tip: Pair schema with real content. AI and Google ignore empty markup – so your FAQ schema better contain actual FAQs written clearly in the body of your post.

5. Strengthen your brand

When users search for your brand directly, AI Overviews often don’t appear. 

Why? 

Because branded queries signal clear intent. 

If someone searches for “Ahrefs backlink tool” or “Moz keyword explorer,” they’re not looking for a summary – they’re looking for the source.

A strong brand insulates you from AI disruption. It bypasses summary boxes and puts you back in the driver’s seat.

Invest in content that builds recognition and trust: 

• Thought leadership articles.
• Behind-the-scenes posts.
• Webinars.
• Case studies.
• Social media presence. 

Showcase your people, your expertise, and your unique voice. Get quoted in industry publications. Speak at events. 

Create content that’s memorable, not just rankable.

Over time, brand-driven searches increase. And as they do, your dependency on third-party platforms for traffic decreases.

The future of SEO isn’t just about visibility; it’s about desirability.

 If people want you, they’ll skip the Overview and go straight to the source.

6. Track brand mentions and visibility across AI tools

If you rely solely on Google Search Console and GA4 to measure performance in 2025, you’re not seeing the full picture.

Perplexity, ChatGPT, Bing Copilot, and You.com surface content without traditional attribution or click tracking. 

That means your content could be featured and influence users without you ever knowing.

Start tracking where and how your brand appears across these AI-driven platforms to stay ahead. 

Knowatoa helps monitor citations across LLMs. 

Keep a spreadsheet or dashboard that notes where your content shows up, which queries trigger it, and what type of content gets referenced most.

In a world of zero clicks, visibility doesn’t always appear in your analytics, but it still drives influence. If you can measure it, you can optimize it.

Dig deeper: How to track visibility across AI platforms

You can’t fight the AI wave, but you can ride it

AI Overviews are here to stay. The rules of SEO have changed. Are you adapting or falling behind?

The era of AI-generated summaries, zero-click searches, and machine-curated visibility is here. And the businesses that thrive won’t be the ones who resist it – they’ll be the ones who evolve.

This isn’t about gaming the system. 

It’s about:

• Understanding how the system works now. 
• Creating credible, structured, widely distributed content that’s ready to be picked up by both users and the machines that serve them.

Clicks may be vanishing. But visibility, influence, and trust?

Those are more important than ever, especially as AI-powered search platforms become the first stop, not just the gateway, for users’ original search queries.

The question isn’t whether Google’s AI Overviews will kill the click. It’s whether your brand is built to survive without it.

The future of search isn’t coming. You’re living it right now.

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