You used to rank #3 for a solid keyword. Good traffic. Consistent leads. Then Google added an AI Overview to that query, and your click-through rate dropped by 40%.
Your ranking didn't change. Your content didn't change. Google just decided to answer the question itself, using your content (and others') to generate a summary that most users never scroll past.
This is happening to thousands of businesses right now. The data is clear: AI Overviews reduce organic clicks. But the response shouldn't be panic. It should be strategy.
The data on click decline
Multiple studies have tracked the impact since Google rolled out AI Overviews broadly.
Queries with AI Overviews show 25-40% lower organic click-through rates compared to the same queries without them, depending on the query type. Informational queries are hit hardest. Comparison and "best of" queries are close behind. Transactional queries are less affected because Google still prioritizes shopping results and ads where it makes money.
For the average website, this translates to a noticeable traffic decline even without any ranking changes. You're in the same position, but fewer people are reaching you because the AI summary satisfied their question before they got to the organic results.
The sites being hit hardest are those that built their traffic on answering common questions. FAQ-style content, "what is X" articles, and basic explainers are losing the most traffic because these are exactly the queries AI Overviews handle best.
Why this isn't the apocalypse
Before you rebuild your entire strategy, some context.
AI Overviews don't appear on every query. Google is selective about which queries trigger them. Highly commercial queries, branded searches, and many long-tail queries still show traditional results. The impact is real but not universal.
Not all users trust or even notice the AI Overview. Many searchers have trained themselves to scroll past anything above the organic results (they've been doing it with ads for years). The AI Overview captures some clicks, but not all.
And the users who do click through after reading the AI Overview are often more qualified. They've already gotten the basic answer. If they still want to visit your site, it's because they want more depth, more specifics, or they're ready to take action. Lower volume, but potentially higher quality.
Strategy #1: Be the source the AI cites
AI Overviews aren't generated from thin air. Google pulls from specific web pages and (sometimes) cites them in the overview. Being one of those cited sources is the new version of ranking #1.
What gets cited? Content that makes specific, clear claims backed by data or genuine expertise. Content that provides unique information the AI can't synthesize from generic sources. Content from sites with strong topical authority in their niche.
What doesn't get cited? Content that just restates commonly available information. If ten other sites say the same thing in the same way, none of them are particularly valuable as a source. The AI can generate that content on its own.
To become a cited source, focus on publishing original research, case studies with real numbers, expert analysis that goes beyond surface-level takes, and specific recommendations based on genuine experience. Give the AI a reason to point to you specifically.
Strategy #2: Target queries AI Overviews can't handle
Not every query gets an AI Overview, and some types of queries are unlikely to get one anytime soon.
Highly specific, niche queries often don't trigger AI Overviews. "Best CRM for independent immigration consultants in Canada" is too specific for Google to generate a confident AI summary. These long-tail queries still deliver traditional results and often have higher conversion rates.
Queries with subjective or contested answers are also less likely to get AI Overviews. Google is cautious about generating answers where there's no clear consensus. Topics with genuine debate, multiple valid perspectives, or regional variation tend to keep their traditional results format.
Fresh queries about emerging topics bypass AI Overviews too. If Google's AI hasn't been trained on a topic yet or doesn't have enough sources to synthesize confidently, it defaults to regular results.
Build your content calendar around these gaps. You're not giving up on the broader terms, but you're deliberately targeting the spaces where AI Overviews don't eat your clicks.
Strategy #3: Optimize for the Overview itself
If you can't beat the AI Overview, get inside it.
The sites that appear as sources in AI Overviews tend to share certain characteristics. Clear, scannable structure with specific H2/H3 headings. Concrete data points and specific claims (not vague generalities). Content that directly addresses the query's intent without lengthy preambles. Strong topical authority, demonstrated by comprehensive, consistent coverage of the subject.
Structured data also helps. FAQ schema, HowTo schema, and proper heading hierarchy make it easier for Google's AI to parse and cite your content. You're essentially making your content more machine-readable.
Think of it as a new type of optimization. Instead of optimizing for position 1, you're optimizing for inclusion in the AI Overview. The techniques overlap, but they're not identical.
Strategy #4: Diversify beyond Google entirely
Here's the strategy that most people overlook: stop depending entirely on Google.
AI Overviews are a Google problem. But your potential clients are also using ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and Gemini to research and make decisions. These platforms don't have AI Overviews blocking organic results. They just have... answers. And those answers recommend specific brands.
If ChatGPT recommends you when someone asks about your category, that's direct visibility with a high-intent audience. No AI Overview getting in the way. No competition from ads. Just an AI recommending your business.
Diversifying your AI visibility across platforms reduces your dependency on any single channel. If Google's AI Overview takes clicks away from you, but ChatGPT and Perplexity are actively recommending you, the net effect on your business might be positive.
Tracking your visibility across all these platforms is essential. A tool like Mentionable shows you where AI recommends you (and where it doesn't), so you can focus your efforts where the opportunity is biggest.
Strategy #5: Shift content toward conversion
If top-of-funnel informational content is getting fewer clicks, double down on mid- and bottom-funnel content that serves users with clear buying intent.
Comparison pages, pricing breakdowns, case studies, ROI calculators, and detailed product content are less susceptible to AI Overviews. These pages serve users who are past the information-gathering stage and into the evaluation and decision stage.
This kind of content also tends to convert better. A visitor who lands on your case study page has different intent than someone who read your "What is X?" article. Shifting your content mix toward conversion-focused pages compensates for the traffic loss at the top of the funnel.
The realistic play
AI Overviews are reducing clicks on certain types of queries. That trend will likely continue as Google expands them. Fighting it is futile.
The realistic response is multi-layered: become a source the AI cites, target queries it can't answer, diversify across AI platforms, and shift your content strategy toward higher-intent, higher-conversion content.
The click volumes of 2023 aren't coming back for informational queries. But the businesses that adapt will find that what they lose in volume, they can make up in visibility, authority, and conversion quality.
