AI Overviews - Part 2: How It Affects Your Website Traffic and Customer Behavior
In the first article of this series, we explored the new search landscape shaped by Google's AI Overviews (AIO), previously known as Search Generative Experience (SGE). We found that AI-generated answers directly in search results mark a paradigm shift. But what does this revolution mean in practice for your company? In this second part, we dive deeper into the concrete effects AI Overviews have on your website traffic and, perhaps more importantly, how your potential customers' behavior changes.
For you as a decision-maker – whether you're a marketing manager, CEO, or communications director – it's crucial to understand these changes. Traditional metrics that only focus on click count and organic traffic no longer provide the full picture. When AI acts as an information intermediary, it becomes increasingly important not just to be visible, but to be visible in the right way, and for every interaction to count. At Multiproduktion, we see that this shift strengthens the need for high-quality, engaging content, especially visual content, that can capture attention and effectively convey messages in a more condensed information flow.
AI Overviews and Reduced Organic Traffic
One of the most immediate and discussed consequences of AI Overviews is the potential reduction in organic traffic to websites. The logic is simple: if AI provides a comprehensive answer directly in the search result, why would the user need to click further?
Several studies and analyses, which we referenced in the underlying report for this article series, point to this trend. Some estimates indicate a possible traffic reduction of between 20% and 60% for certain types of websites. A study by Seer Interactive found, for example, that the organic click-through rate (CTR) dropped from 1.41% to 0.64% for searches where AI Overviews were displayed. This is a dramatic change that underscores how AIO directly affects users' willingness to click.
Furthermore, AI Overviews physically push down traditional organic search results. A study by Authoritas showed that when a user expands an AI Overview element, the first organic hit can be moved down the equivalent of 1.5 times the height of a regular computer screen. This makes it inevitably harder for traditional links to capture the user's attention.
Understanding the numbers: What does a lower CTR mean in the AI era?
A lower click-through rate can sound alarming, and it's a reality we need to address. But it doesn't mean that your presence in search results has lost all value. Instead, the value shifts. Being mentioned or cited as a source in an AI Overview is a new form of visibility and authority building. At Multiproduktion, we believe this places even higher demands on the content that is actually displayed. If fewer people click, every exposure – and every potential click – must be maximally effective. Here, visual content, such as engaging video or clear infographics that can be highlighted by AI, plays an increasingly important role in quickly conveying value and building brand awareness.
The Changing User Behavior: Towards 'Zero-Click Searches'
AI Overviews reinforce a trend we've seen growing for several years: so-called 'zero-click searches'. This means that the user gets their answer directly on Google's results page and doesn't need to click further to any external website.
Users, especially younger demographics (18-24 years according to Google), are becoming increasingly accustomed to and expect comprehensive and direct answers. Patience and willingness to click around to piece together information from various sources are decreasing. This poses a challenge for companies: either you must offer something that an AI summary can't deliver – such as unique interactive tools, in-depth personal experiences, or the expertise and trust that an established brand can provide – or you must position yourself as the primary, most reliable source that AI systems trust and cite.
Are your customers among those who prefer quick AI answers?
The likelihood is high. In an increasingly fast-paced digital world, most people appreciate efficient and time-saving solutions. For companies, this means that your content must be extremely well-structured and quickly deliver the core message. At Multiproduktion, we have extensive experience creating just such content, for example through explainer videos or animations that can concisely and engagingly present complex information. This becomes especially important when the window for capturing the user's interest shrinks.
Varying Impact Across Industries
The effects of AI Overviews are not uniform across all industries. Information-intensive sectors, where users often search for answers to specific questions, tend to be more affected. An analysis by Rock Content, mentioned in our report, indicated notable click reductions for industries such as health (-41%), local searches (-14.9%), travel (-9.8%), and technology (-9.5%). Publishers and news sites, whose content is often informative, are also expected to be impacted.
For B2B companies, which Multiproduktion often collaborates with, this implies both challenges and opportunities. B2B buying cycles are often complex and involve a lot of research. AI Overviews can play a role here by summarizing information and comparing solutions at an early stage. The challenge lies in ensuring that your company's expertise and solutions are highlighted as authoritative sources. The opportunity lies in creating content that is so valuable and well-structured that it becomes a natural part of AI's knowledge base.
E-commerce's Unique Situation: Category Pages vs. Product Pages in AI Overviews
For e-commerce, AI Overviews can function as dynamic, AI-generated category pages that present product comparisons directly in the search result. This can reduce traffic to traditional category pages. Pure product searches, where the customer is looking for a specific model, seem to be less affected, but even here, AI can enrich the result with more details and follow-up questions. It places enormous demands on unique, detailed product descriptions and structured data so that AI can retrieve correct information.
Measuring Success When Clicks Aren't Everything
When the number of direct clicks potentially decreases, we need to re-evaluate how we measure success in digital marketing and SEO. Traditional KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) that only focus on organic traffic and CTR are not enough.
Instead, brand visibility, mentions in AI Overviews, and authority building become increasingly important. Your brand consistently appearing as a trusted source in AI-generated answers builds awareness and trust, even if it doesn't lead to an immediate click. Indicators such as increased brand searches (when someone searches directly for your company name) or an increase in direct traffic can signal that exposure in AIO has an indirect, positive effect.
From Clicks to Customer Journey: Measuring 'Assisted Conversions'
It becomes crucial to understand how exposure in AI Overviews contributes to conversions further along in the customer journey. A user might see your company mentioned in an AI answer, not take any direct action then, but remember your brand and return later through another channel to make a purchase or get in touch. This is called 'assisted conversions' and requires more sophisticated analytics tools and a holistic view of the customer journey.
Maximizing the Value of Every Interaction, Even the Indirect
In this new era, it's about maximizing the value of every interaction. If a user clicks through from an AI Overview, or lands on your website after seeing your brand mentioned, the experience must be exceptional. Here, we at Multiproduktion see enormous potential for companies to use high-quality video and animation to quickly engage, inform, and persuade. High-quality visual content can be the difference that makes an 'indirect' interaction eventually lead to a business deal.
Conclusion
AI Overviews are reshaping the map for how companies reach their customers through search. Reduced organic traffic and changing user behaviors, with a strong trend towards 'zero-click searches', are realities we must adapt to. This doesn't mean SEO is dead, but it requires new strategies and a new way of thinking about measurement and success. The focus must be on quality, authority, and creating real value that AI systems want to highlight.
What Does This Mean for Your SEO Strategy? (Teaser for Article 3)
The changes we've discussed here have direct consequences for how you should design your SEO strategy. It's no longer enough to chase short keywords or build links in the traditional way. In the next article in this series, 'SEO in the AI Age: Re-evaluating Your Fundamentals', we'll dive deep into how you practically adapt your keyword strategy, work with E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness), and optimize the technical aspect of your website to thrive in the AI search era. Don't miss it!
FAQ - Questions and Answers
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No, it's unlikely that AI Overviews will completely replace traditional search results in the foreseeable future. Google has indicated that they still see value in offering a diversity of information sources. However, AI Overviews will be very prominent for many types of search queries, especially those that are complex or information-oriented, and thus coexist with and influence traditional results.
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It's difficult to give an exact figure since the impact varies greatly depending on industry, type of keywords your company ranks for, and how quickly users adopt AI Overviews. Studies have indicated potential traffic reductions of between 20% and 60% for certain websites and search queries. It's important to analyze your specific situation and prepare for a shift rather than a total loss.
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A 'Zero-Click Search' occurs when a user gets an answer to their question directly on the search results page (SERP) without needing to click on any link to a website. This can be via an AI Overview, a fact box, or a 'featured snippet'. It's important because it means fewer users may visit your website directly from search, affecting traditional traffic metrics and forcing companies to find new ways to create value and measure success, such as visibility and mentions in these direct answers.
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For now, you can primarily do this by manually searching for your most important keywords and seeing if your content is cited. Also, keep an eye on Google Search Console for any new reports that Google may introduce. Some third-party SEO tools are also starting to offer features to track visibility in AI-generated results. Measuring 'impressions' in SERP features is becoming an increasingly important KPI.
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Yes, there are differences. B2B buying cycles are often longer and more complex, involving information gathering from multiple sources. AI Overviews can play a significant role in this research phase by summarizing complex information and comparing solutions. For B2B companies, it becomes especially important to position themselves as authoritative sources with in-depth, well-structured content that AI can use. While B2C may see faster effects on transactional searches, B2B impact may be more about building trust and visibility at an earlier stage of the customer journey.
Conclusion
The changes that AI Overviews bring are significant, but they also offer new opportunities for companies willing to adapt. By understanding how traffic and user behavior are shifting, you can begin to form strategies that not only survive but thrive in this new AI-driven era. It's about shifting focus from quantity to quality, from clicks to real engagement and authority building. We at Multiproduktion are ready to help you navigate this landscape and ensure your message is delivered with power and clarity.