What’s happening, why it matters & how you should respond
If you’ve noticed strange swings in your traffic, especially for informational content or broader top-of-funnel queries, you’re not imagining it. According to recent research by Seer Interactive, organic click-through rates (CTR) for informational queries where Google displays an AI Overview have dropped 61%, while paid CTRs on the same queries fell 68%.
These declines are seismic for content strategies, SEO, PPC and traffic-generation approaches.
In this article we will:
Review the latest data and what it tells us
Examine why this is happening (behavioral, technical, algorithmic)
Explore the implications for organic SEO, paid search and publishing
Provide strategic actions you can take now
Offer FAQ/“People Also Ask” ready questions with clear answers
Forecast what this means for the future of search and content
The Data: A Closer Look
Here are the headline findings from the Seer Interactive study covering June 2024 through September 2025:
For queries where an AI Overview appears:
Organic CTR dropped from ~1.76% to ~0.61% (≈ 61% decline).
Paid CTR dropped from ~19.70% to ~6.34% (≈ 68% decline).
For queries without an AI Overview:
Organic CTR is ~1.62% (down ~41% year-over-year).
Paid CTR also declined (~32% in one subset).
Additional findings:
Brands cited in AI Overviews achieved ~35% higher organic CTR and ~91% higher paid CTR compared to non-cited brands on those same queries.
Even when an AI Overview didn’t appear, CTRs were still falling — indicating broader behavioral shifts, not just the direct impact of the AI block.
Why Is This Happening?
This drop in CTR is not simply seasonal or “just one small change.” It reflects multiple interacting forces reshaping how users interact with search results—and how visibility is earned.
1. Shift in SERP layout and user behavior
The appearance of AI Overviews (blocks at the top of the search results page summarizing an answer, often without requiring a click) changes the user path. Users are increasingly getting the answer on the page, reducing the need to click through to a website.
Because the AI Overview is curated by Google’s algorithm, the first organic link is pushed down in visibility, reducing its share of clicks. Over time, users may also learn to pause or not click when they see the overview box—reducing CTR even further.
2. Rise of zero-click searches and summary consumption
Users are becoming comfortable staying on the results page rather than clicking. Research (by others) shows an increase in zero-click searches—where the user obtains what they need without visiting a site.
This behavior reduces click volume across the board (not just for queries with AI Overview), which is reflected in the data showing declines even when no overview appears.
3. The informational query vulnerability
The study focused on “informational” queries (those where the user is seeking knowledge rather than necessarily a commercial transaction). These queries are naturally more vulnerable to AI Overviews, because the value can be delivered in-page rather than via click.
As a result, traffic driven by these queries is more at risk. This dynamic aligns with historical trends seen in featured snippets but is now amplified given the more prominent placement and design of AI Overviews.
4. Brand and citation advantage
The data shows that being cited in the AI Overview offers a measurable advantage. Brands cited achieved higher CTRs than those not cited. But the study notes that causation isn’t proven — it may be that strong brands are more likely to be cited anyway. The key insight: brand strength + authority matter more than ever.
5. Broader shift away from “click” as metric
Because the results show drops even when there’s no AI Overview present, the phenomenon likely reflects a broader change in the search ecosystem: users may be turning to platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, social search, voice assistants, or simply getting answers from the SERP rather than clicking.
In effect, clicks are becoming less reliable as a success metric for search-driven traffic.
What the Drop in CTR Means for Organic SEO
For site owners, content creators and SEO practitioners, this data is a call to rethink strategy—especially around visibility, referral traffic and how “success” is measured.
Re-thinking the “top position” blessing
In the past, ranking #1 in organic results often meant meaningful click volume. With AI Overviews absorbing attention and users clicking less, the reward for top organic ranking is diminished—especially for informational queries.
If your pages are highly dependent on informational traffic, expect less yield per impression and adjust your expectations accordingly.
Emphasize brand authority & citation potential
Given that cited brands perform better, there’s a growing incentive to build brand authority, E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness), and optimization that makes your site more likely to be used as a source by Google’s generative answer system.
Actions: ensure structured data, author credentials, clear site architecture, strong internal and external linking to reinforce your brand as an authority.
Diversify away from purely informational queries
If your content strategy is heavily weighted to high-volume informational keywords (e.g., “what is …”, “how to …”), you may be more impacted. Consider shifting balance to:
More commercial/transactional queries where user likely clicks through
Branded or niche queries where competition from generative answer blocks is lower
Content formats that encourage engagement on the site (interactive tools, calculators, deep dive content) rather than basic summary pages.
Reassess KPIs: From clicks to visibility & share of voice
With click volumes dropping, success needs to be measured differently. Rather than focusing solely on traffic numbers, consider:
Impression share in Search Console
“Brand lift” metrics (does your brand show up in AI Overviews?)
Engagement on the site (time on page, conversions) rather than just visits
Share of voice (how often your domain appears across impressions) as a proxy for visibility.
Optimize for answer-surfaces not just rankings
With AI Overviews likely sourcing content, you should optimize not just for ranking but for being used as a source. This means:
Clear, authoritative content that answers key questions
Schema markup (FAQ, How To, Article) to help surface metadata
Well-structured content with headings, data, citations and clarity
Crafting content with the aim of being referenceable, not just clickable.
Monitor shifts and attribution carefully
Because fewer clicks may still represent value (e.g., brand exposure), you’ll want to carefully monitor how your site performs end-to-end: impressions → ranking shifts → click trends → conversions. Adjust attribution modelling to account for reduced click volumes and possibly increased “view only” exposure.
What the Drop in CTR Means for Paid Search & PPC
Advertisers and paid search professionals must also take note—since paid CTRs are falling faster than organic in many cases and the environment is shifting.
Informational keywords may become less efficient
The dramatic drop (~68%) in paid CTRs for queries with AI Overviews means that campaigns targeting high‐funnel, informational keywords may yield far lower click volumes and higher cost-per-click (CPC)/cost per conversion. Advertisers may need to pause or reduce budgets on those broad terms unless clearly tied to conversion outcomes or brand exposure.
Reallocate budget toward conversion-oriented queries
Paid search budgets may increasingly perform better if concentrated on mid- and bottom-funnel queries (where user intent is higher and click behaviour less disrupted by overview blocks). Focus less on “just-learning” queries and more on “ready to act” queries.
Test and optimize new ad surfaces
With Google evolving search formats (AI Mode, generative interfaces), expect new ad placements and ad formats. Early testing can identify where users still click. Additionally, craft ads and creative recognizing the changed interface (for example, more visual/interactive formats, stronger brand presence, clearer immediate value).
Leverage brand strength and citation advantage
Just as with organic, being cited or associated with brand in AI Overviews can drive better CTR outcomes. Advertisers whose brands are well-known and trusted may gain relative advantage in the shifting landscape. Consider investing in brand building as part of your paid strategy (not just direct response).
Re-evaluate bidding strategies and KPIs
Since traditional click volumes are down, simply chasing clicks is less meaningful. Focus on conversions, CPA (cost per acquisition), ROAS (return on ad spend) rather than CTR alone. Monitor cohorts of campaigns for shifts in behavior (impression → view → convert) and adjust attribution accordingly.
Strategic Action Plan: What You Should Do Now
Here’s a tactical checklist for both organic and paid search teams to respond to the shift in CTR caused by AI Overviews.
✅ Organic Search / Content Teams
Audit high-volume informational pages: Identify pages heavily dependent on basic “how-to” content or high‐search‐volume but low‐intent queries. Assess conversion performance, time on site, bounce rate and update where needed.
Upgrade content to answer deeper intent: Add rich features—interactive tools, advanced insights, user-generated examples, video, data visualizations—to give users a reason to click and stay.
Develop brand authority signals: Author bios, case studies, external citations, internal linking to build your domain’s trust and authority. This improves chances of being cited in AI Overview.
Implement structured data: FAQ, How To, News Article, Video Object where relevant. This aids Google’s understanding of your content.
Monitor impression and ranking shifts: Use Search Console to track queries, impressions, positions and click rates. Compare to baseline earlier.
Track conversions not just clicks: If click volume is falling, focus on whether conversions remain stable or improve—this may show you’re getting higher quality traffic despite fewer clicks.
Diversify content types and query types: Move beyond purely informational to actionable, niche, long‐tail, branded and community-led content.
Experiment with brand building: Invest in brand awareness campaigns, social visibility, link building and influencer coverage to increase your authority footprint.
✅ Paid Search / PPC Teams
Evaluate campaign performance for informational keywords: Identify which queries are delivering very low CTR or high cost per conversion and consider pausing or reallocating.
Focus on lower-funnel and commercial intent queries: These queries may be less impacted by AI Overview blocks.
Test new ad creative formats: Recognize that user behavior and interface are shifting. Try more visual, brand-led, conversational or interactive ad formats.
Align with organic strategy: Coordinate paid and organic teams so that landing pages meet the new standard of deeper value and authority.
Track conversions and CPA (not just clicks): As clicks fall, cost per acquisition becomes more meaningful than click count.
Monitor brand exposure in AI Overviews: Use tools to track whether your brand is being cited; consider this an advantage and track paid/organic performance accordingly.
Plan for future surfaces: Stay alert to ad formats within AI Mode or generative interfaces. Early adoption may give advantage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What are Google AI Overviews?
A: Google AI Overviews are AI-generated summary blocks shown at the top of the search results page for many informational queries. They compile results from multiple sources into a narrative answer, which reduces the need for a user to click through.
Q: How much have click-through rates dropped because of AI Overviews?
A: According to research from Seer Interactive, organic CTRs for queries with AI Overviews dropped ~61% (from ~1.76% to ~0.61%), and paid CTRs on those queries dropped ~68% (from ~19.70% to ~6.34%) between June 2024 and September 2025.
Q: Does the drop affect queries without AI Overviews too?
A: Yes. The study found that even for queries without an AI Overview, organic CTRs declined (by ~41%) and paid CTRs also experienced declines. This suggests user behavior changes beyond just the presence of AI Overview.
Q: What advantage do brands get if they’re cited in an AI Overview?
A: Brands cited in AI Overviews had an approximate 35% higher organic CTR and 91% higher paid CTR versus brands not cited on the same queries.
Q: What should marketers do in response to this decline?
A: Marketers should shift focus from purely click-based metrics to visibility and share of voice, optimize content for authority and citation, adjust paid budgets away from low‐intent informational keywords, and monitor conversions over clicks.
Q: Are clicks dead?
A: Not entirely—but clicks are becoming a less reliable indicator of success, especially for informational search. With user behaviour changing (more answers in-page, less click-through), visibility (impressions, share of voice) and conversion efficiency are more critical.
What This Means for the Future of Search & Content
This decline in CTR signals a deeper transformation in search behavior and outcomes. Here are some implications:
The importance of “visibility over visits”
In a world where fewer users click, being visible (i.e., appearing in AI Overviews, high impression share) is as important, if not more, than ranking position. This may shift budget and reporting toward visibility and authority rather than just traffic jumps.
The rise of “Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)”
Search optimization is evolving beyond traditional SEO to include optimization for how content gets used by AI systems. This discipline—sometimes called GEO—emphasizes being cited, being used as an authoritative source, and structuring data for AI consumption.
The blending of paid/organic and brand strategies
As clicks drop, the distinction between organic and paid becomes blurrier—both channels must prioritize brand clarity, authoritative content, and efficient conversion. Budget decisions may hinge more on conversion quality and brand lift than raw clicks.
User behavior is shifting platform-wide
The fact that CTRs are falling even when AI Overviews aren’t present suggests users are doing less clicking and more scanning, more in-SERP consumption or alternative platforms (voice, AI chat, apps). Content owners must diversify traffic sources beyond classical web search.
Publishers and advertisers may need new models
For publishers reliant on referral traffic, this shift is especially challenging. It may accelerate efforts toward subscription models, first-party audiences, branded communities, podcast/video presence, and diversified revenue streams—not just ad-supported traffic volume.
The attention economy intensifies
Because fewer clicks may still deliver value if an impression drives brand recognition, the value of appearing in these new surfaces (AI Overviews, answer boxes, curated lists) increases. Your challenge becomes not just “get the click” but “get the recognition”.
Final Thoughts
The data from Seer Interactive is a wake-up call: the search ecosystem is evolving. Click volumes for informational queries are significantly down—especially for those with AI Overviews. Whether you’re an SEO practitioner, content marketer, advertiser or publisher, the message is clear: your old playbook needs updating.
Focus on visibility. Focus on authority. Focus on conversion.
Clicks will still matter—but how you earn them, how you measure them, and how you build for them is changing.
By adapting now—optimizing for being a source of authority, aligning content to rich intent, shifting PPC budgets to higher-intent queries, tracking conversions over clicks, and measuring brand exposure—you can not only withstand the shift but thrive in the new search landscape.