AI Overviews - Why Impressions Are Up, But Clicks Are Falling

There’s a major shift happening in how search works. If you’ve been watching Google Search Console, you’ve probably seen it too. Impressions are up. But clicks are falling. That mismatch isn’t random, it’s happening because of Google’s AI Overviews.

AI Overviews are Google’s new way of answering questions directly in the search results. Instead of a list of ten blue links, users now get an instant, AI-generated answer. That change means fewer people are clicking through to websites, even though your content might still be the reason they got their answer in the first place.

Let’s break down why this is happening, what it means for SEO, and how to turn these changes to your advantage.

Why AI Overviews Are Changing Search

Google knows that search is evolving. The launch of ChatGPT changed user expectations overnight. People got used to asking questions and getting direct, clean answers without needing to dig through five websites.

AI Overviews are Google’s version of that. They’re pulling summaries from top-ranking content and displaying them above the standard results. It’s a new way to deliver value, but it means users are getting what they want without needing to click.

This shift marks one of the biggest changes to user behaviour since mobile search took off. But now, the challenge isn’t screen size, it’s attention span.

The Impact of AI Overviews on Search Results

We’re seeing fewer organic links at the top of the page. AI Overviews are taking that real estate. And they often do a good enough job that many users won’t scroll down at all.

That means traditional click-through rates (CTR) are dropping. Even when your content powers the AI Overview, there’s a good chance the user won’t actually visit your site.

This new layout favours strong content and authority, but not in the same way we’ve optimised for in the past. You’re playing a visibility game now, not just a traffic game.

Clicks Are Falling, But They’re More Valuable Than Ever

Here’s where things get interesting. Clicks are becoming harder to earn, but they’re also becoming more meaningful.

If someone sees an AI Overview and still clicks through to your page, they’re not a casual browser. They’re curious, motivated, or ready to take action. These clicks come from deeper down the funnel.

In a world where zero-click searches are increasing, the clicks you do earn will be from users who are looking for something specific, something the AI couldn’t answer fully.

That makes every visitor more valuable. Conversion rates can increase even if traffic drops.

Conversion Rates Should Improve

Fewer visitors doesn’t always mean fewer leads or sales. In fact, some sites are already seeing higher conversion rates as a result of Google AI Overviews.

The AI answers the basic questions, which filters out people who were never going to buy. What’s left is a smaller but more qualified group of users. They’re the ones who want detail, context, or a solution.

If your site is well-optimised, with fast loading times, clear calls to action, and content that solves real problems, you could see better results with less traffic.

The Pros and Cons of AI Overviews

This shift has two sides. On the one hand, AI Overviews give your content more exposure, your insights could be featured in front of a huge audience without needing the user to click.

That kind of top-of-funnel visibility can build brand recognition, trust, and authority.

But on the other hand, attribution becomes more difficult. Your content might be doing all the heavy lifting without you seeing the benefit in traffic. And when AI summarises complex information, it doesn’t always get it right. Misrepresentation is a real risk, especially if you’re publishing content in regulated or nuanced industries.

This also adds a layer of difficulty for businesses that rely on clear traffic metrics to justify investment in SEO. It’s harder to tie content directly to ROI when clicks are no longer the main signal of value.

How SEOs and Marketers Should Respond

We’ve hit the point where ranking alone isn’t enough. The playbook is shifting from traffic to outcomes.

Instead of chasing broad reach, it’s time to focus on satisfying intent. Content needs to be clearer, better structured, and aligned with how Google’s AI systems process and summarise information.

That means:

• Answering questions directly
• Using simple, well-structured headings
• Creating long-tail, in-depth content that’s hard to summarise
• Watching conversion rate and engagement metrics more closely than ever

It also means accepting that some value won’t show up in analytics. Brand authority, featured mentions in AI Overviews, and increased trust, these matter, even when they don’t trigger a click.

Final Thought: SEO Metrics Are Changing

AI Overviews aren’t a fad. They’re the beginning of a new chapter in search. Google is shifting from a search engine to an answer engine. That changes everything from content strategy to measurement.

Clicks still matter. But they’re not the full picture anymore. The marketers who adapt quickly, track engagement, focus on conversions, and refine their content for AI visibility are the ones who’ll come out ahead.

If you’re still measuring success by impressions and clicks alone, it’s time to upgrade your SEO scorecard.

FAQs to summarise the recent AI Overview changes 

Q: What exactly are AI Overviews?

They’re generative AI snippets (formerly known as Google SGE) displayed at the top of search results. They’re summarised from multiple sources and aim to answer queries directly in the SERP

Q: What has changed?

Impressions are rising, but clicks are dropping.  Google’s new AI Overviews provide direct answers in the search results, so users often don’t click through to websites.  These generative summaries extract information from various top-ranking pages, which increases visibility while reducing the need to visit those pages.

Q: Why are impressions going up?

When AI Overviews include your content, Google logs an impression, even if users don’t click.

Q: Why are our clicks falling?

The AI instant answer format satisfies many queries without requiring users to scroll or click.

Q: Are the clicks we are getting now more valuable?

Yes. Users who still click are typically further down the funnel—deeper in their intent, with better motivation, and higher conversion potential.

Q: What are the Pros & Cons?

• Pros are a broader exposure via AI Overviews that can boosts brand awareness and possibly higher conversion rates from more qualified visitors (WIP).
• Cons are less traffic and harder to attribute value via clicks and greater risk of misrepresentation if AI mis-summarises nuanced or highly technical content.

Q: What should SEOs & Marketers do?

We suggest your team should consider the following:

• Prioritise intent alignment - Aim for clear, structured content that satisfies AI while inviting users deeper 
• Use headings & structured formatting - Make it easy for AI Overviews to extract juicy snippets.
• Invest in long‑tail & bottom‑funnel content - Target keywords that are less likely to trigger AI Overviews but more likely to convert.
• Monitor engagement metrics - Focus on conversions, time-on-page, and post-view actions—not just raw click counts.
• Accept “untracked” value - Your brand may be seen and credited in Overviews even without clicks, helping to build authority and awareness.
  

Q: Does this affect all industries equally?

Not yet, from what we can see, AI Overviews are more prevalent in informational sectors like healthcare, education, B2B tech, and insurance, less so in e-commerce queries, but this is changing very quickly.

Q: Should we stop chasing rankings?

No, you need a dual plan, ranking well in search and being cited by AI Overviews. That requires content structured to be both discoverable and AI-friendly. AI Overviews have reshaped SEO – everyone has noticed that visibility is up, clicks are down, but intent-driven traffic is more valuable than ever. Develop a strategy to focus on serving both AI systems and your customers - craft structured, answer-rich, and conversion-optimised content.

Arekibo have a team of professional AI SEO specialists here to help you upgrade your current organic strategy. Get in touch today.