If you have noticed your website getting many impressions but fewer clicks, you are not imagining it. Google’s AI Overviews (these quick summaries up top in search results) are shifting how people search and how content gets traffic.
What is going on?
Google now often places an AI-generated summary right at the top of the search results. It is designed to give users a quick, clear answer without them needing to scroll or click further. While this makes life easier for searchers, it means many of them no longer visit the websites that actually supply the information.
So yes, your content may still appear in search results, in fact, more than before, but fewer people are actually clicking through to read it.
Why impressions are up and clicks are down
This shift is more than a hunch; it is backed by data. Research published by Pew Research Centre in March 2025 showed that when an AI Overview appears, users click on traditional search results only 8% of the time, compared with 15% when there’s no AI summary involved. Another analysis from Semrush found that AI Overviews now show up in around 13% of all desktop searches, which means the trend is spreading quickly.
It is not just a dip in clicks, either. Studies show a range of CTR declines when AI Overviews appear, Amsive reports an average drop of 15.49%. In related data from BrightEdge, Google impressions rose nearly 49%, while CTR fell about 30%. Other analyses suggest deeper declines in some cases. The Pew Research Centre adds that almost six in ten users have already seen at least one AI-generated answer during a Google search, proof that this feature is becoming part of everyday browsing.
In short, your site might be getting more exposure, but fewer visits. The way people find and consume information is changing fast.
The silver lining
While fewer clicks may sound worrying, it is not all bad news. Those who still make it to your website are now more intentional, they are the readers who want depth, context and authenticity. In many cases, that leads to higher engagement and stronger conversions.
Being featured in an AI Overview can also boost your visibility and credibility, even if it does not show up directly in your analytics. Still, the changes are dramatic in some areas. A recent Guardian report noted that top-ranking news sites have lost as much as 79% of their traffic for certain queries once AI summaries appear. It is a reminder that we are living through a major shift in how search works.
How to adapt
If you publish content online, now is the time to rethink how you measure success. Below are some ways, which can help you out in future:
- Write with clarity: Make your point early, so Google’s AI understands what your page is about.
- Offer more depth: Add insight, experience or analysis that cannot be neatly summarised by AI.
- Structure it well: Use headings and short paragraphs to keep things readable and scannable.
- Look beyond clicks: Track engagement and conversions, not just visits.
- Be visible, even without traffic: Sometimes, being quoted or featured in an AI Overview builds authority in ways a simple click never could.
AI Overviews are here to stay. They may take away some of your clicks, but they also bring new opportunities for visibility and trust. The goal now is not to fight the change but to work with it, to create content that is valuable enough for people to seek out, not just stumble upon.
After all, algorithms may summarise, but only humans can truly connect.
