Google’s AI Overviews (AIOs) are quickly reshaping search marketing and advertising. As AIO prevalence grows, early data reveal effects on both organic and paid media performance. And while AIOs are still fairly new and studies on their impact are preliminary, these findings provide meaningful insights for search advertisers looking to adapt their strategies.
Since Google introduced AIOs, their prevalence has varied.
When AIOs came out in May 2024, they appeared in about 10% of all Google search queries. Since then, their appearance rate has fluctuated, dropping to a low of 7% in August 2024, but has generally increased. By late February 2025, AIOs appeared in 17% of all Google search queries.
While the prevalence of AIOs is generally increasing, it varies based on the search vertical. The industries most likely to surface AIOs have fluctuated over time, but searches related to healthcare, B2B technology, and education have had some of the highest likelihoods to date. AIO prevalence also depends on the type of query, with research finding that informational queries—specifically, searches starting with the words “what,” why,” and “how”—trigger the vast majority of AIOs, as opposed to navigational, commercial, or transactional queries. Search queries made up of four or more words were also 31.6% more likely to trigger AIO results. This is likely why queries related to healthcare, B2B, and education are more likely to surface AIOs, as many of these searches are informational.
Since the rollout of AIOs, studies have observed a general decrease in organic traffic for publishers.
A 2023 study on the effects of AIOs (then known as Search Generative Experience) across 23 websites found that organic traffic declined by 18% to 64%. A September 2024 study found that organic traffic declined by about 70% when AIOs were present in search results. Interestingly, that same 2024 study also found that links included as AIO sources saw incremental increases in organic click-through rate (CTR) compared to links not cited in AIOs (1.08% vs. 0.6%, respectively). More recently, an April 2025 study found that search results featuring an AI Overview were associated with a 34.5% lower average click-through rate.
Representatives at Google and Bing have claimed that advertisers are getting higher-quality clicks on searches that surface AIOs, since those users get a sneak peek at the page content before clicking. However, as only a few websites are linked in an AIO, only that small number are receiving those higher quality clicks.
Knowing that Google’s AIOs are driving a drop in CTR—as well as allowing more relevant (but often lesser ranked) listings to drive answers—marketing teams may want to develop a separate SEO strategy for appearing in AIOs. The strategy should focus on optimizing content, not just so that it appears as a direct answer to searchers’ inquiries, but in a way that addresses potential follow-up questions while offering context, rationale, and detailed information about the products or services being promoted.
AIOs are affecting paid click-through rates (CTRs) and cost per click (CPC) in much the same way they’re impacting organic traffic: adversely. Ads within AIOs are currently limited to mobile, and placements running on Google Search or Shopping are automatically included—although there’s currently no way to tell how often a brand’s ads are showing in AIOs without a third-party tool such as ZipTie.dev.
A September 2024 study found that AI Overviews in search results led to a sharp decrease in paid ad click-through rates: When an AIO was present, the average paid CTR was 9.87% CTR, compared to 21.27% CTR when an AIO wasn’t present. And as advertisers try to maintain their impression and click volumes in reaction to this shift, CPCs on the queries and keywords that trigger AIOs will increase in turn.
In light of this, advertisers seeking lower CTRs should prioritize conversions over preserving impression share on keywords and queries likely to trigger AIOs. Some of the recent CPC increases tied to AIOs are being driven by efforts to maintain impression volume by raising bids. Focusing on conversions ensures that ad spend is tied to tangible outcomes, rather than being inflated by efforts to maintain visibility.
From a CPC perspective, advertisers can mitigate this impact by focusing bidding strategies on conversion-based goals, like ROAS and CPA, to control the potential costs. If an AIO is present, it will often make sense for advertisers not to try to bid up on that search. While the brand may lose that click, there’s a good chance it wouldn’t have been a high-value click—for example, if the user was solely looking for a definition or doing homework.
The impact of AIOs is still developing in real-time, but early indicators suggest a clear need for strategic adaptation. By developing a strategy for appearing in AIOs—if, of course, it makes sense for the specific keyword/query and brand—as well as focusing on conversion-based goals, advertisers can better navigate shifting user behavior and manage rising CPCs in an evolving search landscape.
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Looking for more insights around how AI is transforming the search landscape? Check out AI and the Future of Search Engine Marketing for a deep dive into how AI is changing search behavior, fragmenting the search market, and impacting paid advertising opportunities.
