AI Overviews: Impact on Organic Click-Through Rates

AI Overviews have demonstrably impacted website click-through rates (CTR), presenting a significant challenge for online visibility. Research conducted by Ahrefs indicates that the introduction of AI Overviews has resulted in a substantial 34.5% decrease in CTR for affected content. This trend is further supported by findings from Seer Interactive, whose independent research reports even more pronounced declines, with CTR drops escalating to as much as 61%. These statistics highlight a clear pattern where the presence of AI-generated summaries in search engine results pages appears to divert user attention and clicks away from traditional organic listings. Additionally, research from Pew suggests a behavioral shift among search engine users; specifically, it notes that users who encounter an AI summary tend to engage with search results in a modified manner, though the specific nature of their subsequent clicks is not fully detailed within the provided information.

(Source: https://ahrefs.com/blog/how-to-rank-in-ai-overviews/)