Google’s introduction of AI Overviews has been a game-changer for the search landscape, but new data suggests that these AI-driven snippets may be hurting organic click-through rates (CTR), especially for non-branded, informational queries. Two recent studies from SEO tool provider Ahrefs and performance agency Amsive reveal a worrying trend—AI Overviews are siphoning clicks away from traditional organic listings.
The Impact of AI Overviews on Click-Through Rates
Both Ahrefs and Amsive conducted in-depth studies to analyze how AI Overviews have affected CTR for search results. The findings are clear: AI Overviews are significantly decreasing clicks to organic search results, particularly for non-branded keywords.
Ahrefs, using data from 300,000 keywords, found a staggering 34.5% drop in CTR for position 1 when AI Overviews appeared in search results. Amsive, which analyzed 700,000 keywords across multiple industries, saw a similar decline, with an average CTR drop of 15.49%. In some cases, the loss was even more severe, especially when AI Overviews were combined with featured snippets—one case saw a 37.04% drop in CTR.
The Biggest Declines Are in Non-Branded Keywords
AI Overviews are more likely to appear for non-branded, informational queries, and it’s here where the largest drops in CTR are being observed. Amsive’s study found a 19.98% CTR decline for non-branded keywords, while Ahrefs, focusing primarily on informational intent, noted that AI Overviews accounted for a 99.2% overlap in this category.
The implications are clear: when users search for information on a topic without a brand name in mind, Google’s AI Overviews are taking the spotlight, pushing traditional organic listings further down the search results. This trend has become particularly concerning for websites relying on high organic rankings to drive traffic.
Lower Rankings See Even Bigger CTR Losses
AI Overviews are also pushing organic results lower down the page, leading to a bigger drop in CTR for those who aren’t ranking in the top three positions. According to Amsive’s data, keywords outside the top three saw a dramatic 27.04% CTR decline when AI Overviews were present. The effect is clear: even if your website ranks well in organic search, it’s still being overshadowed by the AI Overviews, which are often more prominent in search results.
The Silver Lining: AI Overviews Benefit Branded Queries
Interestingly, the data shows that AI Overviews appear to benefit branded queries more than non-branded ones. Amsive found that AI Overviews were less likely to trigger for branded keywords—only 4.79% of branded queries triggered an AI Overview. However, when they did appear, branded keywords saw an 18.68% CTR boost. This could be due to stronger user intent and brand recognition, with users more likely to click on brand-related content when it’s paired with an AI Overview.
Why This Data Matters: A Decrease in Overall Clicks
The studies from Ahrefs and Amsive challenge Google’s claim that AI Overviews lead to higher-quality clicks. While Google has suggested that AI Overviews improve click quality, the data tells a different story. Click-through rates for many top-ranking, non-branded keywords are dropping, and websites that were once ranking well in organic search are now getting fewer clicks due to the prominence of AI Overviews.
Methodology: How the Studies Were Conducted
To provide these insights, Ahrefs used a combination of its own data and Google Search Console data to analyze CTR changes before and after the rollout of AI Overviews in March 2024. Amsive, on the other hand, analyzed a larger set of data from 700,000 keywords across ten websites and five industries. They focused on isolating patterns based on keyword type, industry, and SERP feature overlap, such as featured snippets and AI Overviews.
These studies are just the latest to call attention to the growing dominance of AI Overviews in Google’s search results and how they may be shifting user behavior.
What’s Next for AI Overviews and Organic Clicks?
As AI Overviews become more integrated into Google’s search experience, the effects on organic click-through rates will continue to evolve. For now, the data suggests that websites—especially those focusing on non-branded, informational content—may need to adjust their strategies to account for the shifting search landscape.
While Google’s AI may offer users a more curated experience, it’s clear that businesses relying on traditional organic search for traffic are facing new challenges. The question now is how SEO experts and marketers will adapt to this new reality, balancing AI-driven features with the need for visibility in organic search results.
