Every time someone searches on Google, there is a greater chance that the first result will not be a blue link, but a paragraph written by artificial intelligence. That block is called AI Overview (AI-generated views, on the Spanish-language interface) and is probably the most far-reaching change to search since SEO first came into existence. The question our clients in Barcelona ask us almost every day is straightforward: if Google answers for me, does it still make sense to invest in search engine optimisation? The short answer is yes, but with a few changes to the rules. Understanding how Google’s AI Overviews work and how much traffic they’re taking away from you is now essential for any SME, and that’s what this article is about.
What are Google AI Overviews?
The Google AI Overviews These are summaries generated by the Gemini models that appear at the top of the results to answer a query without the user having to visit any websites. They gather information from various sources, summarise it in a few lines and, below that, provide links to some of the pages cited. It’s convenient for the user. For those who rely on organic traffic, this is a shift in the landscape that should be understood through data rather than alarmist headlines.
They do not appear in all searches. They are triggered mainly by informational queries — the typical «how», «what is» and «why» queries — and much less frequently by transactional or brand-related searches. That distinction, which we’ll look at below, is what makes the difference between panicking and adjusting your strategy.
How much traffic is actually lost: the figures
This is where we need to be honest and rely on sound research, not on gut feelings. Two of the most frequently cited sources in the sector agree on the general direction, even though they measure different things.
The first is a Ahrefs’ study of 300,000 keywords. By comparing the CTR (click-through rate) before and after the roll-out of AI Overviews in the United States, they found that the presence of an AI Overview is associated with a 34.51 TP3T fewer clicks for the page in first position in informational searches. In other words: you can still be number one and lose one in every three clicks you used to receive.
The second is a research by the Pew Research Centre published in July 2025, which analysed the actual browsing behaviour of 900 adults in the United States. When an AI summary appeared, users clicked on a result in just 8% of visits, opposite the 15% when there was no summary. Furthermore, only 1% users clicked on any of the links included within the summary itself, and 26% users ended their browsing session there (compared with 16% users who did not view the AI View).
| Metric | No AI Overview | With AI Overview |
|---|---|---|
| Click on a result (Pew Research) | 15% of visits | 8% of visits |
| CTR for position 1, informational (Ahrefs) | Reference | −34.5% |
| A session that ends on the results page (Pew) | 16% | 26% |
The overall picture is clear: when there is an AI summary, there are fewer clicks through to websites. This isn’t an opinion; it’s what the data shows. However, to go from there to claiming that «SEO is dead» is a leap that the studies themselves do not support.
Why this doesn’t mean that SEO is dead
It’s worth bearing three things in mind before making any hasty decisions about your budget.
Firstly, AI Overviews do not cover all searches. They focus on the informational part of the funnel. When someone is ready to buy, hire or request a quote — «physiotherapist near me», «marketing agency in Barcelona», «kitchen renovation cost» — the AI summary appears much less frequently, and that’s where clicking remains the norm. These are also the searches that actually drive conversions for an SME.
Secondly, being cited in the AI View is also valuable. Even if the click rate drops, being the source Google chooses to provide an answer reinforces your authority and your brand. In fact, the traffic that does come from AI-powered platforms tends to be more qualified: users arrive with their query already resolved and closer to making a decision.
Thirdly, search engines aren’t your only showcase. Searches no longer take place solely on Google, which is why we’re also working to improve our clients’ visibility on chatbots such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity. We explain this in detail in our guide on GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation), the discipline that aims precisely to get AI to mention your business.
How to regain visibility when Google AI Overviews are in use
The aim is no longer simply «to be number one». It is to be useful to the user, citable by AI, and visible at the very moment someone is about to make a decision. This is what we are putting into practice and what we recommend.
1. Refocus the content on commercial and local objectives
If your blog relies solely on purely informative articles, it’s time to readjust your focus. Prioritise pages that cater to commercial and local search intent: services, case studies, comparisons, «near me». These are the ones least affected by AI summarisation and the ones that bring in customers. For a business in Barcelona, a well-crafted Google Business Profile and geolocated content are still worth their weight in gold.
2. Structure your content so that AI can cite you
Language models extract information more effectively when it is organised: a clear and direct answer in the first paragraph, headings that pose genuine questions, lists, tables and specific data with their sources. Write to provide answers, not to pad out the text. Paradoxically, the content that ranks highest in AI Views is the content that shows the greatest respect for the reader.
3. Highlight what Google can’t summarise: your brand and your own channels
An AI-generated summary may be able to paraphrase a piece of information, but it cannot replicate trust in a brand, an email list of your customers or a social media community. Investing in brand awareness, email marketing and direct engagement reduces your reliance on organic clicks. The more people search for you by name, the less it matters if you lose clicks from generic searches.
4. Measure the actual impact using Search Console
Before cutting back on anything out of fear, take a look at your own figures. Google already shows your impressions within AI-generated views and AI Mode: check which queries are generating clicks, which are only generating impressions, and where you’re losing ground. We explain how to interpret this in the article on the Generative AI report in Search Console. Making decisions based on your own data is always better than reacting to a headline.
What we’re doing at Vandelay
Together with our clients, we’ve moved away from viewing search ranking as a race for the number one spot and have started to measure something broader: presence. That includes the traditional ranking, yes, but also whether you’re cited by AI-powered search results, whether a chatbot recommends you, and how much traffic from those sources ultimately converts. In fact, the data suggests that this AI traffic performs significantly better than the rest, so losing a few clicks on informative content along the way isn’t always bad news if, in return, you gain visibility where decisions are made.
Google’s AI Overviews aren’t going to disappear; they’re here to stay. The sensible thing to do is neither to resist nor to resign yourself to it, but to adjust your strategy with a cool head and the data to hand. Those who realise first that search has changed — and act accordingly — will be the ones who continue to appear when their customers ask a question, whether they do so on Google or ask an AI directly. If you want to know exactly how this is affecting your website, that’s precisely the sort of analysis we carry out every week; get in touch and we’ll take a look at your actual figures.
Sources: Ahrefs — «AI Overviews Reduce Clicks by 34.5%» y Pew Research Centre (22 July 2025). Data accessed in July 2026.
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