AI Overview Searches Are Coming In The Biggest Shake Up In Google Search History (And Your Organic Traffic Could Be Hammered)
As your favourite SEO guy will tell you, it’s been a volatile period for search engine optimisation over the past couple of years or so. SEO moves at lightening speed at the best of times, but it looks as though big changes will continue to drop thick and fast with heavy new algorithm updates.
Knowledge is power, believe me you’ll want to stay ahead of the seismic changes that are coming.
The biggest one that looks to be just around the corner is Google introducing AI assisted search results. They’re called “AI Overviews” – and it’s already across the pond…
AI Overviews Drop In USA With Dramatic Impact – With Similar Changes Due To Be Rolled Out In Other Countries (Including UK)
Google have rolled out AI Overviews for an estimated 80% of search terms in the USA. The idea is simple – to take the work out of search and enhance the overall searching experience and speed.
So, instead of trawling through several search result websites, Google’s AI will essentially hand you the information you were looking for right within your search engine interface.
For example, say you were looking to get laser eye surgery but wanted to learn more about who is suitable for treatment, the new Google search results in the USA bring up the following organic results:
While the purpose is to enhance the user search experience, the introduction of AI into search will have serious implications for businesses who rely on Google search traffic. Here’s why:
- New AI results will take up significant swathes of page 1 real estate. This is important because only 0.78% of people search beyond page 1 on Google (research by Backlinko). There’s that famous joke – “Where’s the best place to hide a dead body? On Page 2 of Google” (Not exactly Curb Your Enthusiasm material, but you get the point)
- This means that most of the current organic “blue link” results could be obliterated from page 1, thereby losing pretty much all their traffic. So, if you’re currently getting free organic traffic by being competitive on organic search, that might be about to change.
- It also is likely to result in “feast or famine” status – websites that appear in the AI overview will get the most organic traffic available in this new world. Those that aren’t could be starved of organic traffic altogether, even if they are on page 1 of the traditional search engine results.
- If Google Search UK follows the lead of our American friends, AI could feature in 8 out of 10 searches at least, which means websites could achieve significantly less traffic from those searches.
- Click Through Rates may crash – AI search results may lead to users not clicking on any search engine listed website. Known as “zero click” searches, if users find the required information within the Google platform there’s no need for them to go elsewhere. The AI will be able to collate and combine information from multiple websites into a coherent and well-presented summary for the searcher. Do you see the double whammy? Less eyeballs on your organic listing, as well as lower click through rates for the listings that do reach human eyes.
- Google Ads & other paid media could get more expensive (yes, more so than now). As the majority of businesses see lost organic traffic, they will likely investment more into paid media like Google Ads, Meta (etc) driving up cost per clicks and cost per leads. So, it’s never been more critical to have an overall digital marketing strategy that is streamlined, well co-ordinated and primed to reach your target audience.
What Has Happened To Website Traffic & Metrics In The USA Since AI Has Been Implemented?
Early days, but the research from a limited study of 23 organically competitive websites found that organic traffic dropped between 18% to 64%. This makes sense, as Google will attribute less and less page one space to traditional organic results. It will likely feature a couple of organic website links within the AI results. So, it’s looking a little like winner takes all, loser has to fall.
Ask yourself, what would the impact of losing 18% to 64% of organic traffic be to your business?
In the example shared above, only one company was featured in the AI organic listings:
How To Prepare For The Coming Changes
As Google powers ahead with its AI search revolution, there will be major disruptions and the digital landscape as we know will change. Old approaches and ways of doing SEO will need to change.
While all this may seem frightening, just by reading this and being aware, you’re already ahead of the game because you can start to prepare for what’s coming.
Now, it’s still very early days and we will see the SEO industry adapt dramatically over the coming months and years to get those all-important listings within the AI Overview area.
So what should your digital marketing be doing to make sure your website is the winner that takes it all from AI listed results? I have some very clear thoughts for this, which I have compiled into a one-pager report based on what we know so far. It provides top level insights on getting yourself into the best possible position so your website is listed within the new AI Overview results.
To get this (with my compliments) please just DM me and I’ll send it over.
Want Even More? Let’s Talk About You And Your Business…
AI Overviews are the future of search, so your digital marketing teams really need to be dialled in, and what it means for your business.
If you’re only hearing about this for the first time as a business owner or marketing leader, and you’d like some help with it all, please just reach out to me. I’ll be happy to set up a quick call to show you exactly how you can minimise risks and maximise traffic, leads and sales from it all. It’s free, and you might be pleasantly surprised with what you’ll get out of it.
Till next time, wish your business the very best!
Tukshad