The Impact of Google’s AI Overviews on Search Engine Marketing: A Deep Dive into Click-Through Rates

In May 2023, Google introduced the Search Generative Experience (SGE), marking its entry into the AI-powered search landscape. At the core of SGE was Google’s Gemini, a powerful family of Artificial Intelligence (AI) models designed to process complex queries, generate natural language responses, and synthesize information from multiple sources. 

By leveraging large language models (LLMs), Gemini enabled SGE to dynamically summarize content, provide direct answers, and generate AI-powered snapshots- fundamentally changing how users interact with Google Search. At this stage, however, SGE was still in its experimental phase, with numerous reports of AI hallucinations; instances where the system generated misleading or fabricated responses to user queries.

Over the following months, Google worked extensively behind the scenes to refine SGE into a more reliable product, positioning it as a competitor to AI-powered search engines like ChatGPT and Perplexity. This effort culminated in May 2024, when Google officially rebranded SGE as “AI Overviews” (AIO) and rolled it out across the U.S. market.

Since its full-scale launch, Google has significantly increased the presence of AIO in search results, altering the traditional search experience. This shift has contributed to the rise of zero-click searches, where users find the information they need directly within an AI-generated snippet—without clicking through to a website. Some initial analysis conducted by other agencies have shown that paid search click-through rate decreased 12% points with the presence of an AIO. However, as indicated by the chart below, it is worth noting that some industries have experienced a greater AIO presence than others. 

Analyzing AIO’s Impact on CTR in the Healthcare Industry

To assess the real-world impact of AI Overviews on click-through rates (CTR), we conducted an in-depth analysis for a healthcare industry client.

Key Findings from our Analysis:

1. Limited AI Overview (AIO) Triggering for Service Line Keywords

Our analysis of 250+ service line keywords revealed that only 35% triggered an AI Overview (AIO) when entered as an exact query in Google Search; however, this finding should be interpreted cautiously, as search intent can vary even for identical keywords. This suggests that Google’s AI Overview is not yet uniformly applied across all keywords, making it crucial for advertisers to monitor how their keywords interact with AIO.

2. Declining CTR for Informational Queries:

To better understand how different searches are impacted by AI Overviews, we categorized search intent into five groups:

• Informational – Users seeking general knowledge.
• Transactional – Users ready to take action or make a purchase.
• Navigational – Users looking for a specific brand or website.
• Branded – Queries that explicitly mention a company or brand.
• Generic – Broad, non-branded searches that do not indicate a strong preference.

Analyzing more than 400,000 search term records from January 2024 to February 2025, we observed a significant shift in search engagement patterns following AIO’s rollout. Among all search intent categories, only informational searches showed a notable change in CTR. This decline was statistically significant on mobile devices, with a 40% year-over-year drop—the most pronounced decrease across all categories.

3.  Increase in Informational Search Query Volume:

Despite the drop in CTR, the total number of informational search queries has increased, signaling a shift in how users engage with search results rather than a decline in interest. This suggests that users are searching for more informational content than before, but their interaction with results may be evolving.

It is difficult to determine whether this increase in search volume is directly correlated with the presence of AIO, as Google has been continuously refining and expanding its AI capabilities since the official rollout. Several factors may be contributing to this trend:

• Improved AI-generated responses may encourage users to seek more complex, exploratory queries, knowing that search results can synthesize relevant insights more effectively.
• Greater integration with featured snippets and related search suggestions could be prompting users to refine or expand their queries, leading to an overall increase in search activity.
• Shifts in query interpretation by Google’s AI may be surfacing a broader range of informational searches that previously may not have been categorized as such.

What This Means for Search Marketers

Google’s AI Overviews are reshaping how users interact with search results, particularly for informational queries, which have traditionally played a crucial role in brand awareness campaigns. As AI-generated responses provide answers directly within search results, marketers must reassess how their brands remain visible and influential in a search environment where user engagement extends beyond traditional click-through rates.

With CTR declining for informational searches, advertisers must reconsider their brand awareness strategies to maintain visibility and engagement despite fewer website visits. Should budgets shift toward transactional or navigational queries, which may be less affected by AIO? Or should marketers prioritize new ways to shape brand perception within AI-generated search results? As search volume rises while clicks decrease, brands must develop strategies to ensure their messaging continues to reach and resonate with their audience.

As Google continues refining AI Overviews, traditional search marketing approaches may no longer be enough. To adapt, marketers should:

• Optimize for AI-generated summaries by ensuring brand messaging is present in high-authority sources that Google pulls from.
• Diversify brand awareness efforts beyond search, leveraging video, social media, and upper-funnel display campaigns.
• Refine paid search strategies to identify how AIO impacts campaign performance across different search intents.

By proactively adjusting to these changes, marketers can strengthen brand visibility and engagement in an evolving, AI-driven search landscape.

Want to see how AI Overviews are affecting your industry’s search performance? Reach out for a custom impact analysis!