AI Overview Explained: Is Google Taking Your Website Traffic?

Have you noticed Google looks a little different lately? Instead of just ads and blue links, a big AI-powered box called AI Overview now loads right at the top, even before paid ads. 

The AI Overview and AI Search parts of Google are powered by the websites it finds. For businesses, this shift makes SEO more important than ever. To have a chance at being included in AI’s answer, your website needs to demonstrate authority, expertise, and trust through strong, optimized content.

In this article, we’ll explain more of what Google’s AI Overview is, what it means for your business, and how to pivot so you don’t lose a day of sales. Keep reading to learn more – or contact us today to get in touch with a dedicated marketing strategist!

What is Google’s AI Overview?

Instead of clicking into websites to read full articles, many searchers now see a large AI-generated answer box with an instant summary right at the top of the results page.

Say a homeowner searches “How much does a metal roof cost?”. Before they ever see a contractor’s website, Google’s AI displays a summary with price ranges and details it has pulled from other websites.

For question-based searches, users often don’t even need to click on a result anymore. Google scans the top-ranking pages, pulls out the most relevant points, and generates a quick answer. In many cases, people either start a new search or log off without ever visiting a website.

And for research-style questions, some aren’t even using Google at all,  they’re turning to ChatGPT or other AI tools directly. Ouch! That’s got to hurt SEO results, right?

AI Overview’s Impact on Your Website and SEO

As a business owner, what matters most isn’t how Google looks, it’s how many qualified leads and customers are reaching you. Here’s the most common effects you may see from this change:

Decrease in overall traffic

 For many question-based searches (“how,” “why,” “what,” “when”), users now get answers directly from Google’s AI summary without needing to click into a website. That means you might see fewer visits in Google Analytics – but this doesn’t mean fewer potential customers are out there searching.

Fewer “curious clicks”

People who are just browsing for information (like “what is vinyl siding?”) may never land on your site. They either find enough in the AI Overview or use other tools like ChatGPT for research. This mainly affects top-of-funnel curiosity searches, not high-intent buyer searches.

Higher value per visitor

The people who do click are usually more serious. If someone is clicking past the AI summary, they’re probably looking for a contractor, product, or service…not just an answer. That makes every visitor to your site more valuable, and it’s why conversion-focused websites win in this new search landscape. 

More competition for visibility

In the past, ranking #1 on Google was the prime goal. Now, being referenced in AI Overview is just as important – and there’s less space available. In addition to 10 links on page one, there may be only a handful of sites cited in the AI summary. If your site isn’t optimized and trusted, your competitors will take that spot.

Greater demand for authority

Google favors websites that show Experience, Expertise, Authority, and Trust (E-E-A-T). That means creating content that shows your knowledge, your local experience, and your proven results. Blogs/Content marketing, FAQs, and resource pages written with real expertise give your business a far better chance of being cited in the AI Overview.

And here’s the most important takeaway: SEO has always been ever-changing. 

If you’re reading this thinking that AI’s reshaping of search means you should surrender SEO, you’re wrong. Pulling back now leaves your website outdated and invisible, making it impossible for your content to ever be referenced in AI Overviews. It’s more important than ever to keep up your SEO investment, increase it where possible, or spread marketing efforts wider to stay ahead of the curve!

How to Adapt to AI’s Effects 

So what can you do to make sure your business stays visible?

• Keep investing in SEO – If you’re thinking about cutting back, don’t. Now is not the time to step off the gas. If your website isn’t being updated with modern SEO practices, Google won’t even consider it for AI Overviews. The businesses that keep investing will be the ones customers actually see.

• Create expert, trustworthy content – Google favors businesses that prove their expertise. That means blogs, FAQs, and resource pages that answer real questions and show you know your craft. Lucky for you, that’s one of our specialties. Our blogging service makes it easy to build topical authority, so when Google’s AI goes hunting for trusted answers, your business is in the mix.

Expert Blogging Services 

• Adapt how content is written – AI rewards content that gives quick, clear answers up front and offers depth for the people who click through. It’s a balance — and it’s exactly how we’re already creating content for our clients.
• Leverage technical signals – It’s not just about words. Speed, schema markup, and structured data all play into whether your site gets pulled into an AI Overview. We’ve already baked this into our ongoing SEO work, so you don’t have to worry about it.
• Spread your marketing investments – Don’t put all your eggs in Google’s basket. Smart businesses are spreading visibility across platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, and email marketing. Ask your dedicated marketing strategist what may be right for you!

What to Do Next

Here’s the truth: SEO isn’t dead – it’s evolving. And if you stay still while Google changes, you’ll get left behind. The good news? You don’t have to. Here’s how our master marketing agency keeps our clients are ahead of the curve:

Google may be rewriting the rules, but with WebTek on your side, you’ll always be in the game.

Not a WebTek partner? Don’t sit on the sidelines. Join the hundreds already succeeding with WebTek and see what we’ve already accomplished for businesses like yours, from 400% traffic growth to record-breaking lead generation!