TL;DR
AI is no longer just a SERP add-on—it’s becoming the interface for discovery across Search, browsers, vertical experiences (Finance, Flights), and even audio. Google says AI features are driving more queries and higher-quality clicks overall; independent studies show fewer clicks when AI summaries appear on a given results page. Both can be true, and the practical takeaway is clear: optimize for being cited and chosen (not just clicked), ship assets that require a visit, and measure beyond CTR.
Why this matters: discovery is fragmenting across multiple AI-mediated touchpoints. Organic visibility now includes being organized, summarized, or favorited—not just ranked.
Google’s position: AI in Search is driving more queries and higher-quality clicks while overall outbound traffic remains relatively stable year-over-year. Translation: the macro pie isn’t shrinking; engagement depth (post-click) is improving.
Independent findings:
Reconciling the two: Google reports macro totals across all queries and surfaces; third-party studies isolate AIO pages, where displacement is strongest. Fewer people may click when a summary appears, but those who do can be more qualified, aligning with Google’s “higher-quality clicks” claim.
Google’s guidance: you don’t need an AI-specific playbook (e.g., “LLMs.txt,” GEO, AEO) to be included in AI Overviews—normal SEO still applies (crawlability, relevance, quality, UX, and authority). That said, content that’s structured and unambiguous is more likely to be cited.
Practical translation: you can keep core SEO fundamentals, but tune your pages for clean extraction and attribution—short answers, tight intros, scannable subheads, tables/steps, and robust schema.
Be chosen—even when clicks compress
Lean into what AI surfaces
Upgrade measurement
Stay strategic
AI is turning search from a list of links into a layered discovery system—summaries, clusters, vertical answers, audio, and personalized sources. Google’s macro message (more queries, better clicks) and independent micro analyses (fewer clicks on AIO pages) describe different angles of the same transition. The next wave of organic winners will: (a) structure content to be cited, (b) ship experiences that demand a visit, and (c) own audience relationships beyond the SERP.
AI has turned search from a static list of links into a living, adaptive ecosystem where answers can appear in summaries, side panels, vertical tabs, or directly in conversation. This creates new friction points—like declining clicks on some queries—but also new openings for brands that provide depth, clarity, and originality.
The big picture is clear: SEO isn’t dying, it’s evolving. Success now means moving beyond chasing rankings and instead ensuring your content is visible, reference-worthy, and indispensable across every AI-driven surface. Businesses that adapt—by investing in trust, unique assets, audience relationships, and structured clarity—will not only survive these shifts, but thrive in them.
The “search-everywhere” shift is a challenge, yes, but it’s also a chance to redefine what visibility really means in the age of AI.
It takes a village to run a successful business. Several staff members contribute to the articles under this bio. You can read more about them here: full bio here.
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