24 Mar How AI Has Changed Google Search
SEO · GOOGLE AI OVERVIEWS
What AI Overviews Mean for Your Business
Raise your hand if you used Google today. You’re reading this on the Internet, so we have no way to confirm, but we’re going to assume your hand is up. That means you’ve probably seen an AI Overview (AIO) and noticed how prominently it appears. It can deliver a summary with links near the top of Google Search results, reducing the need to scroll or click through websites to find an answer.
If you’re a savvy business owner with a comprehensive SEO strategy, you’re probably wondering how this is affecting your business. For brands, these summaries change where attention goes on the results page. After all, Google is essentially using information from your website, along with many others, to determine a consensus answer and prioritize it above organic search results. However, with the right knowledge and tools, you can leverage AIOs for your benefit, as well.
What Kinds of Searches Trigger AI Overviews?
A Semrush study published in December 2025 analyzed more than 10 million keywords. AI Overviews appeared for 6.49% of the sampled keywords in January, peaked at 24.61% in July, and reached 15.69% in November. These are historical sample results, not a current percentage of all Google searches.
The study also examined the intent behind the searches triggering AIOs. In the world of Google Search, there are four categories of queries:
- Informational: low intent, just seeking information (Ex. “what are AI Overviews?”)
- Navigational: more specific, looking for a certain website (Ex. “Facebook login”)
- Commercial: higher intent, researching before making a decision (Ex. “best pizza in St. Augustine”)
- Transactional: highest intent, a purchase is going to be made (Ex. “Publix order online”)
In that study, informational queries made up 91.3% of keywords triggering AI Overviews in January 2025 and 57.1% in October. The mix shifted toward more commercial, transactional, and navigational searches.
Are AI Overviews Resulting in Fewer Clicks to Your Website?
A zero-click search ends without a website visit. Semrush found that queries with AI Overviews tended to have higher zero-click rates, but query intent matters: an informational answer may satisfy a user immediately. The presence of an Overview does not prove it caused a lost click.
When Semrush compared the same keywords before and after they began showing AI Overviews, the zero-click rate fell from 33.75% to 31.53%. Results can vary by site and query, so review your own clicks, conversions, and customer actions rather than assuming a universal traffic effect.
How to Optimize Your SEO for AI in 2026
It’s clear AIOs are here for the long haul. If you want to stay relevant on Google, you need to make sure your website is properly structured for AI search results.
Google’s guidance for AI features says existing SEO practices remain relevant and no special markup is required. These five steps help make your content useful and accessible:
- Implement a Q&A format on your website to give clear answers that AI can use.
- Use categorical and contextual keywords so that AI can understand what industry you’re in.
- Publish authoritative, trustworthy content that is not overly persuasive or sales-y.
- Incorporate video platforms and discussion forums like YouTube and Reddit into your digital strategy, as these features are showing up more and more alongside AIOs.
- Understand how SEO and GEO work together, while measuring results rather than promising AI citations.
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