We're not just running a report. We're getting in the weeds, live on screen, to show you exactly where your budget is going, what's working, and what's falling flat. Ask us anything, challenge our assumptions, and see our knowledge in action – on the spot.
Challenge us. Schedule your live audit today.
Google recently implemented a significant update: AI Overviews now provide direct answers to search queries on the search results page. This Pico Digital Marketing team article discusses the implications for businesses reliant on website traffic for conversions. The core question we address is: “Will businesses experience fewer conversions now that Google AI Overview provides consolidated answers, potentially reducing direct website visits?”
.jpg){kind=avatar}
Summary: Google recently implemented a significant update: AI Overviews now provide direct answers to search queries on the search results page. This Pico Digital Marketing team article discusses the implications for businesses reliant on website traffic for conversions. The core question we address is: “Will businesses experience fewer conversions now that Google AI Overview provides consolidated answers, potentially reducing direct website visits?”
A recent conversation with one of our valued clients in the manufacturing industry highlighted a crucial concern, especially in light of Google’s Core 2025 update. He asked, “What will happen to my website traffic now that we have AI Overviews?“
This concern is understandable. Suppose you’ve observed Google’s recent implementations. In that case, you’ll notice that many of your search queries are now being answered directly within the Large Language Model (LLM) environment, impacting AI search engine optimization.
Left: The AI Overview answer. Right: Sources are where the information comes from.
In many cases, the AI overview takes precedence over traditional ads and provides a consolidated answer to your query, drawing from various sources. So, what does this fundamental shift mean for your business when advertising or striving to rank your organic content and aiming for better AI SEO optimization?
While the technical traffic path may change – users might read AI overviews instead of navigating directly to a website for initial information – the overall engagement with information persists.
AI Overviews are designed to provide direct, concise answers. This might decrease traditional clicks for certain types of queries.
However, you must understand that these overviews also serve as a new, prominent form of visibility for your content. This is becoming a hot topic for AI in search engines.
Users are still actively seeking information and solutions. The focus is simply shifting. Instead of solely aiming for a click, the new imperative must be recognized as the authoritative source of the high-quality answer. This shift nurtures the user’s interaction, even if it initially occurs within the AI Overview. This is a key consideration for how AI Overview will change SEO and Paid Search.
You might find that your customers are now “skipping” some top-of-funnel channels and moving more directly towards conversion.
This happens because they obtain initial information directly from the AI Overview, potentially without directly visiting your website. Consequently, you may observe a decrease in raw website traffic.
However, a paradoxical but encouraging trend has emerged across both B2B and B2C sectors, highlighting the Google AI Overview SEO impact: businesses report decreasing organic traffic volumes, yet their conversion rates often remain stable or even increase.
How do I appear in AI Overviews SEO? The answer lies in prioritizing quality over quantity. Traffic that does reach your website after an AI Overview interaction is often more qualified and further along in their decision-making process.
These users have already received an answer and are likely seeking more in-depth information, specific products, or direct engagement. The AI Overview acts as a pre-filter, delivering more engaged users to your site.
Regardless of evolving trends in SEO content and AI, content is, and will always remain, a necessary component of your website.
However, critical adaptation now involves understanding how information is distributed, rather than rigidly adhering to traditional journalistic styles.
The rule remains: create content that genuinely serves human readers—informative, engaging, and providing clear value.
Simultaneously, this human-centric content must be meticulously structured and presented so that AI systems can easily comprehend, extract, and reproduce for AI Overviews. This is precisely where structural elements become critically crucial for discoverability and recognition by LLMs, one of the many parts of optimizing content for AI search engines.
You might wonder: Does this mean every page on your website needs rewriting? The short answer is: not necessarily.
There’s an undeniable shift towards more structured content. This means deliberately incorporating elements like:
While this might challenge traditional “journalistic” blogging styles, it significantly improves AI’s ability to process and utilize your content.
Providing clear, succinct summaries is no longer optional; it’s an essential best practice for all content, especially blog posts and articles.
These summaries are pre-digested information that AI can readily use to generate accurate and relevant overviews.
The ultimate goal is to present your content in a style easily digestible and reproducible by AI for its overviews without compromising the depth or value human readers seek.
The traditional singular focus on individual keywords, often based purely on search volume, diminishes their effectiveness.
The new emphasis is firmly on “keyword clusters.” This involves developing a comprehensive understanding of a broader topic and then identifying its related terms, questions, and subtopics.
Addressing entire keyword clusters within your content demonstrates a more comprehensive and authoritative understanding of a subject.
This approach enables AI Overviews to engage in more meaningful “conversations” with users and provide more complete, nuanced answers, rather than isolated facts. It also signals to Google that your content is a holistic resource on the topic.
Meta titles and descriptions remain critical for SEO and user engagement, even in the AI Overview era. Here’s what you need to keep in mind:
Simply put, its role has changed. In the AI Overview era, CTR is no longer the sole or primary metric for measuring success. Its importance is diminishing as direct answers within the search results become the focus for users.
The new benchmarks for success are increasingly centered on conversion rates and overall user engagement once a user lands on your site. This includes metrics such as:
Call to Action:
You don’t have to do this by yourself. While AI Overviews (AIOs) are a hot topic among marketers, navigating them doesn’t have to be a struggle for your business.
Our team is versed in how these updates affect website traffic, and we’re already implementing new strategies. We’re ensuring our clients successfully drive traffic and continuously increase conversions.
Adapting your content strategy for AI Overview doesn’t mean overhauling everything overnight. We can guide you through targeted optimizations that deliver real impact—starting with your highest priority content. Contact us to discuss how we can help your business and promote your content in AI Overviews.
