Google AI Overviews Killed 61% Of Search Clicks

TL;DR: A 2025 Seer Interactive study tracking 3,119 search terms across 42 organizations reveals that Google AI Overviews caused organic click-through rates to drop 61% and paid CTR to fall 68%. Even searches without AI Overviews saw 41% fewer clicks year-over-year. The only bright spot: brands cited in AI Overviews receive 35% more organic clicks and 91% more paid clicks than uncited competitors.

Core findings:

• Organic CTR for AI Overview queries dropped from 1.76% to 0.61% (61% decline)

• Paid CTR fell from 19.7% to 6.34% (68% decline)

• Queries without AI Overviews still saw 41% CTR reduction year-over-year

• Brands cited in AI Overviews gain 35% more organic clicks and 91% more paid clicks

• Zero-click searches rose from 24.4% to 27.2% of all U.S. searches

Something fundamental changed in search this year. The data from three thousand queries proves it.

I’ve analyzed the Seer Interactive research tracking 3,119 search terms across 42 organizations. The findings document a transformation in how users interact with search results. The scale is unprecedented.

Organic click-through rates for queries with AI Overviews dropped 61%. Paid search fared worse, declining 68%.

These aren’t temporary fluctuations. The research tracked 25.1 million organic impressions from June 2024 through September 2025. The pattern is consistent. The trajectory is clear.

What Happened to Click-Through Rates in 2025?

Even queries without AI Overviews experienced a 41% year-over-year decline in organic CTR. Users are clicking less everywhere.

This suggests a behavioral shift rather than simple traffic redistribution. People find answers before clicking. They turn to ChatGPT, Perplexity, social platforms. They bypass traditional search results entirely.

The implications ripple outward. Every optimization strategy built on click volume becomes obsolete overnight.

Bottom line: Users now click less on all search results, not just those with AI Overviews, because they find answers elsewhere or directly in the SERP.

How the Citation Advantage Works

Within this collapse, the research reveals a striking pattern. Brands mentioned in AI Overviews gain a citation advantage.

Companies cited in these AI summaries received 35% more organic clicks than uncited competitors. The paid search advantage is even more dramatic at 91%.

This citation effect represents the new battleground for search visibility. Being mentioned matters more than ranking position ever did.

The takeaway: Citation in AI Overviews creates a measurable competitive advantage that outweighs traditional ranking factors.

What the Numbers Reveal About Search Behavior

The numbers document the lowest click-through rates in 15 months of tracking. Organic CTRs for AI Overview queries fell from 1.76% to 0.61%. Paid CTRs dropped from 19.7% to 6.34%.

Independent research from Pew validates these findings. About one-in-five searches now generate AI summaries. Users demonstrably click less when these summaries appear.

The trend accelerates. AI Overviews expanded from 6.49% of search results in January 2025 to 13.14% by March. The coverage doubles every few months.

Key insight: AI Overview coverage doubled in three months, and CTRs hit 15-month lows across all query types.

Why Zero-Click Searches Are Now the Majority

March 2025 data shows only 40.3% of U.S. searchers clicked an organic result, down from 44.2% the prior year. Meanwhile, zero-click searches rose from 24.4% to 27.2%.

The traditional open web loses ground to Google-owned properties and no-click answers. The search economy fundamentally restructures itself.

Marketing teams face a stark reality. The metrics they optimized for no longer correlate with visibility or influence.

What this means: More than one in four searches now end without any click, therefore traditional traffic-based KPIs become unreliable success indicators.

How Success Metrics Must Change

Traditional KPIs focused on clicks and traffic require fundamental reassessment. Success metrics shift from volume to visibility, from clicks to share of voice within AI-generated content.

The citation advantage creates a new strategic imperative. Brands must optimize for mention probability rather than ranking position. The goal becomes appearing in the AI summary, not just the results below it.

This demands different content strategies, different authority signals, different optimization frameworks. The playbook that worked for two decades becomes irrelevant.

Strategic shift: Optimize for citation probability in AI summaries rather than traditional ranking positions, because visibility now matters more than click volume.

What This Means for the Future of Search

The research suggests permanence rather than disruption. User behavior adapts to new information access patterns. The convenience of immediate answers in AI Overviews trains users to expect synthesis rather than source navigation.

We are witnessing a transformation in how humans discover information. The cosmic ocean of the web remains vast, but the shore from which we explore it has fundamentally changed.

The data tells us what happened. The implications tell us what comes next. Those who adapt to citation-based visibility will thrive. Those who cling to click-based metrics will watch their influence evaporate.

The numbers are clear. The transformation is underway. The question is whether you’ll recognize it in time.

Final point: This represents a permanent behavioral shift, not a temporary disruption, therefore early adaptation to citation-based optimization creates lasting competitive advantage.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much did AI Overviews reduce organic click-through rates?

Organic CTR for queries with AI Overviews dropped 61%, falling from 1.76% to 0.61% between June 2024 and September 2025 according to Seer Interactive’s research tracking over 3,100 search terms.

Do AI Overviews affect paid search ads too?

Yes, paid search was hit even harder. Paid CTR for queries with AI Overviews declined 68%, dropping from 19.7% to 6.34% during the same period. This suggests AI Overviews push ads further down the page.

What is the citation advantage in AI Overviews?

Brands cited in AI Overviews receive 35% more organic clicks and 91% more paid clicks compared to competitors not mentioned in the AI summary. Being cited creates a measurable competitive advantage.

Are clicks declining even for searches without AI Overviews?

Yes. Queries without AI Overviews still experienced a 41% year-over-year decline in organic CTR. This indicates users are clicking less across all search results, not just redistributing clicks within the SERP.

How fast are AI Overviews expanding in search results?

AI Overviews more than doubled their presence from 6.49% of search results in January 2025 to 13.14% by March 2025. The coverage is expanding rapidly and unevenly across different industries.

What percentage of searches now end without any click?

Zero-click searches rose from 24.4% to 27.2% of all U.S. searches between March 2024 and March 2025. More than one in four searches now end without the user clicking any result.

Should marketers still focus on traditional SEO rankings?

Traditional ranking optimization remains relevant but insufficient. Marketers must shift focus to citation probability in AI Overviews and share of voice metrics rather than relying solely on click volume and traffic KPIs.

Is this decline in clicks temporary or permanent?

The research suggests this is a permanent behavioral shift. Users are adapting to finding answers directly in AI summaries or turning to alternative platforms like ChatGPT and Perplexity before clicking through to websites.

Key Takeaways

• AI Overviews caused a 61% drop in organic CTR and 68% decline in paid CTR, representing the lowest rates in 15 months of tracking

• Even searches without AI Overviews saw 41% fewer clicks year-over-year, indicating users are clicking less everywhere

• Brands cited in AI Overviews gain 35% more organic clicks and 91% more paid clicks than uncited competitors

• Zero-click searches now account for 27.2% of all U.S. searches, up from 24.4% the prior year

• AI Overview coverage doubled from 6.49% to 13.14% of search results in just three months

• Success metrics must shift from traffic and clicks to visibility and share of voice within AI-generated content

• This represents a permanent transformation in search behavior rather than a temporary disruption