Amid various studies suggesting that Google’s AI overviews are quickly eroding referral site visitors, Google has responded by saying that this concern is actually being overblown, as a result of not solely are customers happier with its AI overviews, it really hasn’t seen a big decline in complete referral hyperlinks being despatched from Google Search outcomes.
Which, after all, Google would say, however in line with its official weblog put up, there’s no proof that it’s seeing to help such claims.
Nicely, at the least when it comes to general referral numbers.
As per Google:
“Total, complete natural click on quantity from Google Search to web sites has been comparatively secure year-over-year. Moreover, common click on high quality has elevated and we’re really sending barely extra high quality clicks to web sites than a 12 months in the past (by high quality clicks, we imply these the place customers don’t rapidly click on again — usually a sign {that a} consumer is within the web site). This information is in distinction to third-party studies that inaccurately recommend dramatic declines in mixture site visitors — typically primarily based on flawed methodologies, remoted examples, or site visitors adjustments that occurred previous to the roll out of AI options in Search.”
Amongst these studies, and the one which Google’s particularly taking intention at, is a latest research printed by Pew Analysis, which was primarily based on search historical past information from a pool 0f 900 customers.
Pew’s information confirmed that customers who had encountered an AI abstract within the SERP clicked on a standard search end result hyperlink in 8% of all classes, whereas those that didn’t see an AI abstract clicked on a search end result practically twice as typically (15%).
That appears vital, and marks a big shift in search exercise, and the research has been extensively quoted and held up for example of the broader impacts of Google’s AI shift.
However Google has particularly known as this one out as being primarily based on flawed enter, because of its comparatively small research pool.
I imply, I suppose 900 customers is a small pattern measurement, particularly when you think about that billions of persons are utilizing Google daily. However as an indicative measure, the info right here would doubtless recommend that there’s been at the least some relative impression on referrals. Proper?
Google says no.
“With AI Overviews, persons are looking out extra and asking new questions which can be typically longer and extra complicated. As well as, with AI Overviews persons are seeing extra hyperlinks on the web page than earlier than. Extra queries and extra hyperlinks imply extra alternatives for web sites to floor and get clicked.”
So AI previews are literally higher for referral site visitors, in Google’s view, and whereas it does concede some impression:
“For some questions the place persons are in search of a fast reply, like ‘when is the subsequent full moon,’ folks could also be happy with the preliminary response and never click on additional. This has additionally been true for different reply options we’ve added, just like the Data Graph or sports activities scores. However for a lot of different forms of questions, folks proceed to click on by way of, as they need to dig deeper into a subject, discover additional or make a purchase order.”
Its primary competition is that whereas site visitors is declining to some websites, it’s rising to others, together with these with boards, movies, podcasts, and posts, that are all seeing an uptick in Google site visitors.
“Persons are additionally extra prone to click on into net content material that helps them study extra — similar to an in-depth assessment, an authentic put up, a novel perspective or a considerate first-person evaluation. Websites that meet these evolving consumer wants are benefiting from this shift and are typically seeing a rise in site visitors.”
So Reddit. Reddit is seeing extra site visitors, and also you’ve little question seen extra Reddit hyperlinks showing in SERPs.
However nonetheless, perhaps these notes gives some steering as to what you need to be together with in your websites to raised cater to AI previews, and evolving search behaviors. Although it’s additionally notable that Google hasn’t shared any particular information factors to again these claims up.
Google’s simply saying that it’s all positive, that you just’re most likely not dropping site visitors, and if you’re, others are successful out.
So it’s all good, the broader net is healthier off general. Sufficient with the worry mongering, proper?
Nicely, no.
As a result of as famous, that also implies that many websites are dropping site visitors, and that’s having a huge impact on many companies.
The Wall Avenue Journal, for instance, reported again in June that natural search site visitors has declined for each main information group. Primarily based on information supplied by Similarweb, WSJ says that HuffPost’s natural search site visitors has dropped by greater than half over the previous three years, whereas The Washington Submit and Enterprise Insider have seen related patterns.
“Enterprise Insider’s site visitors from Google searches alone dropped 55% between April 2022 and April 2025, primarily based on information from Similarweb.”
That, amongst different components, pressured Enterprise Insider to minimize employees by 21% again in June, citing “excessive site visitors drops” as one of many challenges it’s going through.
A pessimist may say that this was opportunistic, as Enterprise Insider can be experimenting with ChatGPT for content material creation, and it could be utilizing this as a purpose to again up its push to cut back employees. However the decline in general site visitors is simple, and goes to impression all companies that earn money from Google Adverts and the like.
And there are numerous different studies:
- The Present not too long ago reported that site visitors to the world’s 500 most visited publishers dropped 27% year-over-year versus February final 12 months
- Final month, Digiday reported that for the reason that U.S. launch of Google’s AI Overviews in Could 2024, the variety of searches for information that lead to no click-throughs to news web sites has grown from 56% to just about 69%
- Authoritas discovered {that a} website beforehand ranked first in a search end result may lose about 79% of its site visitors for that question if outcomes have been delivered beneath an AI overview.
That mentioned, SimilarWeb, a key reference level for lots of the sort of information, has additionally reported that AI referrals to web sites have elevated by 357% since June 2024, which can help what Google’s saying a few re-distribution of Search site visitors, versus the highest publishers taking on all of the SERP area.
It’s not clear if that’ll offset the losses which can be being reported, however perhaps, that is indicative of Google’s statements.
Although the priority stays. Even primarily based on Google’s clarification, many websites are certainly dropping out, and should reassess their site visitors era course of.
And with AI Overviews solely at present being displayed for 20% of desktop searches, there’s additionally the query of what occurs as Google will increase this, and the way that can impression the broader net.
Google says that it “cares passionately concerning the net ecosystem,” and that it’s very conscious of those impacts.
However proper now, Google says, there’s nothing to fret about.
In general phrases, at the least.
