AI Overviews & SERP Shifts: Dealing With The Zero-Click Era

Ever since generative AI became mainstream, it has taken the tech world by storm, with virtually every major brand rushing to capitalise on its potential. Google, as one of the most influential players in this field, has unsurprisingly led the charge. From productivity tools to cloud computing and advertising, AI is now woven into nearly every corner of Google’s ecosystem. The most transformative addition, however, is happening at the heart of its business: search.

For decades, Google’s ranked list of blue links on its search results page has been the default way users discovered information online. But with the rollout of AI Overviews, the familiar search experience is undergoing its biggest shake-up yet. Instead of simply pointing users to relevant sites, Google now generates AI-driven answers that appear directly on the results page. This marks a major evolution in how information is surfaced and signals the future of online visibility, where AI increasingly decides what users see first.

This shift has given rise to what’s called the zero-click era. Many users now get the core of what they need from the AI-generated summary and frequently no longer feel the need to click through to the underlying sources. While the answers may not always be as detailed as a full article or guide, they are often “good enough” for casual information-seekers.

For businesses and marketers, this is a serious challenge. Organic search traffic has long been the lifeblood of digital growth strategies, but with fewer people clicking out of Google, those models are under pressure. So, what does this mean for SEO in 2025 and beyond and how can brands adapt?

What are AI Overviews? Google’s shift to AI answers

AI Overviews (AIOs) are summaries powered by generative AI that appear at the top of search engine results pages (SERPs). Rather than showing a list of links first, Google uses AI to synthesise content from multiple sources and provide a conversational response to the user’s query. Typically, an AI Overview includes:

• A concise, AI-generated summary
• Source citations embedded within the text
• Traditional organic results pushed below the fold

The idea is simple: save users time by giving them an instant answer, especially for queries that may otherwise require sifting through multiple websites. In theory, this is a natural extension of Google’s mission to “organise the world’s information”. In practice, however, it represents a profound change. Instead of guiding users to information, Google is now synthesising information for them.

This distinction matters because it reshapes user behaviour and undermines the mechanics of traditional SEO. It is no longer enough to optimise solely for rankings; you must now optimise for visibility within AI-driven answers themselves. Businesses looking for guidance often turn to specialised consultancies, such as an AI SEO agency, which help navigate this new reality by balancing conventional optimisation with AI-first strategies like Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO).

Impact on click-through rates: Why sites lose traffic

The clearest consequence of AI Overviews is their impact on click-through rates (CTR). When users receive what they perceive as a sufficient answer directly on the search page, their motivation to explore further diminishes.

For publishers and businesses, the result is a tangible drop in traffic. Even sites that hold the coveted top positions in organic search rankings are seeing reduced engagement because the AI-generated box dominates user attention.

This shift has several knock-on effects:

• Lower ROI for SEO and content marketing – If organic clicks fall, the returns from long-term SEO investment decrease.
• Ad performance volatility – Ads placed near AI Overviews may receive higher visibility, but user behaviour in this new layout is still inconsistent.
• Business model risks – Publishers reliant on ad revenue or affiliate clicks face instability if users never reach their sites.

In short, CTR decline erodes the foundation of how digital content has historically driven growth.

Industries most affected by AI Overviews

Not every industry experiences this shift in the same way. Some sectors are being disproportionately disrupted, while others may benefit.

1. Content publishers (healthcare, finance, etc.)

Informational publishers are among the hardest hit. A question like “Why is my lower back hurting?” may now be fully addressed within Google’s AI Overview, meaning users bypass detailed articles from trusted health sites.

2. Educational blogs and tutorials

Step-by-step queries such as “How to start a podcast” are increasingly answered directly in SERPs, reducing the reach of niche experts and independent educators.

3. Review websites

Comparison content like “best wireless headphones under $200” is easily summarised by AI, cutting into the traffic of review-driven platforms.

4. Local service aggregators

When AI surfaces local results and summarises reviews upfront, platforms that aggregate local businesses like restaurants, clinics, or service providers lose their referral advantage.

5. E-commerce with unique offerings

Some businesses, however, stand to gain. Specialty platforms like Etsy may see more direct referrals if AI identifies unique inventory and links users directly to purchase pages.

6. Transactional businesses

For transactional queries (“buy iPhone 17 Pro”), AI often routes users straight to retailers, ensuring e-commerce players remain in the mix.

Taken together, this demonstrates the uneven landscape: informational content suffers most, while transactional queries retain greater resilience.

Strategies to adapt in an AIO-driven world

The disruption caused by AI Overviews is significant, but not insurmountable. Marketers and businesses must evolve their approach to thrive in this new search environment.

1. Implement schema markup

AI thrives on structured information. Schema markup helps Google interpret your content more effectively and increases the likelihood of being cited in an AI Overview. Key schema types include:

• FAQPage – for Q&A sections
• HowTo – for guides and tutorials
• Dataset – for statistics and comparisons
• Organisation – for brand recognition

Implementing structured data signals to search engines that your content is reliable, scannable, and authoritative.

2. Build topical authority

Google’s AI relies on trusted, authoritative sources. To position your brand as one, you must publish deep, original, and experience-backed content that demonstrates expertise.

Thought leadership, industry insights, and unique perspectives are more likely to be surfaced by AI than generic listicles. Securing features in high-authority industry publications further strengthens credibility.

3. Optimise for featured snippets

Although AI Overviews dominate above-the-fold, featured snippets remain highly valuable. They continue to be among the most clickable elements on SERPs.

Focus on:

• Targeting high-intent, non-branded queries
• Formatting content with clear FAQs and lists
• Providing concise, structured answers

A balanced approach that pursues both snippet optimisation and AI visibility can mitigate traffic losses.

4. Prioritise entity recognition

SEO is increasingly about being understood as an entity, not just ranking for keywords. Clear signals about who you are, what you do, and why you’re credible improve the odds of being referenced by AI systems.

This is an area where working with a GEO agency in Singapore can provide value, as they often specialise in building entity-level optimisation strategies to strengthen brand discoverability both locally and globally.

Measuring success in a zero-click world

With fewer clicks to measure, the old SEO playbook of rankings and traffic volume no longer tells the full story. Success in the zero-click era requires new metrics that include both familiar and emerging KPIs.

• Engagement metrics – Time on page, scroll depth, and CTA interactions give richer insights into user intent.
• Brand mentions and query growth – If AI repeatedly cites your content or if more users search for your brand name, that indicates authority and recall.
• Impressions – Even without clicks, impressions signal visibility and brand exposure.
• AI model crawl success rate – The extent to which AI systems can ingest your content is a new technical KPI.
• Machine-validated authority – Trust as perceived by algorithms rather than backlinks.
• AI citation count – How often your content is referenced in AI outputs, similar to academic citations.

The ultimate goal is to shift from tracking traffic alone to measuring visibility, recognition, and influence across AI-powered ecosystems. As AI transforms search, SEO is evolving from a traffic-driven model to a presence-driven one. Visibility across SERPs, AI-generated responses, and branded search recall are now the metrics that matter most.

Success will not be defined by quick hacks or temporary rankings but by long-term trust with both users and machines. The websites that thrive will be those that invest in topical authority, structured content, and brand credibility.

Conclusion

The rise of AI Overviews marks a turning point in how people access and consume information. For businesses and marketers, the implications are profound: fewer clicks, shifting KPIs, and a heightened emphasis on authority.

To future-proof SEO, brands must think beyond the old playbook. The challenge is no longer just about climbing rankings but about being present wherever users (and now AI) are looking. Visibility has become the new currency. Recognition is the new ranking. And branded recall is the new conversion funnel. In this next chapter of search, resilience will come from building trust, embracing adaptability, and recognising that the future of SEO isn’t about clicks but rather presence.