AI Overviews and Click-Through Rates: What SMEs Need to Know in 2026

Intro

Google's AI Overviews have fundamentally changed how people find businesses online. The numbers are stark: organic click-through rates for queries with AI Overviews dropped 61% between June 2024 and September 2025. Position one in Google used to deliver 28% of clicks. Now it delivers 19%.

For small businesses that built their marketing around organic search traffic, these changes demand attention. But panic helps no one. Understanding what's actually happening—and adapting intelligently—separates businesses that thrive from those that fade.

The shift isn't about Google becoming hostile to websites. It's about search behaviour evolving. Users increasingly want answers without clicking through to multiple sites. AI Overviews deliver that experience. Your strategy needs to account for this reality rather than fight against it.

"The businesses adapting fastest aren't mourning lost traffic," says Ciaran Connolly, founder of Belfast-based digital agency ProfileTree and AI training specialist. "They're rethinking what success looks like. Being cited as the authoritative source in an AI Overview can be more valuable than ranking number one ever was—if you structure your content correctly."

This article breaks down the data, explains the mechanics, and provides practical steps SMEs can take immediately. The goal isn't to restore 2023 traffic levels—that ship has sailed. The goal is building visibility that delivers business results in 2026's search landscape.

What the Data Actually Shows

Multiple studies throughout 2025 painted a consistent picture. Seer Interactive's September 2025 analysis of 3,119 informational queries across 42 organisations found organic CTR for queries with AI Overviews dropped from 1.76% to 0.61% over fifteen months. That's a 65% decline.

Paid search fared worse. CTR for ads on queries with AI Overviews crashed 68%, from 19.7% to 6.34%. July 2025 saw particularly severe drops, with paid CTR briefly hitting 3.26%.

GrowthSRC Media analysed over 200,000 keywords across 30 websites spanning e-commerce, SaaS, B2B, and EdTech. Position one CTR fell 32% from 28% to 19%. Position two dropped 39% from 20.83% to 12.60%.

The scale of AI Overview deployment expanded dramatically. In August 2024, approximately 10,000 keywords triggered AI Overviews. By May 2025, that number exceeded 172,000. Google quietly increased AI Overview frequency during the March 2025 core update.

MailOnline reported CTR drops of 56.1% on desktop and 48.2% on mobile for keywords with AI Overviews present. Their position one CTR fell from approximately 13% desktop and 20% mobile to under 5% desktop and 7% mobile when AI Overviews appeared.

The data is unambiguous: AI Overviews significantly reduce clicks to websites.

The Surprising Finding About Non-AI-Overview Queries

Early analysis suggested queries without AI Overviews might become safe harbours. If AI Overviews damage CTR, surely avoiding them solves the problem?

The September 2025 data demolished this assumption. Queries without AI Overviews still outperform those with them—1.62% CTR versus 0.61%. But that 1.62% represents a 41% year-over-year decline. Even queries Google doesn't answer with AI are seeing fewer clicks.

This suggests forces beyond AI Overviews are at play. Users are seeking answers elsewhere before reaching Google—ChatGPT, Perplexity, social platforms, or direct brand searches. When they do use Google, their willingness to click traditional results has decreased across all query types.

The implication for SMEs: you cannot simply target keywords without AI Overviews and expect historical traffic levels. The entire search ecosystem has shifted toward answer delivery rather than link navigation.

Why Citations Matter More Than Rankings

The data contains one genuinely encouraging finding for businesses willing to adapt. Being cited in AI Overviews dramatically improves performance.

Brands cited in AI Overviews earned 35% higher organic CTR and 91% higher paid CTR compared to non-cited brands on the same queries. When AI Overviews recommend your business as one of three to five authoritative sources, you've achieved something rankings alone never delivered: explicit algorithmic endorsement.

This changes the strategic equation. Traditional SEO services focused on climbing from position five to position three to position one. Each position gained delivered predictable traffic increases.

In 2026, the goal shifts to citation. Being mentioned in AI Overviews—even if you rank lower in traditional results—may deliver more qualified traffic than ranking first without citation. One AI citation can generate more valuable clicks than a top-three organic position.

The businesses thriving aren't optimising for rankings and traffic as primary metrics. They're optimising for trust, citation, and share of voice. They measure visibility in AI responses, track competitor mentions, and create content that educates rather than merely attracts clicks.

Understanding Zero-Click Search

Zero-click searches—queries where users get answers without clicking any website—reached 60% of all Google searches by 2025. On mobile, that figure exceeds 77%.

This isn't new. Featured snippets, knowledge panels, and instant answers have satisfied queries directly in search results for years. AI Overviews accelerate an existing trend rather than creating something unprecedented.

For informational queries especially, users increasingly want synthesised answers rather than link lists. They don't want to visit five websites to piece together understanding. They want one coherent response that saves time.

Small businesses serving informational queries face the harshest adjustment. If your traffic came from answering "what is" or "how to" questions, much of that traffic now ends in Google's interface rather than your website.

But informational queries were always top-of-funnel. They built awareness but rarely converted directly. The more valuable commercial and transactional queries—searches with purchase intent—see AI Overviews less frequently. When they do appear, they function more as recommendation engines than answer machines.

Which Queries Trigger AI Overviews

Semrush's analysis of over 10 million keywords found AI Overviews appearing for approximately 13% of queries, with informational queries most affected.

Industry variation matters significantly. Technology, health, and educational topics trigger AI Overviews frequently. Real estate and shopping see them rarely—Google satisfies these queries with existing features like local packs, ads, and product listings.

Local business queries show mixed patterns. Research found AI Overviews appearing for 35% to 46% of local business-related searches, covering everything from window cleaning to digital marketing services. But local intent often drives users toward Google Maps and Business Profiles rather than AI Overview content.

The pattern suggests AI Overviews target queries where users seek understanding rather than action. When someone searches "best restaurant Belfast," they might see recommendations. When they search "book table Michelin star Belfast," they're more likely to see booking options directly.

Understanding which of your target queries trigger AI Overviews helps prioritise efforts. Queries showing AI Overviews require citation-focused strategy. Queries without them still benefit from traditional ranking optimisation.

How to Get Cited in AI Overviews

Google doesn't publish a checklist for AI Overview citation. But patterns emerge from analysing cited sources.

Authority and Trust Signals

Sites with strong domain authority, established backlink profiles, and consistent publishing histories appear more frequently in AI Overviews. Google's AI systems apparently draw from the same trust signals as traditional ranking algorithms.

For SMEs, this means link building and authority development remain valuable—not for ranking alone, but for citation eligibility. A content marketing approach that earns mentions and links from respected sources builds the authority AI systems recognise.

Clear, Factual Statements

AI Overviews synthesise information from multiple sources into coherent summaries. Content structured with clear, quotable statements gets extracted more easily.

Instead of burying your key point in the third paragraph after lengthy preamble, lead with it. Instead of hedged language full of "maybes" and "depending on circumstances," make definitive statements that AI systems can confidently cite.

"Belfast businesses typically see local SEO improvements within three to six months" gives AI something to work with. "Results may vary based on numerous factors including but not limited to..." does not.

Comprehensive Topic Coverage

Thin content rarely earns citations. AI systems favour sources that demonstrate comprehensive understanding of topics.

This doesn't mean word count for its own sake. It means thorough coverage of what users actually need to know. Answer the main question, then address follow-up questions users would naturally ask. Cover edge cases and exceptions. Acknowledge limitations and alternatives.

Schema Markup and Structured Data

Structured data helps Google understand your content's meaning and authority. Organisation schema, FAQ schema, and author markup all provide signals AI systems may use when selecting citation sources.

Proper implementation of structured data is technical hygiene that improves both traditional rankings and AI citation likelihood.

Consistent Entity Presentation

Google builds understanding of entities—businesses, people, topics—from information across the web. Consistent presentation of your business name, services, and expertise across your website, Google Business Profile, social platforms, and third-party mentions reinforces entity recognition.

Inconsistencies confuse AI systems. If your website calls you a "digital marketing agency" but your Google Business Profile says "web design company" and LinkedIn describes you as "SEO consultants," Google's AI has three different entities to reconcile.

Rethinking Success Metrics

If traffic declines despite stable or improving rankings, traditional metrics mislead more than illuminate. The shift requires new measurement approaches.

Share of Voice

How often does your brand appear in AI Overviews for relevant queries compared to competitors? Tools are emerging to track this, but manual sampling provides baseline understanding.

Search your target keywords monthly. Record whether AI Overviews appear, which brands get cited, and where you stand in the competitive landscape. Track changes over time.

Citation Frequency and Prominence

Being mentioned first in an AI Overview carries more weight than appearing fifth. Track not just whether you're cited but how prominently.

Prominent citation suggests stronger authority signals. Declining from first to third position in AI citations indicates competitors strengthening their authority.

Branded Search Volume

Increasing branded searches—people searching your business name directly—indicates growing awareness even if anonymous informational traffic declines.

This metric matters because branded searches bypass AI Overviews entirely. Someone searching "ProfileTree" gets your website. They've already decided they want you specifically.

Conversion Quality

With lower overall traffic, conversion rate becomes more critical. If AI Overviews filter out casual browsers and send only genuinely interested visitors, your conversion rate should improve even as volume drops.

Track not just conversions but conversion quality. Are leads more qualified? Do customers spend more? Does retention improve? Higher-quality traffic from smaller volumes may deliver equal or better business outcomes.

Assisted Conversions

Users often interact with your content through AI Overviews without clicking through, then later search your brand directly or navigate directly to your site. This awareness-building doesn't appear in click attribution but contributes to eventual conversions.

Attribution modelling that accounts for assisted conversions provides more accurate understanding of content's business impact.

Practical Steps for SMEs

Audit Your Keyword Exposure

Identify which of your target keywords trigger AI Overviews. For those that do, check whether you're currently cited. This reveals immediate opportunities and vulnerabilities.

Keywords where you rank well but aren't cited represent low-hanging fruit. Your content already demonstrates relevance—it likely needs restructuring for citation eligibility.

Restructure Content for Citation

Review your highest-traffic pages. Do they lead with clear, factual statements? Do they answer questions directly before elaborating? Are key points formatted for easy extraction?

Restructuring existing content often delivers faster results than creating new content. Your authority already exists; you're making it more accessible to AI systems.

Build "Why Choose Us" Pages

AI systems recommending local businesses frequently pull from "About Us" and "Why Choose Us" pages. These pages consolidate trust signals—experience, credentials, reviews, differentiators—in formats AI can easily parse.

Create or strengthen pages that explicitly answer why someone should choose your business. Include years of experience, qualifications, service areas, pricing transparency, and customer feedback.

Develop FAQ Content

FAQ pages structured with clear questions and concise answers map directly to how AI systems generate responses. A question followed by a two-to-three sentence answer provides ready-made content for citation.

Base FAQ questions on actual customer queries. What do people ask in sales calls? What questions appear in reviews and emails? What do people search before finding you?

Diversify Traffic Sources

Reduced Google traffic makes diversification more urgent. Build presence on platforms where your audience discovers businesses—YouTube, TikTok, LinkedIn, Reddit, industry-specific directories.

Each platform requires different content approaches. But core expertise can be adapted across platforms with reasonable effort. One video answering common questions becomes YouTube content, TikTok clips, and blog transcription.

Maximise Conversion Rate

If fewer visitors arrive, more of them need to convert. Audit your conversion paths. Are contact forms simple? Is pricing transparent? Do calls-to-action appear prominently?

Small improvements in conversion rate offset traffic declines. A 10% traffic drop with 20% conversion improvement delivers better business results than maintaining traffic with unchanged conversion.

Track and Adapt

The AI search landscape continues evolving. What works in January 2026 may need adjustment by June. Establish tracking systems that reveal what's working and what isn't.

Monthly reviews of AI Overview presence, citation frequency, branded search trends, and conversion quality provide data for intelligent adaptation.

The Opportunity in Disruption

Every significant search change creates winners and losers. Businesses that adapted to mobile-first indexing early gained advantages over slower competitors. Those who embraced local SEO when Google Maps became prominent captured market share.

AI Overviews represent similar disruption—and similar opportunity. While larger competitors may move slowly through corporate decision-making processes, SMEs can adapt immediately. While others mourn lost traffic, you can build citation authority. While competitors focus on vanity metrics, you can measure what actually matters for business outcomes.

The businesses succeeding in 2026 aren't those with the most traffic. They're those with the strongest authority, the clearest expertise, and the most effective conversion paths. AI Overviews may reduce total clicks, but they concentrate attention on genuinely authoritative sources.

If that's you, the math works in your favour.