Amid various stories 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 truly hasn’t seen a big decline in complete referral hyperlinks being despatched from Google Search outcomes.
Which, in fact, Google would say, however in line with its official weblog publish, there’s no proof that it’s seeing to assist such claims.
Effectively, not less than by way of 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 truly 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 shortly click on again — usually a sign {that a} person is within the web site). This information is in distinction to third-party stories that inaccurately recommend dramatic declines in combination site visitors — typically primarily based on flawed methodologies, remoted examples, or site visitors modifications that occurred previous to the roll out of AI options in Search.”
Amongst these stories, and the one which Google’s particularly taking purpose at, is a current 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 conventional search outcome hyperlink in 8% of all classes, whereas those that didn’t see an AI abstract clicked on a search outcome 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 referred to as this one out as being primarily based on flawed enter, resulting from its comparatively small research pool.
I imply, I assume 900 customers is a small pattern measurement, particularly when you think about that billions of individuals are utilizing Google day by day. However as an indicative measure, the info right here would probably recommend that there’s been not less than some relative affect on referrals. Proper?
Google says no.
“With AI Overviews, individuals are looking out extra and asking new questions which might be typically longer and extra advanced. As well as, with AI Overviews individuals 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 affect:
“For some questions the place individuals 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 Information Graph or sports activities scores. However for a lot of different kinds of questions, folks proceed to click on via, as they wish to dig deeper into a subject, discover additional or make a purchase order.”
Its foremost rivalry is that whereas site visitors is declining to some websites, it’s growing to others, together with these with boards, movies, podcasts, and posts, that are all seeing an uptick in Google site visitors.
“Individuals are additionally extra more likely to click on into internet content material that helps them study extra — reminiscent of an in-depth evaluate, an authentic publish, a singular perspective or a considerate first-person evaluation. Websites that meet these evolving person 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 doubt seen extra Reddit hyperlinks showing in SERPs.
However nonetheless, possibly these notes offers some steerage as to what you have 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 wonderful, that you just’re most likely not dropping site visitors, and in case you are, others are successful out.
So it’s all good, the broader internet is best off general. Sufficient with the worry mongering, proper?
Effectively, no.
As a result of as famous, that also signifies that many websites are dropping site visitors, and that’s having a big effect on many companies.
The Wall Road Journal, for instance, reported again in June that natural search site visitors has declined for each main information group. Based mostly on information offered 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 Put up 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 elements, pressured Enterprise Insider to minimize employees by 21% again in June, citing “excessive site visitors drops” as one of many challenges it’s dealing with.
A pessimist may say that this was opportunistic, as Enterprise Insider can be experimenting with ChatGPT for content material creation, and it might 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 affect all companies that earn cash from Google Advertisements and the like.
And there are numerous different stories:
- The Present lately 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 because the U.S. launch of Google’s AI Overviews in Might 2024, the variety of searches for information that lead to no click-throughs to news web sites has grown from 56% to almost 69%
- Authoritas discovered {that a} website beforehand ranked first in a search outcome may lose about 79% of its site visitors for that question if outcomes have been delivered beneath an AI overview.
That stated, SimilarWeb, a key reference level for lots of one of these information, has additionally reported that AI referrals to web sites have elevated by 357% since June 2024, which can assist what Google’s saying a few re-distribution of Search site visitors, versus the highest publishers taking on all of the SERP house.
It’s not clear if that’ll offset the losses which might be being reported, however possibly, that is indicative of Google’s statements.
Although the priority stays. Even primarily based on Google’s rationalization, many websites are certainly dropping out, and should reassess their site visitors technology 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 affect the broader internet.
Google says that it “cares passionately in regards to the internet ecosystem,” and that it’s very conscious of those impacts.
However proper now, Google says, there’s nothing to fret about.
In general phrases, not less than.
