Google is quickly changing organic search results as it integrates AI. Thus far, the new features have caused traffic losses to most external sites, necessitating new search engine tactics and priorities.
Here’s how AI is impacting traditional organic search visibility to date.
AI Overviews
AI Overviews are answers to search queries. They summarize and cite top-ranking pages, typically, correlating traditional SEO with visibility in Overviews.
AI Overviews:
- Eliminates searchers’ need to click. If your target query triggers an Overview, the result is likely fewer clicks, even if the Overview cites your page.
- Cites pages that then often appear in average position 1 in Google Search Console with abnormally low click-throughs. Thus the average position in the Performance tab will increase, but click-throughs will decrease.
‘People also ask’
Traditional SEO typically recommends “People also ask” questions in content, to generate clicks. However, Google now serves occasional AI-generated answers to “People also ask” queries, which decreases clicks in that section and in organic listings.
Google often serves AI-generated answers to “People also ask” queries, such as this example for “oil stains.”
Suggested topics
Google now provides a search-result section that I call “suggested topics.” It functions similarly to a fan-out result, wherein Google suggests related topics to queries having multiple intents. For example, a search for “roof repair” could trigger suggestions exploring the symptoms and causes of roof damage.
Clicking on any of these suggestions produces an AI-generated answer, which is unlikely to generate traffic to an external source.
A search for “roof repair” could trigger suggestions exploring the symptoms and causes of roof damage.
AI-generated search snippets
Google is apparently testing AI-generated search snippets, foregoing the practice of using publishers’ meta descriptions or body text.
Google reportedly enhances a snippet sometimes with additional info, which can increase clicks.
Google’s testing of AI-generated search snippets replaces or enhances publishers’ meta descriptions or body text.
Local search
Google is integrating AI in blended results, especially local packs. Reportedly, Google’s AI now invites users to learn more about a local business and will even suggest related fan-out-style questions.
Google’s AI suggests fan-out-style questions, such as “Do they offer roof cleaning?”
The feature mimics what Google’s URL bar does now: encourage users to learn more about any page.
Hence local businesses should focus on providing on-site details of products or services, encouraging customer reviews, answering questions, and more.
Google is also integrating AI actions into local packs, following the practice in AI Mode. For example, for a “car tires near me” search, Google might suggest having AI check prices.
A “car tires near me” search might include a suggestion, such as “Have AI check prices.”
I once feared generative AI platforms would replace organic search. Instead, search engines are adopting AI themselves, making organic results less predictable, less trackable, and less traffic-generating.
We know what is happening. The key is adjusting traffic, tactics, and expectations accordingly.