Are Google's AI Overviews Killing CTRs? A Look at the Ahrefs Study.

I get this question constantly:
“How do we optimize for AI Overviews in SEO?”

And the honest answer? We’re still figuring it out. Like many in the SEO world, I’ve been testing, sharing insights, and digging into data with other professionals since AI Overviews first started rolling out.

Now, we finally have hard evidence. And it’s not good news for those of us relying on organic traffic.

Ahrefs just released a major study analyzing 300,000 keywords, comparing behavior from March 2024 (pre-AI Overviews) to March 2025 (post-rollout). The results? A sharp, measurable drop in CTR for top-performing pages.

Let’s unpack what that means—and what you need to do next.

What the Data Shows: A 34.5% Drop in Organic CTR

The most jarring stat:
When AI Overviews appear, click-through rates on the top organic result drop from 7.3% to just 2.6%.

That’s a 34.5% decrease—and it’s happening even when your page still ranks #1. AI Overviews are acting like featured snippets on steroids. Instead of encouraging users to explore your content, they’re serving up a fast, AI-generated answer right on the results page.

If your traffic is dipping but your rankings haven’t changed, this could be exactly why.

Read the full study here:
Ahrefs: AI Overviews Reduce Clicks to Top Organic Results

Informational Queries Are the Most Affected

According to Ahrefs, 99.2% of AI Overviews are triggered by informational queries—the same queries brands often target with top-of-funnel blog posts, guides, and evergreen content.

If your strategy includes:

• How-to articles

• Product comparisons

• Educational blog posts

• Definition-based content

...you’re in the impact zone. These are precisely the types of results AI Overviews are replacing with zero-click summaries.

We Still Can’t Track This in Search Console

What’s even more frustrating? Google won’t provide separate performance data for AI Overviews in Search Console.

There’s no way to see:

• How often your content is used in Overviews

• What portion of traffic it’s costing you

• Or if users are even seeing your link at all

It’s a black box, and it makes diagnosing traffic drops even harder. And that lack of transparency means SEOs are left making educated guesses instead of data-backed decisions.

So, How Do We Optimize for This?

This is the question I’m asked most—and right now, it’s evolving. But here’s where I’m focusing:

• Create content AI can’t summarize: Include visuals, tools, original data, or insights that require user engagement.

• Update your CTAs and in-content navigation: When users do click, make it count.

• Focus on brand authority: When AI shows citations, it often pulls from recognizable, high-trust domains.

• Monitor behavioral signals: Metrics like bounce rate, time on site, and user paths are more important than ever.

Adapt or Get Left Behind

This isn’t just a tweak to Google’s interface. It’s a fundamental shift in how information is presented—and how users engage with it.

Even if you’re still winning positions in the SERPs, AI Overviews are now the competition. And without adapting your strategy, your visibility could keep slipping... even as your rankings stay the same.

If you’re not sure where to begin, or need help rethinking your SEO approach for this new search landscape—

👉 Let’s talk about your content strategy