Is Google’s AI Overviews Update Really Growing Web Traffic? Here’s What the Data Says

Google’s AI Overviews (AIOs) are being positioned as a step forward in helping users engage more deeply with content on the web. Google CEO Sundar Pichai has publicly stated that these updates are increasing user activity and sending more traffic to the broader ecosystem. 

But as marketers, SEOs, and digital strategists, we need to move past the headline and ask a more pointed question: Is Google actually driving more traffic to our websites or just keeping users on the SERP longer?

Recent analysis from Kevin Indig, using Similarweb data across 5 billion search queries, paints a more nuanced picture: 

• Zero-click search share increased from 71.4% to 76% after the rollout of AIOs. 

• Searches without AIOs still drive twice as many page views as those with AIOs. 

• While clicks that do happen from AIOs are higher-quality, overall traffic volume is declining. 

So while Google may be right that user engagement is evolving, the claim that this is resulting in more traffic for site owners doesn’t hold up across the board. 

Indig’s research found that users may be visiting Google more frequently post-AIO, but they’re spending less time per visit. The behavior aligns with a “quick answer” search pattern: Users ask, Google answers, and the journey ends there. 

Even with modest growth in page views from AIO-related queries (up 21.5% between May and November 2024), the broader ecosystem still sees fewer clicks per search. In short: The traffic is more qualified, but it’s also more scarce. 

If your growth strategy hinges on organic search, it’s time to recalibrate. Here are a few considerations: 

• Branded search is more important than ever. Queries that mention your name are less vulnerable to zero-click loss.

• Value-added content wins. Interactive tools, in-depth resources, and thought leadership pieces are more likely to earn clicks than generic blog posts.

• Technical SEO and structured data are strategic. AIOs rely heavily on data parsing, so schema and authoritative signals (like E-E-A-T) carry more weight.

• First-party data matters. With fewer guaranteed site visits, collecting and activating the data you do have becomes a must. 

AI Overviews may reflect the future of search, but it’s a future where competition happens on the SERP, not just on your site. Winning in that world means optimizing not just for visibility, but for action. You have to make every click count and every impression intentional. 

And as always, the fundamentals remain: Build trust, add value, and create experiences worth clicking into.