Google's AI Overviews feature has drastically decreased in visibility, now showing in fewer than 15% of search queries. BrightEdge reports this is a steep drop from the 84% appearance rate it had when it was first rolled out in the Search Generative Experience (SGE) within Google Labs.
Early Surge and Gradual Reduction
Upon its introduction, AI Overviews were incorporated into 84% of search results. Mid-April saw a rise in searches missing these overviews, a trend that persisted into May coinciding with the Google I/O announcement. The launch has had its pitfalls, including several incidents of erroneous and harmful AI-generated content, such as dangerous recommendations.
The frequency of AI Overview appearances has fluctuated across various industries. For example, healthcare queries now show AI Overviews 63% of the time, down from 76% at the start of the year. Conversely, sectors like dining and travel have seen visibility almost disappear, dropping below 1% from 36% and 30%, respectively, according to data from SEO platform BrightEdge. These data points illustrate the ongoing modifications in Google's AI integration strategy.
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Shifts in Search Dynamics
Google has made numerous adjustments to how AI Overviews are incorporated into search results. For instance, these overviews are now significantly more likely to appear in searches that include a featured snippet but are less common in results with sitelinks or local queries. Moreover, Google has minimized the redundancy between AI-generated content and traditional search outcomes to avoid duplicated information. In searches that include “what,” “where,” and “how” inquiries, Google increasingly anticipates follow-up questions to enhance the user experience.
Despite a sharp decrease in AI Overview visibility, the use of AI in search is anticipated to keep evolving. BrightEdge's Jim Yu points out the current issues with misinformation but expects future advancements will improve search quality, traffic management, and revenue generation further down the road.
