Google has made a public, closed, and emphatic defense—one that is very, very, very minimally supported by data—of its new search experience powered by artificial intelligence. According to Liz Reid, Vice President of Google, users are more satisfied, web traffic remains steady, and AI is assisting in the discovery of more content.
But is that really so? In this article, we analyze, point by point, the official narrative and compare it with what creators and digital marketing specialists are currently experiencing.
For several months now, following the expansion of its AI Overviews, Google has come under fire from all directions: from the laughter (and concerns) that arose when it recommended putting glue on pizza (yes, that did indeed happen, we reported it; it is not a fabrication), to the outcry and gnashing of teeth from countless websites worldwide that are experiencing a significant decline in their organic traffic: impressions may remain stable, but clicks are decreasing.
https://t.co/W09ssjvOkJ pic.twitter.com/6ALCbz6EjK — SG-r01 (@heavenrend) May 22, 2024
https://t.co/W09ssjvOkJ pic.twitter.com/6ALCbz6EjK
— SG-r01 (@heavenrend) May 22, 2024
In other words, it does not matter if you have performed well enough to show up in the top positions for a query. The clicks simply are not supporting this anymore, because users are no longer clicking on some types of queries, since Google preempts them and answers the query directly, thoroughly and automatically.
And who would wish to click on any of the top positions in the search results if their query has already been resolved?
Clearly, this revolutionizes the Internet ecosystem as we knew it: media outlets, blogs, and websites in general strove to create quality content to appear in those top-ranking results and thereby earn clicks, traffic (and, of course, advertising revenue). At the same time, Google benefited from user traffic by serving ads through its search tool (and naturally, earned revenue from those ads). Now, all of this has changed. Radically.
Let us now examine what Liz Reid has to say.
In her statement, which, as mentioned, does not provide supporting data, the Vice President of Google explains that “with AI summaries and, more recently, AI Mode, people are able to ask questions they have never been able to ask before. And the response has been tremendous: our data show that people are more satisfied with the experience and are searching more than ever as they discover what Search can now do.”
Overall, the total volume of organic clicks from Google Search to websites has remained relatively stable year over year. Moreover, the average quality of clicks has increased, and, in fact, we are now sending a slightly higher number of quality clicks to websites compared to a year ago (by quality clicks, we refer to those cases in which users do not leave immediately, which typically indicates the user is interested in the website). These data contrast with third-party reports that inaccurately suggest dramatic decreases in aggregate traffic, often based on faulty methodologies, isolated cases, or traffic changes that occurred prior to the launch of AI features in Search.”
It is quite logical that the search volume would continue growing year after year: with a population that is increasingly digitized, with more countries around the world increasing Internet penetration and, understandably, with the curiosity and interest generated by new AI features, it makes perfect sense. However, this does not automatically translate into greater traffic for websites. Furthermore, even if overall traffic may be “stable” in aggregate statistics, this is not the case on an individual level, and Google has not shared segmented or transparent data regarding which types of websites are gaining or losing traffic, nor in which categories.
Specialized platforms, referencing studies on the matter, have detected a drop in the organic click-through rate (CTR) across many categories since the implementation of AI Overviews. As mentioned before, users receive answers directly within the SERP and have no need to click. If there are no clicks, there are no visits, no monetization, and no conversions. Quality traffic begins with the existence of traffic itself.
When she states, “the average quality of clicks has increased, and, in fact, we are now sending a slightly higher number of quality clicks to websites compared to a year ago,” this may indeed be true, but it is equally a strategic redefinition of success: since there is no longer a promise of more clicks, the promise shifts to “better clicks.”
Furthermore, there is no specification regarding which categories are receiving these more valuable clicks. The narrative may sound reasonable, but for many sites, their business model is based on volume, not just on deeper interaction.
Ms. Reid continues:
“So, what is happening? With AI summaries, people search more and ask new questions that are often longer and more complex. Moreover, with AI summaries, people see more links on the page than before. More queries and more links mean more opportunities for websites to appear and receive clicks. For some questions where people seek a quick answer, such as ‘when is the next full moon?’, people may end up fully satisfied with the initial response and not click further”.
Indeed, it is evident that AI Overviews include links, sometimes quite a few, and even a variety of them. However, they are positioned in a location that reduces their visibility compared to the traditional top organic results, which now appear after significant scrolling.
Let us be serious: in many searches, the user never reaches the classic organic results.
In addition, the links that appear in AI Overviews are not always the most relevant or those that previously ranked best, especially now that Google is increasingly favoring platforms such as Reddit.
Being well-ranked no longer guarantees either visibility or clicks. AI places itself between the user and the results, and links are losing their strength as the foremost point of access.
“For many other types of questions, people continue to click, as they wish to delve deeper into a topic, explore further, or make a purchase. This is why we observe that the quality of clicks increases: an AI response may provide a general overview, but people click to delve deeper and learn more, and when they do, these clicks are more valuable.”
“While overall traffic to sites is relatively stable, the web is vast and user trends are shifting traffic to different sites, resulting in decreased traffic for some sites and increases for others. People are increasingly searching for and clicking on sites featuring forums, videos, podcasts, and publications where they can hear authentic voices and first-hand perspectives. Users are also more likely to click on web content that helps them learn more, such as a detailed review, an original post, a unique perspective, or a well-considered personal analysis. Sites that meet these evolving user needs benefit from this shift and, in general, are experiencing an increase in traffic.”
It is true that platforms like Reddit, YouTube, and Quora have gained visibility in the latest core updates and, consequently, since they are more integrated within AI-driven results. However, this does not benefit all original content creators. Many media outlets, blogs, and specialized niche sites are losing traffic even when producing useful, high-quality content. (It would be useful to know why Google deems a Reddit thread on a subject to be of superior quality for users than a specialized website, incidentally.)
“As a search company, we care passionately—perhaps more than any other company—about the health of the web ecosystem. We continue to send billions of clicks to websites every day, and we believe that the value exchange between Search and the web remains robust.”
“We have a unique approach when creating our AI experiences: they are designed to highlight the web. In other words, it is not about the web or AI, but about both. We have trained our models to deeply understand the web and to know when and how to link to the most relevant sites. Our AI responses feature highlighted links, visible source citations, and in-line attribution. This is not only useful for websites but also helps users know where the information comes from and how they can explore further. And websites always maintain control over how their content is featured or included in Search through open web protocols, which we respect and follow. We are committed to highlighting high-quality content on the web and will continue refining how we do so.”
This has already been observed: we enter a cycle of reduced traffic, reduced income, lesser capability to generate high-quality content, and overall impoverishment of the web. Additionally, many creators feel that Google extracts their content to provide answers, negating the need for users to visit their actual sites.
Frequently, clear attribution is lacking, and the reader does not know precisely where the information originates.
Surely that cannot be good for the health of the ecosystem, can it?
By the way, are you noticing changes in your traffic since the introduction of AI Overviews? Let us know in the comments or write to us. We are collecting genuine testimonials to continue covering this paradigm shift in digital marketing.
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