AI Overview: How is it Affecting Your eCommerce Site Traffic?

AI Overview's Impact on Search and Site Traffic 

What is AI Overview (AIO) and How Does it Work? 

AI Overview is Google’s new generative search feature that uses artificial intelligence to answer search queries directly on the Google results page. Using AI to comb through content pages, when a user types a question into the Google Search Bar, AI generates an answer based on a summary of various related pages, this answer is called an AI Overview. 

While Google does provide citations linking to the source of its answers, the AIO is usually thorough enough that users rarely click on those links to read more. This feature, while helpful for the searchers, has been negatively affecting site traffic across industries and platforms.  

Sites that are most affected by AIO are those that attract traffic by answering commonly asked questions. 

Why AIO is Impacting Your Website Traffic  

With AIO offering answers right on the search page, users are less likely to click through to more detailed pages. This results in  

1. Fewer Click-Throughs

With AIO offering answers right on the search page, users are less likely to click through to more detailed pages. While in the past, pages like blogs and SEO rich content pages were able to attract visitors by offering information, this is no longer needed as users can get the information right on the Google homepage. 

2. Lower Page Position on Search Results Page

Google places the AI Overview at the top of the search results page. Even if your content ranks well and is featured on page one, the positioning on the page will be pushed down as AIO takes precedence. This reduces visibility as searchers will have to scroll lower down to find your site.  

3. Lost Feature Snippet 

Before AIO, Google had snippets – a string of two or three sentences that Google would highlight from a high-ranking, SEO-rich site. With AIO replacing Snippets, content that was written for snippet featuring is no longer as effective in sourcing traffic as it was previously. While writing SEO-rich content is still important, Google will not be rewarding sites in the same manner.  

Important Content Changes to Make Based on AIO Challenges 

As the world of Marketing continues to change, your content strategy and marketing metrics will now look different from what they did even last year! With AI Overview having the biggest impact on Blog and content-driven sites, the first thing to change is your approach to creating content.  

1. Create Content that Is Uniquely Your Own  

Create image-rich content that provides value that cannot be easily featured in an AIO. This type of content will rank well and will encourage interested users to click through to see the full information.  

Infographics, case studies, and first-person experience content provide trustworthy information that is also distinctive.

• Infographics offer information with a strong image focus, they’re easily skimmable, and provide information in a way that is easy to understand and digest.
• Case studies and first-person experiences offer unique personalized information that often needs to be read in their entirety in order to gain the full value, increasing the likelihood of a click-through.  

2. Keep Creating Content, and Keep E-E-A-T in Mind 

With so much information on the internet, Google operates by highlighting information from sources that seem authoritative and trustworthy. Google follows an E-E-A-T formula:  Experience, Expertise, Authoritative, and Trust. When creating content, keep these four topics in mind. 

3. Analyze Your Traffic Data Differently 

AI Overviews have the biggest impact on site traffic as fewer visitors are coming to websites to glean information. Take this into account when analyzing your site traffic, whether that be through Google Analytics or a CRM tracking tool like HubSpot.  

Assume that your content pages will experience a slight dip in traffic as AIO is rolled out. Instead of focusing on traffic, look at your impressions through Google Search Console and identify increases and decreases related to specific keywords. While clicks may decrease, conversion quality may increase as the people who do visit your page are likely much stronger leads. This offers a silver lining as pay-per-click and ad spend can now be weighed more precisely, as erroneous clicks are likely to go down.  

4. Expand Marketing Tactics Beyond Organic Search 

If you haven’t yet, AIO is another reason why your marketing plan should expand beyond organic search and keyword ranking. All businesses should be taking a multi-prong approach to marketing, including Customer List Building and Persona Creation, Social Media campaigns, and Email Marketing to start. Gathering leads and customers from various sources is important for expanding reach and increasing brand awareness.  

Need help auditing your content or revising your digital strategy to align with AIO? Contact Briteskies and let’s create a strategy that works for you.