Here’s What Actually Happened

What to do next, without throwing your laptop into the nearest body of water

If your analytics chart looks like it took up skiing—fast downhill with no chairlift back up—you’re not alone. The last couple of years have been a weird time to own a website. It’s like we all trained for a marathon, showed up on race day, and someone said, “Cool. We’re doing competitive pickleball now. Also your shoes are illegal.”

Here’s the comforting part: in many cases, your site didn’t suddenly “get worse.” The search experience changed. Google is increasingly acting like an answer engine, a shopping engine, and a navigation engine—sometimes all on the same results page. And when Google answers more questions before the click happens… your traffic drops even if your content is fine.

1) What actually happened: Google started doing the first 80% of your page

Historically, the relationship was simple:

• You publish helpful content
• Google lists it
• Users click
• You get the session (and hopefully the lead)

In 2025–2026, Google increasingly does this instead:

• You publish helpful content
• Google reads it
• Google summarizes it
• Users get enough of the answer without clicking
• You get… an impression (if you’re lucky) and maybe a citation (if you’re very lucky)

That “no click” behavior isn’t theoretical. SparkToro’s 2024 zero-click study (using Similarweb/Datos clickstream data) found that only about 360 out of 1,000 U.S. searches produce an open-web click; the rest end with no click or with clicks that stay inside Google’s properties.^[2] Translation: in many categories, the default outcome of search is now “no website visit.”

2) AI Overviews: the new bouncer at the top of the SERP

AI Overviews are Google’s generative summaries that often appear above the organic results. When they show up, attention shifts upward, and clicks shift downward.

How fast did AI Overviews grow? Semrush/Datos tracked more than 10 million keywords and found AI Overviews in 13.14% of U.S. desktop searches in March 2025, up from 6.49% in January (a 102% jump).^[3] Semrush’s broader 2025 report showed the feature fluctuated and expanded across the year, but remained a meaningful slice of queries by late 2025.^[7]

How hard do they hit clicks? Seer’s multi-month dataset reported that organic CTR for informational queries with AI Overviews fell 61% since mid-2024 (and paid CTR fell 68%).^[4] Ahrefs estimated a 34.5% reduction in position-1 clicks when AI Overviews appear, and in early 2026 reported an update indicating an even larger click reduction in newer data.^[5]

So yes, it is now possible to rank “#1” and still feel like you’re losing. Because the SERP became a mini-article, and your listing became a footnote.

3) Why publishers got hit first (and why you might be next)

Publishers were the early warning system, like the canary in the coal mine… except the canary runs programmatic ads and has a newsletter pop-up.

Reuters Institute reporting (using Chartbeat data across hundreds of news sites) showed Google referrals to news sites down 33% globally from November 2024 to November 2025 (38% in the U.S.).^[1] When your content is built around “answering questions quickly,” AI summaries can absorb the value without sending the visit.

Even if you’re not a publisher, you can still be affected if you publish:

• Definitions (“What is…”)
• Basic how-tos (“How to…” with obvious steps)
• Utility content (hours, pricing lists, simple comparisons)
• Broad, generic listicles (especially if they resemble a thousand other listicles)

If AI can answer it confidently in 6 sentences, the click is at risk.

4) Core updates: the rug pulls were scheduled (we just didn’t know the dates)

On top of the SERP experience changing, Google’s ranking systems also shifted. In 2025, Google rolled out three confirmed core updates—March, June, and December—plus an August spam update.^[6] When core updates land, Google re-evaluates quality signals broadly. Some sites recover. Some sites drop. Some sites discover new and exciting emotions.

Google’s own documentation points site owners to confirm rollout dates (via the Search Status Dashboard) and to focus on improving content quality over quick fixes.^[6] If your drop aligns with March/June/December 2025, you likely have two forces happening at once:

• Ranking volatility (you may have lost positions)
• CTR compression (even if positions held)

That combination is what makes the situation feel like, “I didn’t change anything and Google hates me now.” Sometimes Google doesn’t hate you. It just… reorganized the bookshelf and started reading the summaries out loud.

5) Why your friend’s site is “fine” while yours is screaming into the void

When you see conflicting headlines—“Traffic is stable!” vs “SEO is dead!”—it’s because averages hide the chaos.

Yes, large-scale datasets can show smaller overall declines across big site samples. But some sectors and content types are getting hit much harder—especially those that are easy to summarize or easy to replace. Publishers are an obvious example, but any business running a “content factory” strategy is exposed.

Three factors explain most variation:

A) Your content type (summary-friendly vs summary-resistant)

• Summary-friendly: definitions, basic how-tos, generic “best” lists, shallow comparisons
• Summary-resistant: first-hand testing, case studies, original research, tools/calculators, deep guides with nuance

B) Your trust signals (E-E-A-T in real life, not on a t-shirt)

Google’s “How Search Works” page explicitly describes looking at signals including the expertise of sources when ranking results.^[8] In practice, sites that demonstrate real experience, clear authorship, reputation, and transparency tend to fare better during big shifts.

C) Your brand strength (do people look for you by name?)

Here’s the “quiet” truth: if people search for you by name, you have a moat. In November 2025, Google even added a branded queries filter in Search Console to help site owners separate branded vs non-branded search performance.^[9] That doesn’t prove “brand is a ranking factor,” but it does prove Google expects you to measure brand demand—and in a zero-click world, brand demand is one of the few things that still earns clicks reliably.

6) Brand authority: the traffic you don’t “rent” from Google

Brand authority is what happens when your company stops being “a vendor” and becomes “the name people trust for this thing.” It shows up as:

• Branded searches (“YourBrand + service”)
• Direct traffic
• Higher CTR (because users recognize you)
• More forgiveness during algorithm chaos

In the old SEO era, you could build a whole strategy around non-branded informational queries. In the AI-overview era, non-branded informational clicks are the first to evaporate. Brand authority is the antidote because:

• People click brands they recognize
• AI systems tend to cite sources that look reputable and stable
• Branded queries often bypass the “do I trust this?” step

Want the full playbook? That’s Silo Article #4: Brand Authority in the AI Search Era.

7) Topic authority: stop writing like you’re trying to impress every keyword at once

Topic authority (often called “topical authority”) is not “I posted 72 blogs.” It’s “When someone asks about X, your site is clearly a go-to source for X.”

Google’s Search Quality Rater Guidelines even use the phrase “go-to authority” when describing strong reputation and E-E-A-T for a topic.^[10] Again, raters don’t directly change rankings, but the guidelines give a window into what “quality” looks like in practice: depth, reputation, and real expertise for the topic the page serves.

Topic authority matters more in 2026 because AI Overviews reward coverage that’s:

• Comprehensive (answers the main question and the obvious follow-ups)
• Consistent (your site repeatedly proves expertise in one area)
• Interconnected (pages support each other, not random one-offs)

Want the blueprint for building topic clusters that survive AI summaries? That’s Silo Article #5: Topic Authority in 2026.

8) “Is SEO dead?” No. It’s just… wearing different clothes now.

Google is still huge. In March 2025, Google stated it sees more than 5 trillion searches annually (in a post about AI and shopping).^[11] So no, the advice is not “ignore Google.” The advice is:

• Keep traditional SEO fundamentals strong
• Structure content to win citations (AEO/GEO)
• Build brand authority so people seek you out
• Build topic authority so you look like the go-to source
• Measure outcomes, not ego metrics

Also: Gartner predicts that by 2026, traditional search engine volume could drop 25% as users shift toward AI assistants and other discovery paths.^[12] Whether that number lands exactly or not, it points to the same strategic reality: discovery is fragmenting. “All-in on one channel” is becoming a risky hobby.

9) The new scorecard: traffic quality beats traffic volume

Here’s the plot twist: fewer clicks can mean better leads.

Ahrefs reported that AI referrals were a tiny slice of their traffic but disproportionately drove conversions in their dataset (implying much higher conversion rates for those visitors).^[13] That won’t be identical for every site, but the mechanism makes sense: AI answers the easy stuff, and the people who click are the ones who need deeper help, pricing, proof, or next steps.

So the KPI shift is real:

• Less “sessions and pageviews”
• More “leads, qualified leads, pipeline, revenue”

In other words: your traffic might be down, but your business might be fine—if you adapt the funnel for higher-intent visitors.

10) How to diagnose your drop (without guesswork)

If you want to sound calm and professional instead of “my site is haunted,” run this checklist:

Step 1: Confirm it’s not tracking

• GA4 tag still firing?
• Consent banner changes?
• New filters / channel grouping changes?
• Accidental noindex / robots changes?

Step 2: Separate ranking loss from CTR loss

• Impressions down: visibility/demand fell
• Impressions flat, clicks down: SERP features are absorbing the click (AI/zero-click)
• Average position down: ranking loss (often core update related)

Step 3: Overlay your timeline with confirmed update dates

Use Google’s Search Status Dashboard and compare your drops to March/June/December 2025 core updates (plus August spam update).^[6]

Step 4: Identify your “summary-friendly” pages

These are the ones most likely to be eaten by AI Overviews:

• “What is…” pages with no unique experience
• Basic how-tos that look like everyone else’s how-to
• Listicles without original testing or data

Step 5: Audit E-E-A-T and brand/topic signals

• Is it obvious who wrote the content?
• Do you show real experience (case studies, examples, process)?
• Do you look like a real business (about, contact, policies)?
• Are you building brand demand (branded searches) and topic depth (clusters)?

11) What to do about it (the 2026 playbook)

This is the part where the internet usually says “publish more content.” That’s like telling someone who got a flat tire to “buy more cars.”

Instead, focus on five moves:

Move #1: Make content summary-resistant

• First-hand experience
• Original research
• Tools, calculators, templates
• Case studies with real numbers

Move #2: Structure content for AEO/GEO (citations and answers)

Use clear headings, tight answer blocks, FAQs, and structured data where appropriate. Google explicitly emphasizes “helpful, reliable, people-first content” in its documentation.^[14]

Move #3: Strengthen E-E-A-T sitewide

• Author bios with proof
• Editorial standards
• Clear sourcing and updates
• Reputation signals (reviews, mentions)

Move #4: Build brand authority

Brand demand (branded searches) is one of the few things that still reliably earns clicks in a zero-click world. Google now provides a branded query filter in Search Console—use it and improve it.^[9]

Move #5: Build topic authority (clusters, not random posts)

Make your site the “go-to” for your core topics. Interlink content, cover follow-up questions, update regularly, and stop publishing off-topic filler.^[10]

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did my traffic drop even though my rankings look similar?

Because CTR can drop even if position doesn’t, especially when AI Overviews or other SERP features satisfy intent on Google’s page. Multiple studies show CTR compression when AI Overviews appear.^[4][5]

Are zero-click searches really that common?

Yes in many datasets. SparkToro/Similarweb clickstream research suggests only ~360 out of 1,000 U.S. searches end in an open-web click; the rest end with no click or clicks that stay within Google’s properties.^[2]

How often do AI Overviews show up?

It varies by device, category, and dataset. Semrush/Datos measured AI Overviews in 13.14% of U.S. desktop searches in March 2025 (up from 6.49% in January), and reported volatility across 2025.^[3][7]

Did Google’s 2025 updates matter?

Yes. Google confirmed March, June, and December 2025 core updates (plus an August spam update). If your drop aligns with those windows, rankings and quality signals likely played a role.^[6]

Is SEO dead?

No. Google still handles massive search volume and continues to evolve the SERP. The winning approach is to keep SEO fundamentals strong while optimizing for answers, citations, and conversion quality.^[11]

Key takeaways (sticky-note version)

• Your traffic didn’t “randomly” drop—zero-click behavior and AI summaries changed the click economy.^[2][4]
• AI Overviews expanded quickly and reduced CTR for many informational queries.^[3][4][5]
• 2025 core updates introduced real volatility; trust signals matter more when the system re-evaluates quality.^[6][8]
• Brand authority and topic authority aren’t buzzwords—they’re survival gear in the AI era.^[9][10]
• Measure outcomes, not ego metrics. Fewer clicks can still produce better leads.^[13]

Sources

1. Search Engine Land – “News publishers expect search traffic to drop 43% by 2029” (Jan 12, 2026) summarizing Reuters Institute / Chartbeat data: https://searchengineland.com/news-publishers-search-referrals-drop-report-467408
2. SparkToro – “2024 Zero-Click Search Study” (Jul 1, 2024): https://sparktoro.com/blog/2024-zero-click-search-study-for-every-1000-us-google-searches-only-374-clicks-go-to-the-open-web-in-the-eu-its-360/
3. Search Engine Land – “Google AI Overviews now show on 13% of searches” (May 6, 2025) citing Semrush/Datos: https://searchengineland.com/google-ai-overviews-13-searches-455057
4. Search Engine Land – “Google AI Overviews drive 61% drop in organic CTR” (Nov 4, 2025) citing Seer Interactive: https://searchengineland.com/google-ai-overviews-drive-drop-organic-paid-ctr-464212
5. Ahrefs – “AI Overviews Reduce Clicks by 34.5%” (Apr 17, 2025) + update (Feb 4, 2026): https://ahrefs.com/blog/ai-overviews-reduce-clicks/ and https://ahrefs.com/blog/ai-overviews-reduce-clicks-update/
6. Google Search Status Dashboard (Ranking) + Search Engine Land core update summary (Dec 29, 2025): https://status.search.google.com/products/rGHU1u87FJnkP6W2GwMi/history and https://searchengineland.com/google-december-2025-core-update-rollout-is-now-complete-466362
7. Semrush – “AI Overviews’ Impact on Search in 2025” (Dec 15, 2025): https://www.semrush.com/blog/semrush-ai-overviews-study/
8. Google – “How Search systems work / Ranking results” (How Search Works): https://www.google.com/intl/en_us/search/howsearchworks/how-search-works/ranking-results
9. Google Search Central Blog – “Introducing the branded queries filter in Search Console” (Nov 2025): https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2025/11/search-console-branded-filter
10. Google Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines (Sep 11, 2025 PDF) – “go-to authority” reference: https://guidelines.raterhub.com/searchqualityevaluatorguidelines.pdf
11. Google blog (Mar 3, 2025) – “AI, personalization and the future of shopping” (includes “more than 5 trillion searches annually”): https://blog.google/products/ads-commerce/ai-personalization-and-the-future-of-shopping/
12. Gartner press release (Feb 19, 2024) – “Search engine volume will drop 25% by 2026…”: https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2024-02-19-gartner-predicts-search-engine-volume-will-drop-25-percent-by-2026-due-to-ai-chatbots-and-other-virtual-agents
13. Ahrefs – AI search traffic conversion share (2025): https://ahrefs.com/blog/ai-search-traffic-conversions-ahrefs/
14. Google Search Central – “Creating helpful, reliable, people-first content”: https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/creating-helpful-content