AI Overview Impact on CTR: A Comparative Analysis (2025 to 2026 Comparison)

This report presents a comprehensive and data-driven analysis of how AI Overviews are influencing Click-Through Rate (CTR) across different query types and ranking positions. It compares search performance trends between 2025 and 2026, highlighting how the increasing presence of AI-generated summaries is reshaping user behaviour on Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs).

With Google integrating AI Overviews more deeply into search experiences, user behaviour is shifting from traditional link-based navigation to answer-first consumption. This transformation is significantly impacting organic traffic patterns, CTR distribution, and overall Search Engine Optimization performance across industries.

The analysis is based on a dataset of 40,000 keywords from the BFSI industry, making it one of the earliest large-scale Indian studies examining AI Overview impact in search. The findings also align closely with global research, including insights from platforms like Ahrefs, reinforcing the reliability of observed trends in AI-driven search evolution.

1. Growth of AI Overviews in Search Results

This section evaluates how frequently AI Overviews appear in search results across the study period.

Insight

The presence of AI Overviews has increased dramatically, growing more than four times within the study period. This indicates a structural shift in the SERP ecosystem where AI-generated summaries are becoming a dominant element in search results. This rapid expansion suggests that search engines are increasingly prioritizing instant answers over link-based discovery, fundamentally changing how users engage with organic listings.

The decline in “non-AI Overview” queries further confirms that traditional SERP formats are gradually being replaced or supplemented by AI-driven content layers. As search behavior evolves, businesses must adapt their digital strategies to maintain visibility. Effective search engine marketing helps brands stay competitive by combining paid advertising with organic search efforts, ensuring they remain visible even as AI-powered search features become more prominent. Learn more about search engine marketing and how it can support sustainable online growth.

2. AI Overview Distribution by Query Type

This section breaks down AI Overview visibility across Informational and Transactional queries.

Insight

Informational queries continue to dominate AI Overview coverage, showing a sharp rise from 6.78% to 27.50%. This reflects Google’s preference for using AI Overviews to answer “what is”, “how to”, and knowledge-based queries directly on the SERP. As AI becomes more important in online marketing, businesses should understand how Artificial Intelligence is Transforming Digital Marketing to improve customer engagement, automation, and campaign performance.

However, transactional queries also show notable growth, increasing more than tenfold. This signals an important shift: AI Overviews are no longer limited to informational intent but are gradually entering commercial and decision-driven search spaces.

Despite this expansion, informational content remains the primary focus of AI-generated SERP summaries, as it is easier to summarize and standardize using generative models.

3. Overall CTR Trend Across Top 10 Positions

This section compares average CTR across all top 10 ranking positions.

Metric 2025 2026 Change (%)

Overall CTR 5.7% 3.66% -36%

Insight

Overall CTR has dropped significantly by 36%, indicating a strong decline in user clicks on traditional organic results.

This trend suggests that AI Overviews are successfully fulfilling user intent directly within the SERP, reducing the need for users to click through to external websites. Instead of exploring multiple links, users are increasingly relying on AI-generated summaries as the final answer layer.

This shift is especially impactful for publishers, BFSI content providers, and informational websites that traditionally relied on organic traffic. Learn more about improving website authority with Link Building Services Backlinks.

4. CTR Impact by Query Type

This section examines CTR changes across informational and transactional queries.

Insight

Both query types show a decline in CTR, but the impact is significantly higher for informational queries.

The 33.33% drop in informational CTR highlights how AI Overviews are directly reducing the need for users to click on websites for knowledge-based searches. Since these queries are often fact-seeking in nature, AI summaries are able to fully satisfy user intent without requiring additional exploration.

On the other hand, transactional queries show a relatively smaller decline. This indicates that when users have purchase intent or are evaluating options, they still prefer visiting websites for comparison, trust-building, and final decision-making.

5. CTR Impact by Ranking Position (Top 3 Results)

This section analyzes CTR changes for the top three organic positions.

Insight

All top three positions experience a noticeable decline in CTR, with the first position seeing the most significant drop.

This indicates that even top-ranking pages are losing visibility effectiveness due to AI Overviews occupying prominent SERP real estate above organic listings. Users are increasingly engaging with AI-generated answers before scrolling down to traditional results.

Interestingly, the decline is less severe for the 3rd position, suggesting a possible redistribution of attention across mid-SERP listings rather than a complete collapse of lower top positions.

Overall, the data highlights that ranking alone is no longer a guaranteed driver of clicks.

6. Key Strategic Insights & SEO Implications

The findings clearly indicate that AI Overviews are reshaping search behaviour, particularly in the BFSI sector. Similar to global studies, users are shifting toward zero-click search experiences, where answers are consumed directly within the SERP.

This evolution demands a fundamental rethink of SEO strategy.

1. Strengthen Transactional SEO Focus

Transactional queries still maintain relatively stronger CTR performance compared to informational queries. Ranking at the top for high-intent keywords remains critical for driving conversions, especially in competitive industries like BFSI, finance, and e-commerce.

2. Optimize for AI Overview Visibility

SEO is no longer just about ranking—it is about being included in AI-generated answers. Content must be structured in a way that is:

• Clear and concise
• Factually authoritative
• Easily extractable by AI systems

Focus on building strong E-E-A-T signals (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) to improve chances of being cited in AI Overviews.

3. Monitor SERP AI Expansion Continuously

AI Overview coverage is expanding rapidly and unevenly across query types. Continuous monitoring of keyword SERPs is essential to:

• Identify AI-triggered keywords
• Track visibility loss patterns
• Adjust content strategy dynamically

4. Expand Success Metrics Beyond CTR

CTR alone is no longer a complete performance indicator. Modern SEO measurement must include:

• AI Overview visibility share
• Brand mentions in AI responses
• Assisted conversions
• User engagement post-click behavior

This broader approach helps measure true visibility impact, not just click-based performance.

5. Reassess Mid-Ranking Positions

Positions 2 and 3 are showing declining efficiency in driving traffic. This suggests that SEO strategies may need to:

• Prioritize top 1 ranking aggressively
• Or shift focus to long-tail keyword clusters
• Or invest in AI visibility optimization instead of mid-SERP ranking battles

Conclusion

The comparative analysis between 2025 and 2026 clearly demonstrates that AI Overviews are significantly transforming the search landscape and directly impacting CTR across all major query types and ranking positions.

Key Findings:

• Rapid expansion of AI Overview coverage across SERPs
• Strong decline in overall CTR across top 10 results
• Heavier impact on informational queries
• Reduced effectiveness of traditional ranking positions
• Growing shift toward answer-first search experiences

Overall, search is evolving from a click-driven ecosystem to an AI-driven answer ecosystem, where visibility is no longer defined solely by ranking position but by inclusion within AI-generated summaries. For marketers, SEO professionals, and digital strategists, this shift highlights a critical transformation: success in search is no longer just about ranking higher it is about being present inside the answer itself.