The way we search for things on the internet is quickly changing.
That’s nothing new, of course.
Once upon a time, we used a phone book or a library to find the information we wanted.
Then, we all switched to Google.
Libraries still have many uses of course, but when was the last time you saw a phone book?
Like libraries, Google still has its place.
But more and more, people are turning to AI generated search results.
That’s what’s happening with AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Google’s AI Overviews.
In the past, you may have focused on traditional SEO strategies to get your website seen.
Those strategies, too, are still valid.
But these days, they’re not enough.
When you’re optimizing your website, you need to make it readable for humans, as well as AI.
Here at Cloud Surfing Media, we’re a local business digital marketing agency that specializes in search engine optimization (SEO).
We recognize that businesses don’t care about SEO just for SEO’s sake.
They care about the results it delivers.
So while many people are still using Google’s traditional search results, AI generated search is growing.
As a result, we need to pivot accordingly.
By pivoting our local business SEO strategies to help our clients optimize for AI search, we’re able to continue delivering results.
Today on our SEO blog, we’ll take a closer look at optimizing content for AI tools.
In particular, we’re going to look at optimizing for Google’s AI Overviews.
We’ll explore how Google’s AI Overviews have changed the world of search, and how you can compensate for it.
Understanding Google’s AI Overviews
If you’ve recently used Google, you may have seen a feature called “AI Overviews”.
This is a relatively new feature Google rolled out back in May 2024.
They’re AI generated answers that show up on top of search pages.
And they’re showing up everywhere.
According to research by Advanced Web Ranking, as of June 2025, we’ve found AI Overviews on more than half of all Google search pages.
This includes searches with a wide variety of search intent.
This dataset is based on analysis of 8000 different keywords, and specifically focuses on US based searches.
However, Google’s AI Overviews are available in 120 countries and territories currently.
So there’s no reason to believe these results would be much different in other countries.
How Is Google’s AI Overview Affecting Search?
When it comes to Google’s AI Overviews, SEOs have seen an industry wide drop in click-through rate (CTR).
This is the rate at which people actually click on your website, vs. the people who see it.
SEO writer Danny Goodwin compiled some research on this.
One company, Ahrefs, saw a 34.5% drop in click-through rates for sites ranking at the top of Google, when an AI Overview was present, based on an analysis of 300,000 keywords.
Another, Amisive, saw an average of 15.5% decrease, based on an analysis of 700,000 keywords.
That’s a massive drop.
Imagine what would happen if your business traffic dropped by that much overnight?
It’s clear that the presence of AI Overviews decreases clicks from Google.
Needless to say, this left some SEOs scrambling.
But that doesn’t mean SEO as a solution is doomed.
What Type of Search Results Display AI Overviews
When it comes to SEO, keywords have always been a significant part of the equation.
But when targeting keywords, it’s important to understand the intent behind the person making the search.
Broadly speaking, we divide keywords into four different intent categories: commercial, informational, navigation, and transactional.
Let’s take a look at each of them.
When we do, we’ll take a look at the Ahrefs study and the Advanced Web Ranking study, and see how they stack up.
1. What Are Informational Keywords?
Informational keywords are keywords people use when they’re trying to learn about something.
These often take the form of a question that begins with “how to”, or with one of the 5 W’s: who, what, where, when, why.
But not always.
Below are some examples of informational keywords:
- Who was Marcus Aurelius?
- When is Down syndrome awareness day?
- What is the main cause of stomach pain?
- Vitamin C source
- Tokyo population
- Bicycle inventor
- And others
Informational Keywords and AI Overviews
The vast majority of informational keywords have Google AI Overviews.
The Advanced Web Ranking study we referred to above reported 72.6% of informational keywords have them.
The Ahrefs study reported even more, with a whopping 99.2%.
As a result, it’s no longer a winning SEO strategy to try driving traffic using these informational keywords.
However, it’s also worth noting that informational keywords don’t necessarily drive the most qualified type of traffic.
They can be helpful for healthcare clinics, since a blog devoted to providing easily digestible information can go a long way toward building trust.
They can also be helpful for higher ticket items, where people will naturally do research before making a purchase.
But otherwise, they’re unlikely to drive traffic with purchasing intent.
2. What Are Navigational Keywords?
Navigational keywords are more specific.
In some cases, they’re people looking for a certain brand’s website.
If a business has been around for awhile, it will rank for its own name naturally, so it’s not generally something to worry much about.
Searching for Cloud Surfing Media, for example, delivers our website first.
That’s probably the case for your website as well, unless you’re a new business.
This is also true for people who search for global brands, like Adidas or Samsung, or for online brands like YouTube or Instagram.
The other type of navigational search is people looking for directions.
These are generally done on mobile.
Navigational Keywords and AI Overviews
According to Advanced Web Ranking, AI Overviews are the least common in navigational keywords.
They showed up in just shy of 10% of the keywords reviewed.
Ahrefs reported significantly more – 20.3%.
According to the Amsive study mentioned earlier, branded navigational keywords are even less likely to have AI Overviews, at 4.79%.
But what’s more, branded keywords that have AI Overviews saw an increase in click-through rates.
However, these keywords are difficult to rank for other than for your own brand, and those searchers were trying to get to your website anyway.
So it’s not something we can do much about.
3. What Are Commercial Keywords?
Commercial keywords are searches people do when they’re researching before making a purchase.
They can include people looking for:
- Reviews
- Comparisons between two different products or services
- The best product or service for a specific purpose
- Coupons, sales, or discounts
Traditionally, SEOs targeted these keywords with listicles or “how to” type articles, which is why we’ve seen so many “top 5 ways to _______” articles over the years.
Commercial Keywords and AI Overviews
According to Advanced Web Ranking, just shy of half of all commercial searches have an AI Overview attached to them – 48.58% to be exact.
Ahrefs had significantly different results, at just 5.8%.
If Advanced Web Ranking is right, this may be disruptive to brands that rely on this type of keyword.
However, these types of searches don’t generally lead to direct purchases being made.
4. What Are Transactional Keywords?
Transactional keywords are done when people are ready to make a purchase.
From a local SEO perspective, these searches might include things like:
- Speech therapist in Boise, ID
- Plumber in DC
- Dentist near me
- Toronto physiotherapy
- Painting contractor in Calgary
- Personal injury lawyer Phoenix
- Sacramento landscapers
These keywords are at the lowest point in the funnel, so to speak.
Here, these people are mostly ready to purchase.
Transactional Keywords and AI Overviews
When it comes to these searches, just over 25% have AI Overviews, according to Advanced Web Ranking.
Once again, Ahrefs differs significantly though, saying just 4% of transactional keywords have AI Overviews.
Which Study Is Correct?
We’re still in the early days of Google’s AI Overviews, so it’s difficult to say which is correct.
The truth may be somewhere in the middle.
However, both studies were clear about two important points:
- Websites ranked for keywords with AI Overviews get fewer clicks
- The majority of informational keywords are riddled with AI Overviews
As a result, smart SEOs will begin transitioning away from targeting informational keywords.
Of course, there are other ways to optimize for these and other keywords.
But that’s a topic for another day.
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