Google AI Mode Is Causing Web Chaos And Traffic To Drop: Can Your Site Recover?

Google's AI Overviews, launched in May 2024, have reduced website traffic by up to 70% for some publishers as AI-generated summaries dominate search results, leading to fewer clicks on external sites.

With zero-click searches now accounting for 60% of Google queries, businesses that rely on organic traffic face a crisis in the £76 billion ($101 billion) digital advertising market.

Traffic Plummets as AI Overviews Dominate

Google's AI Overviews, powered by the Gemini model, provide instant answers on top of search results, often negating the need for users to visit websites.

A Pew Research Centre study from March 2025 found that searches with AI Overviews had an 8% click-through rate (CTR), compared to 15% for traditional results, a 46.7% drop.

Small businesses, such as Charleston Crafted, a DIY site, saw a 70% drop in traffic, resulting in an annual loss of £38,000 ($50,000) in ad revenue, according to Bloomberg.

'and a "slow death" for websites, losing traffic and revenue. Google is rolling out tools like **AI Overview** (launched May 2024), **AI mode**, and the **Web Guide** to adapt.' posted @solaceazi2021 on X.

News sites, such as MailOnline, reported a 56% drop in CTR for top keywords, according to Search Engine Land.

The click-through decline affects informational content the most, as users rarely click on links in summaries, with only 1% of AI Overviews generating source clicks.

Why AI Mode Hurts Publishers

Google's AI Mode, a beta feature tested in 2025, exacerbates the issue by prioritising direct answers over links, making traffic attribution nearly impossible.

'PLOT TWIST: Google's biggest heist in digital history. Google AI Overviews quietly stole 34% of your clicks. Some sites lost 70% overnight,' posted @_GILMEDIA on X.

A May 2025 bug in Google Analytics mislabeled AI Mode traffic as direct, although it was subsequently fixed, according to Search Engine Journal.

The lack of transparency compounds challenges, as AI Overviews appear in 35% of US desktop searches, per BrightEdge, with industries like healthcare seeing 90% query coverage.

Sites with poor technical SEO, slow load times or non-mobile-optimised pages are further penalised, as Google's AI favours user-friendly content.

Publishers face a stark reality: adapt to AI-generated summaries or risk obsolescence.

Recovery Strategies for Websites

To counter the traffic slump, experts recommend creating high-quality content that addresses complex queries AI can't fully answer, like personal stories or expert opinions.

'Lean into branded searches and unique content,' advised Carly Steven of MailOnline while iterating 'Focusing on the brand has never, ever, ever been more important.'. Schema markup and topical authority can increase the chances of appearing in AI Overviews, according to Search Engine Land.

Diversifying traffic through platforms like YouTube or TikTok is vital, as Google's dominance wanes.

Tools like Matomo or Google Search Console help track performance, enabling data-driven tweaks to navigate the AI search landscape.

Google's AI Shift Threatens Small Publishers' Survival

Small publishers, particularly blogs and niche sites, face an existential threat from Google's AI-driven search, with some reporting revenue losses of up to £114,000 ($152,000) annually due to diminished click-through rates.

The independent publisher crisis is acute, as Google's AI Mode prioritises aggregated answers over unique content, sidelining sites reliant on long-tail keywords. Diversifying to platforms like Substack or Patreon offers a lifeline, but many lack the resources to pivot.