AI Overviews click through rate is falling for the pages that rank first. Ahrefs estimates a 58% lower click-through rate for the top result when an AI Overview appears, so businesses now need to be named inside the answer, not only listed below it. Unitrux builds that visibility for U.S. companies.
By Trux Nguyen, Founder and Director of Unitrux, with 5 years in marketing and SEO. Published 25 October 2026. Last updated 25 October 2026.
You can do everything right, hold the number one spot and still watch the phone go quiet. That is the frustration behind the data below. This article explains what the studies actually measured, how to read them honestly and what we advise clients to do about it.
What the studies show
Ahrefs compared 300,000 keywords, half with an AI Overview and half without, using aggregated Google Search Console data. For position one, click-through rate on AI Overview keywords was 0.073 in December 2023 and 0.016 in December 2025. Ahrefs modeled what the rate would have been without AI Overviews, about 0.037, and attributed the gap to them, which gives the 58% figure. The same study reports 50.8% for position two and 46.4% for position three. An earlier Ahrefs study in April 2025 found a 34.5% reduction.
How to read these numbers honestly
The 58% is a modeled estimate, not a direct measurement, and it comes from informational keywords, not from every local search. We would not tell a plumber that 58% of their calls will vanish. We would say the direction is clear and consistent with Pew Research Center's observation that people clicked a traditional result on 8% of visits with an AI summary against 15% without. Honest reading means treating these as signals about direction and scale, then measuring your own data.
Our expert view: from rankings to recommendations
The business question is no longer only "where do I rank." It is "am I named." A page that ranks first but is not quoted competes for a shrinking share of attention. A business that is named in the summary, in the featured answer or in an assistant's recommendation is present at the moment of decision, even when the click never happens. This is why we report on mentions and enquiries, not only on positions.
What we do about it
We audit where your business is named today, strengthen the pages and signals that decide who is quoted, and track enquiries so you can see whether visibility turns into calls. We never promise a position, but we make sure you can see what moved.
Related reading
- AI SEO Services
- Generative Engine Optimization Services
- AEO Agency
- Why AI Assistants Recommend Some Businesses and Skip Others
- SEO vs AEO vs GEO vs AIO
- Google AI Overviews SEO
- Zero-Click Searches
- AI Search Ranking Factors
- AI Search Visibility
- AI Share of Voice
- All AI search guides
About the author
Trux Nguyen is the Founder and Director of Unitrux, with 5 years of experience in marketing and SEO. Areas of work: SEO, AEO, GEO and AIO, local SEO, content strategy, schema markup, keyword research, Google Ads and analytics. Contact: [email protected].
Frequently asked questions
Does an AI Overview always reduce clicks?
The studies show an average reduction on affected keywords, not a guarantee for every search. Results vary by query and industry.
Should I stop investing in SEO?
No. SEO remains the foundation, and Google says the same practices apply to its AI features. The change is that being named matters as much as ranking.
How can I tell if this affects my business?
A visibility audit checks whether AI summaries appear for your key searches and whether your business is named in them.
Limits and honest expectations
AI assistants and search engines change their answers over time and no one controls them. Results vary by industry, city and competition, and we do not guarantee a position or a number of leads. We show you what is measurable and report it plainly.
Sources
- Ahrefs, "AI Overviews reduce clicks" update, 4 February 2026: https://ahrefs.com/blog/ai-overviews-reduce-clicks-update/
- Pew Research Center, "Google users are less likely to click on links when an AI summary appears in the results," 22 July 2025: https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/07/22/google-users-are-less-likely-to-click-on-links-when-an-ai-summary-appears-in-the-results/
- Google Search Central, AI features and your website: https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/ai-features
Get your free visibility audit
Find out whether AI assistants and Google name your business today, who they name instead, and what to do first. Request a free audit and our team will walk you through the results in plain language.