Google AI Overview Severely Impacts SEO Click-through Rate: Ahrefs Research shows traffic drop by more than 34%

Ahrefs, a well-known SEO tool platform, recently released a new study that revealed that Google's "AI Overview" feature has had a profound impact on the click-through rate of the Natural Search Results Page (SERP). Data shows that once the AI ​​overview module appears in the search results, the average click-through rate of related keywords will plummet by 34.5%.

This study was analyzed based on 300,000 keyword samples in Ahrefs Keyword Explorer. Half of the keywords trigger an AI overview in search results, while the other half does not. The researchers compared data changes at two time points in March 2024 (the AI ​​overview is not enabled) and March 2025 (after enabled).

The results show that the average click-through rate of keywords that triggered the AI ​​overview dropped sharply from 0.073 to 0.026. What is even more worrying is that even the information keywords that did not trigger the AI ​​overview have dropped from 0.056 to 0.031, indicating that user behavior has been widely affected.

This study clearly points out that Google's AI function is quietly changing how users use search results, and a large number of users begin to get answers on search pages, resulting in a significant reduction in click behavior. This is a trend worthy of attention for websites and content creators that rely on organic traffic.

Ahrefs' research emphasizes that with the in-depth integration of AI in search engines, SEO strategies need to be adjusted accordingly to cope with the challenges brought about by the decline in search traffic.