The digital world is shifting under our feet- and most businesses don’t see it coming.
Google’s rollout of AI-powered search and AI Overviews, driven by its Gemini model, is quietly rewriting the entire playbook of how people find information, and how businesses get found. The traditional “10 blue links” that used to define Google’s results? They’re fading fast. In their place are AI Overviews: summary-style answers that appear right at the top of the results page- before any website links even show up.
It’s not just a cosmetic change. It’s an entirely new way of searching.
Organic Traffic Is Falling Off a Cliff
The numbers tell a pretty alarming story. Studies show that since AI Overviews launched, organic site visits have dropped anywhere from 15% to 64%, depending on the industry. Why? Because nearly 60% of Google searches now end with zero clicks. This is the new challenge AI Overviews introduce—keeping users on Google and off your site.
It’s not just about fewer visits. The quality of those visits is suffering too. Click-through rates are collapsing. Only 8% of users who see an AI Overview click on a link afterward. That’s half of the click rate compared to users who don’t see an AI summary.
Even websites that rank #1 aren’t safe. AI- generated content is pushing traditional links way down- sometimes over 1,500 pixels. That’s two full scrolls on a desktop and three on a phone. Most people never get that far. That’s the silent power of AI Overviews—they answer questions so efficiently that users never have to leave the results page.
Advertising Costs Are Surging
Google isn’t just reshuffling organic results— AI Overviews are reworking ads too. Ads aren’t shown in the familiar banner or sidebar spots anymore. Now, they’re embedded right inside AI answers. That means fewer total ad placements, more competition, and sharply rising costs per click.
The ripple effects are already here. Companies like Chegg have seen non-subscriber traffic drop nearly 50%. And similar web reports that zero-click searches for news content jumped from 56% to 69% since AI Overviews launched.
Welcome to the age of AI-first search—where the search engine behaves more like a chatbot than a directory. It runs multiple sub-searches behind the scenes, pulls together a synthesized answer, and often never sends a user to a website at all.
And if your digital strategy hasn’t adapted for this reality, you’re already behind.
The Good News: The Smart Businesses Will Win
Yes, this shift is massive. But it’s not all doom and gloom.
While many businesses are frozen in uncertainty, some are already adapting—and thriving. At Saltech, we’ve been ahead of the curve, building and testing new strategies specifically designed for AI Overviews and AI-first search. These methods are helping our partners create new revenue streams, even as others are watching theirs dry up.
The truth is simple: this moment can be a threat, or it can be a once-in-a-generation opportunity. It all depends on how you respond.
What an AI-Optimized Strategy Looks Like
We’ve re-engineered our approach around a new core principle: AI Optimization.
It’s about making your brand not just searchable, but discoverable and recommendable—by AI systems like ChatGPT, Gemini, and others. Especially as AI Overviews become the new gatekeepers to information, your content needs to be visible inside those summaries, not buried beneath them.
Here’s what that actually means in practice:
- AI-Optimized Websites
We rebuild your site to speak the language of large language models (LLMs). That includes structured data, intent-driven content, and the right signals that make your brand show up inside AI Overviews and other AI-generated answers, not just below them. - Anonymous Visitor Identification
Most analytics tools only track users who fill out a form. But we go further—our tracking tech identifies who’s visiting your site even when they stay anonymous. That unlocks leads you didn’t even know you had. - AI-Powered Lead Nurturing
We deploy intelligent agents that automatically engage and follow up with your most promising visitors. Instead of letting them slip away, we start conversations—and convert more of them into paying customers. - AI-Fueled Retargeting
Using real-time insights, we follow your leads across channels with highly relevant ads that feel less like ads and more like helpful reminders. This keeps your brand top-of-mind and boosts conversions without wasting spend.
The result? You stay visible. You stay competitive. You keep growing—even as traditional traffic channels shrink.
The Future Belongs to the Bold
Every disruption creates winners and losers. The businesses that cling to outdated strategies will fall behind. But those willing to adapt, innovate, and move fast? They’ll lead the next decade of digital growth.
At Saltech, we’re not just reacting to this shift—we’re helping shape it. Our AI-first digital strategies are designed to future-proof your growth in a world shaped by AI Overviews and evolving search behavior.
Want to stay ahead of AI Overview?
Let’s talk. Schedule a strategy call with Saltech today.