Industry

Study: Google AI Overviews Appear In 47% Of Search Results

2024-12-12 00:00:13

A new study shows that Google’s AI Overviews appear in nearly half of all search results and take up to 48% of mobile screen space.

Conducted by Botify and DemandSphere, the research analyzed over 120,000 keywords across 22 websites.

The study, conducted between August and September, finds that traditional SEO metrics like click-through rates may no longer give a complete picture of search performance.

When AI Overviews show up with featured snippets—which happens 60% of the time—these can occupy up to 76% of mobile screens, pushing regular listings out of view.

While strong organic rankings remain crucial, with 75% of AI Overview mentions coming from top-12 ranked pages, businesses need to adapt their strategies to the rise of AI in search.

Here are more highlights from the study.

Zero-Click Search

The study highlights a trend toward zero-click searches, with 60% of searches now resolved without users clicking links.

This shift creates a new challenge for businesses dependent on organic search traffic.

Search Volume & Keyword Length

Key findings about search patterns include:

  • Keywords with under 1,000 monthly searches triggered AI Overviews 55% of the time
  • Long-tail keywords (5+ words) generated AI Overviews in 73.6% of cases
  • Commercial intent queries showed AI Overviews 19.4% of the time
  • Informational queries triggered the feature 58.7% of the time

Crawlability Issues

The research showed that Google misses crawling about 50% of pages on large websites, while Bing misses 20% of pages that get organic traffic from Google.

The report notes:

“You may have the best answer in your site’s pages, but if they aren’t found within the Google search index, they risk not being cited in an AI Overview — no matter how well-optimized they are otherwise.”

Content Quality & Relevance

The study introduced a new way to measure content relevance using cosine similarity analysis.

It found that websites cited in AI Overviews often closely match the AI-generated summaries, indicating that higher quality content is linked to better visibility in AI search results.

What This Means

The study suggests several strategic priorities for businesses:

  • Measure visual SERP metrics like pixel depth to quantify true organic visibility
  • Analyze semantic similarity between page content and AI Overview summaries
  • Prioritize earning, growing, and defending top 12 organic ranking positions
  • Maintain strong SEO fundamentals to support organic performance
  • Develop a broader AI search strategy encompassing new platforms like Bing, ChatGPT Search, and Meta AI

Methodology & Scope

The research, conducted from August 15 to September 1, analyzed:

  • 36,000 commercial keywords
  • 85,638 informational keywords
  • 22 websites across e-commerce, publishing, and branded sectors
  • Both desktop and mobile search results

Looking Ahead

The study reveals changes in how users view search results and how businesses should manage their online visibility. AI Overviews pose challenges for organic search but also present opportunities for adaptable businesses.

Key points for search marketers include maintaining strong organic rankings, tracking visual SERP positioning, and creating content that meets user needs.

As search engines enhance their AI tools, it’s vital to maintain a strong foundation of technical SEO while expanding AI-focused strategies for greater visibility.

Featured Image: Cast Of Thousands/Shutterstock