When Google’s AI Overviews began appearing in search results, Mail Online, one of the most visited news sites in English, noticed a steep drop.
Despite ranking first for key search terms, the outlet’s clickthrough rates have been cut by more than half.
At the WAN-IFRA World News Media Congress in Krakow last week, Carly Steven, Mail Online’s director of SEO and editorial e-commerce, revealed that even top-ranked links are being sidelined.
The result is a drop in clickthrough rates by more than 50% in some cases, even when the site holds the number one spot on Google.
Clicks Are Vanishing, Even at the Top
Steven shared that Mail Online collaborated with an SEO software provider to study 5,000 keywords it competes for.
When no AI Overview appears, Mail typically sees a 13% clickthrough rate on desktop and 20% on mobile from users searching those keywords.
But when an AI Overview is present, even while the site maintains the top organic position, clicks collapse.
Desktop CTR drops to under 5%, and mobile hovers around 7%. In practical terms, the same content gets seen, but far fewer readers follow through to the source.
In cases where Mail Online is featured directly in the AI Overview, traffic still declines by 44% on desktop and 32% on mobile.
Google’s Promise vs. Publisher Reality
Google says AI Overviews are supposed to help. The company insists that links embedded in summaries get more attention than they would as standard listings. But Steven isn’t buying it.
She referenced data from analytics firm Similarweb, which shows a marked increase in “zero-click” searches.
One striking example she shared involved the search term “Noor Alfallah news.” Mail Online was ranking first for the query and earning around 6,000 clicks from it. Once an AI Overview was introduced, the traffic dropped to around 100 clicks.
Steven said that around 20% of Mail’s most valuable keywords in the U.S. on mobile are now affected by AI Overviews, along with 18% on desktop.
In the UK, the figure is slightly lower, roughly 11% to 12%. The numbers are already substantial and could grow quickly.
AI Mode: A Deeper Threat on the Horizon
If AI Overviews are disruptive, what’s coming next may be even more destabilizing. We are talking about the “AI Mode” here.
Steven displayed an AI Mode response to a query about Jay Slater, a missing teenager from the UK. The result was so comprehensive that clicking on linked sources seemed unnecessary. This, she warned, could become the default experience. If that happens, traditional referral traffic may not just fall, it might vanish.
At present, AI Mode appears as an optional tab for some users in the U.S., but Google has already confirmed it is testing it more widely.
Stuart Forrest, Bauer’s global SEO director, put it like this during a separate event: “If AI Overviews are bad for business and nibbling away at traffic, AI Mode threatens to eat it wholesale.”
An Evolving Search Landscape That Favors Answers Over Clicks
Google’s vice president of news partnerships, Jaffer Zaidi, offered a different perspective.
Speaking at the same Krakow event, he argued that AI Overviews are improving the search experience and driving more total queries.
He said that users clicking through from these summaries stay longer on websites, suggesting better engagement.
He also claimed that hard news topics are generally excluded from AI Overviews, meaning breaking news stories remain a safe zone for publishers.
But Steven pushed back on that idea. She said AI-generated answers are increasingly being used for high-profile, fast-moving stories. That overlap is where publishers like Mail Online traditionally excel, yet it’s also where AI is beginning to compete.
Where Publishers Still Have Leverage
Faced with shrinking search referrals, Steven suggested focusing on areas where human-led journalism still has the upper hand. Live blogs, opinion pieces, and branded searches are harder for AI to summarize convincingly.
“Focusing on the brand has never been more important,” she said, noting that queries like “Meghan Markle Daily Mail” or “Prince Harry Daily Mail” still drive substantial traffic. These searches signal user intent and loyalty, something AI hasn’t replicated.
That loyalty offers a buffer, but it’s small. Steven warned that even branded searches could become vulnerable if AI begins offering detailed answers with no need to leave Google at all.
Google Isn’t the Only Challenge
The shifting dynamics of search aren’t just about AI. Steven pointed to Reddit increasingly occupying Top Stories slots in Google results, which pushes traditional publishers further down the page.
Google’s Site Reputation Abuse update has also hurt websites that rely on affiliate links or promotional content, a key revenue stream for many outlets.
On top of that, frequent algorithm changes are making it harder for publishers to maintain steady visibility in search rankings. What ranks today may not rank tomorrow.
Strategies for a Post-Search Era
As referral traffic becomes less reliable, publishers are rethinking their models. The goal now is to create demand strong enough that readers come directly through newsletters, mobile apps, social media, or subscriptions.
Mail Online is already making changes. It’s focusing on reader habits and where genuine interest overlaps with editorial strengths. Third-party analytics tools are being used to understand where traffic is coming from and where it’s disappearing.
Still, the data is incomplete. Google isn’t providing full visibility into how AI Overviews or AI Mode are affecting traffic. That leaves publishers trying to track their own audience blindfolded.
Key Takeaways
- AI Overviews significantly cut clickthrough rates. Even top-ranked results see a 50% drop in clicks when AI summaries appear.
- Queries including outlet names still generate traffic, but may not be safe forever.
- Google’s more advanced search model answers questions in depth, removing the need for users to visit original sources.
- Reddit and social content are appearing more often in Google’s featured boxes.
- Publishers need to build channels outside of search to reach and retain their audience
Zulekha
AuthorZulekha is an emerging leader in the content marketing industry from India. She began her career in 2019 as a freelancer and, with over five years of experience, has made a significant impact in content writing. Recognized for her innovative approaches, deep knowledge of SEO, and exceptional storytelling skills, she continues to set new standards in the field. Her keen interest in news and current events, which started during an internship with The New Indian Express, further enriches her content. As an author and continuous learner, she has transformed numerous websites and digital marketing companies with customized content writing and marketing strategies.