The SEO industry is entering a moment unlike anything we have seen before. 

For the first time, Google’s AI, not the traditional ten blue links, is deciding what gets exposure, what gets buried, and what users see without ever clicking. 

In the latest episode of [SEO On-Air (Season 4)](https://open.spotify.com/episode/3VU71EkMFXSrCiKobCTL6b?si=UHpL-oEPSZ2A13R6plC11Q), host Koa brought together three industry leaders including Tyler Brown (Head of SEO & AI at Big Leap), Ryan Foizey (Strategist, C4 Media) and Jelena Misic (SEO Strategist, Libra Design. 

They  break down how AI Overviews are rewriting search visibility, why traffic patterns now look “muddy,” and what strategies will help websites adapt to this new era of AI-first search.

The conversation was blunt, fast-paced, and packed with insights from agencies already navigating real client panic, shifting budgets, and data chaos. 

## Is AI Completely Changing the Way We Track Performance?

The discussion opened with a shared frustration: data for [AI Overviews](https://www.stanventures.com/news/how-googles-ai-overviews-are-changing-seo-5709/) is messy, incomplete, and almost impossible to track reliably.

Ryan Foizey set the stage by pointing out that although Google Analytics can track source attribution or custom events, there is still no out-of-the-box way to measure how a site performs inside AI Overviews. 

Agencies are left guessing, stitching together indirect indicators, and hoping Google offers clarity soon. As Ryan put it, “There’s no source of truth yet.”

Tyler Brown echoed this sentiment. When AI Overviews first rolled out, he watched clients panic as click-through rates tanked. The Big Leap team had to rethink how they defined success. 

They shifted from ranking positions to overall visibility, believing that being present in AI Overviews even without clicks, could influence longer-term conversions.

The bottom line? AI Overviews changed the rules, but Google hasn’t given marketers the tools to measure the impact.

## How Are Agencies Actually Adapting to AI Overviews?

Tyler described the first months after AI Overviews launched as “a reset.” He joked that Big Leap had to create an entirely new internal mantra: adapt or get left behind. 

The agency began monitoring alternative signals, visibility, bot patterns, attribution fragments, while waiting for Google Search Console to include AI reporting.

Ryan added that although data is unclear, the core approach to SEO remains familiar: solve user needs, create helpful content, and reinforce trust signals. AI may control the interface, but the fundamentals still determine what content gets surfaced.

Jelena took the discussion deeper into the strategic mindset shift. She explained that optimizing for AI Overviews is not far from optimizing for featured snippets. 

Structured data, clarity, intent alignment, these were already crucial. AI simply pushes them further into the spotlight. Her stance was clear: [AI SEO](https://www.stanventures.com/blog/ai-seo-backlinks/) must adapt to the shift instead of resisting it.

## If Clicks Are Disappearing, Does Visibility Still Matter?

This was one of the most important questions. With AI Overviews answering queries directly, users often do not click through to websites. 

Many clients see this as a threat, but the experts disagreed.

Jelena highlighted that increased visibility even without immediate clicks still builds brand recognition. Users may not engage in the moment, but they remember the brand later. 

Right now Google does not display clear impression data for AI Overviews, but the influence is real and will become measurable eventually.

Ryan emphasized that AI visibility can be extremely powerful for thought leadership, complex queries, or[top-of-funnel authority](https://www.stanventures.com/seo-podcast/strategizing-seo-for-different-stages-of-the-marketing-funnel/) building. 

He warned, however, that for e-commerce businesses, visibility without clicks may not convert into revenue. It comes back to business goals: AI visibility is valuable, but only if it supports the brand’s intent.

## Are AI Overviews an Opportunity or a Threat?

Tyler argued that AI Overviews are an opportunity, at least for now. Currently, they are **100% organic**, with no ads occupying the space. He believes brands should position themselves strongly before monetization arrives. 

Once Google introduces ads into AI results, competition will intensify dramatically.

This led to the next major question: When will Google start placing ads inside AI Overviews?

 Tyler suggested they are already testing early variations, and full rollout is only a matter of time. Once ads enter the picture, visibility will become even harder for organic results.

## What Should Websites Prioritize to Appear in AI Overviews?

Ryan explained that the first step is the same step SEO has always relied on: understand user needs and answer them directly. AI models rely on clarity, structure, and authority. Technical SEO is still essential.

The panel agreed on these priorities:

- Write content that directly solves user problems
- Use structured data to help AI read your content
- Build topical depth, not superficial listicles
- Ensure freshness, quality, and credibility
- Strengthen brand trust signals through PR, mentions, and expert authority

Tyler noted that approximately 80% of AI Optimization is traditional SEO, with the remaining 20% focused on enhancing structure, schema, and relevance for AI interpretation.

## How Does Brand Trust Influence AI Visibility?

A fascinating segment revolved around brand authority. Ryan shared an example in which a client’s PR push landed coverage in several high-authority publications. 

Within weeks, AI Overviews picked up the brand as a source. This reinforced a growing theory: AI Overviews rely heavily on trusted brands, credible citations, and authority signals.

Tyler expanded on this idea by comparing it to going viral organically. When credible sources amplify your brand, AI systems pick up the pattern quickly. 

Trust is the new ranking factor, and you cannot fake it.

## Why Are Clients Panicking, and How Are Agencies Handling It?

Toward the end of the conversation, the panel addressed the pressure agencies are receiving. Clients are freezing budgets, delaying projects, and questioning SEO entirely. 

Tyler compared the moment to the early pandemic era, confusion, uncertainty, and hesitation everywhere.

A Google representative even told Tyler, “You need a new baseline.” Year-over-year comparisons no longer make sense because AI fundamentally changes how clicks appear, how impressions are calculated, and how users search.

This is the heart of the SEO reset: Clients think they are failing, but the system itself has shifted.

## Is SEO Dying or Evolving?

The final takeaway from the panel was unanimous: SEO is not dying. It is transforming. AI Overviews demand clarity, authority, and genuine usefulness, much like every major Google update before it. 

The tools are changing. The interface is evolving. But the fundamentals remain.

As Ryan put it, the real focus should always be the user, not vanity metrics. When your content genuinely solves problems, you win even in an AI-driven search world.

## TL;DR – Key Takeaways

- AI Overviews are rewriting search visibility, but tracking is still incomplete and difficult.
- Google has not yet provided official AI Overviews performance metrics, making data “muddy.”
- Visibility matters more than rankings in the AI era, even when clicks decline.
- Structured data, intent clarity, and topical authority are essential for appearing in AI Overviews.
- AI results are currently fully organic, but ads will likely be introduced soon.
- Brand trust is a core signal for AI visibility, PR and authority drive inclusion.
- Agencies are shifting to new baselines because old traffic comparisons no longer apply.