In recent months, the digital marketing landscape has been shifting dramatically, and one of the biggest drivers of change is Google’s new AI Overviews feature.
While AI Overviews aim to improve user experience by delivering faster, summarized answers directly in search results, they’re also creating real ripple effects — especially for SEO professionals and Google Ads specialists.
Let’s unpack what’s happening, what it means for digital marketers, and why smart brands are starting to look beyond Google search — and finding big wins elsewhere.
What Are Google’s AI Overviews?
Google’s AI Overviews, previously known as the “Search Generative Experience” (SGE), pull together quick, synthesized answers from various sources right into the search engine results page (SERP).
Instead of needing to click through to a website, users often get a full, AI-generated answer to their question without ever leaving Google.
While this sounds like a time-saver for users, it’s causing serious disruption for brands and marketers:
- Fewer clicks to organic website listings
- Reduced visibility for paid ads, especially for informational queries
- Uncertainty about how AI summaries are selecting or crediting sources
In short: websites and ads are being pushed further down the page — and engagement is dropping because of it.
The Impact on SEO and Google Ads
For SEO pros, AI Overviews mean less traffic from queries that used to generate strong organic clicks.
Content creators who invested heavily in top-of-funnel SEO — blogs, resource guides, knowledge bases — are seeing noticeable declines in traffic for high-intent queries now answered by Google’s AI instead.
Meanwhile, PPC experts are facing a different, but related challenge:
While demand-driven search ads (like product keywords) are still performing, many mid- and top-funnel campaigns are suffering from lower impression shares and rising costs-per-click (CPCs) as AI summaries dominate the above-the-fold space.
Marketers who have relied heavily on Google’s search ecosystem — organic or paid — are realizing they need to diversify to maintain reach and ROI.
The Pivot: Social and Display Ads Are Winning Back Attention
Here’s the interesting twist: while search is getting more crowded and volatile, social and display ads are performing better than ever.
Brands are noticing a clear trend:
- More ads are being shown directly in users’ social feeds (especially on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest).
- User behavior is shifting. Instead of relying on Google for early research, users are discovering and engaging with brands directly through ads in their feeds.
- Cost per result on platforms like Facebook Ads and Display Networks is staying relatively stable — and in some cases dropping — while engagement (click-through rates, lead form submissions, purchases) is climbing.
Why?
Because when a user is already scrolling Instagram or Facebook, they’re in a browsing mindset — open to discovering new products, services, or ideas.
They’re also in control: interacting only with brands and content that genuinely appeal to them.
In contrast, Google search is feeling more cluttered, less organic, and less trusted for discovery as AI answers dominate the experience.
What This Means for Marketers Moving Forward
If your marketing strategy is still primarily anchored in search, it’s time to reassess.
A more balanced approach — combining SEO, Google Ads, and paid social and display advertising — will be key to thriving in this new era.
Specifically:
- Diversify lead sources: Build campaigns across social, display, and search to avoid overreliance on any single platform.
- Invest in brand awareness: With users discovering brands in-feed, your ads need to capture attention and spark curiosity fast.
- Prioritize visual storytelling: Eye-catching creative and clear messaging are critical as users scroll quickly through feeds.
- Adapt to intent shifts: Recognize that some users are now beginning their buying journeys in social spaces, not search engines.
The search landscape isn’t dead — but it’s evolving.
Marketers who recognize these shifts early and adapt their strategies will be the ones who win in 2025 and beyond.
What This Means for Marketers Moving Forward
If your marketing strategy is still primarily anchored in search, it’s time to reassess.
A more balanced approach — combining SEO, Google Ads, and paid social and display advertising — will be key to thriving in this new era.
Specifically:
- Diversify lead sources: Build campaigns across social, display, and search to avoid overreliance on any single platform.
- Invest in brand awareness: With users discovering brands in-feed, your ads need to capture attention and spark curiosity fast.
- Prioritize visual storytelling: Eye-catching creative and clear messaging are critical as users scroll quickly through feeds.
- Adapt to intent shifts: Recognize that some users are now beginning their buying journeys in social spaces, not search engines.
The search landscape isn’t dead — but it’s evolving.
Marketers who recognize these shifts early and adapt their strategies will be the ones who win in 2025 and beyond.
Sample Search Results Illustration:
The image below shows an example search for “EMDR therapy.” Notice how the AI Overview dominates the top of the page, pushing both Google Ads and organic search results much further down. This shift is changing how users interact with search content — and it’s reshaping strategies for SEO and PPC alike.
