The rollout of AI Overviews by Google has profoundly impacted click-through rates among publishers, site owners, and SEOs. Reports indicate a substantial decline in clicks, even as impressions either remain steady or even increase. This phenomenon has been termed 'The Great Decoupling.' Examples shared on platforms like LinkedIn demonstrate a worrying trend where increased impressions do not translate into clicks, leading to frustration among stakeholders. Although Google downplays the issue, suggesting diverse links will improve traffic, the data speaks to a significant disconnect that's causing concern within the industry.
Since Google began rolling out AI Overviews, there's been a notable disconnect between clicks and impressions, marking a trend I call 'The Great Decoupling.'
All third-party studies show that click-through rates have significantly dropped with the release of AI Overviews, despite Google’s claims of better traffic diversity.
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