Branded traffic at risk
Google now shows AI Overviews for 83% of branded searches, according to Ahrefs data. When users search for a specific brand, the search engine increasingly delivers an answer directly instead of sending them to the company's site.
This changes the equation. A branded query used to mean a near-guaranteed visit. Now the click may not happen at all.
Who takes the traffic
When an AI Overview appears, Google pulls from third-party sources:
- Wikipedia — company data, history, key facts
- YouTube — reviews, tutorials, user content
- Industry aggregators and vertical resources
The brand loses direct contact. The user gets a summary without ever landing on the official site.
What it means for SEO
Branded traffic has always been considered a protected asset. High CTR, low acquisition cost, loyal audience. That channel is now eroding.
Fewer clicks on branded queries hit conversions directly. Companies that rely on branded search for lead generation are most exposed.
For arbitrage and affiliate players, the picture is mixed. Harder to rank landing pages for partner-brand queries. But if you run offers for known brands, competition drops: fewer users reach the advertiser's site in the first place.
How to adapt
First: control what the search engine sees. If AI Overviews cite outdated Wikipedia entries or third-party sources, it becomes a reputation issue.
Second: build content that resists aggregation. Calculators, interactive tools, personalised services — anything that requires engagement with the site itself.
Third: diversify. Branded search is no longer a guarantee. Direct traffic, email, social, paid channels — spreading sources is now mandatory.
Outlook
AI Overviews do not appear everywhere yet. But the direction is clear: Google wants to keep users inside its own ecosystem.
For brands, the choice is binary. Either become a source the AI cites, or rework acquisition strategy. Waiting for the old model to return is not a plan.
