How AI Search Is Impacting CTR Across Industries

Objective

Learn how AI search is changing click-through rates (CTR) across different industries in 2026, and discover practical ways to help your business stay visible even when Google answers users’ questions directly in search results.

  • Organic CTR on AI Overview searches has dropped up to 65%, but we are seeing some recovery in early 2026.
  • The effect is not uniform across sectors. E-commerce traffic is steady, but technology and publishing are seeing bigger declines.
  • Websites featured in AI Overviews can receive around 120% more clicks than those that aren’t.
  • Nearly 68% of Google searches now end without a click.
  • Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) has become essential for staying visible in AI-powered search.

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You are not alone if you notice your Google Search Console impressions going up and your clicks going down. Search has changed a lot. AI Overviews, AI Mode, and answer-first search results mean that people often get the information they need without even clicking on a website.

But that doesn’t mean all businesses are affected in the same way. The results can be very different for a software company that publishes educational content and an online store that sells products. Using the same approach for every industry can result in the wrong SEO strategy. In this article, we will look at what industries are experiencing the most significant declines in click-through rates (CTR), which ones are still doing well, and what businesses can do to improve organic CTR in 2026.

Did You Know?

AI Overviews reduce Google click rates from 15% to just 8%, according to Pew Research Center.

By the end of this article, you’ll clearly understand how these changes affect your industry and the steps you can take to improve your organic search performance.

Table Of Contents

What's Actually Happening to CTR in 2026?

AI is having a real impact on search. According to Seer Interactive, organic click-through rates (CTR) on searches with AI Overviews dropped from 1.76% to 0.61% between mid-2024 and September 2025, a decline of around 65%. Ahrefs also found that the top-ranking page receives about 58% fewer clicks when an AI Overview appears. At the same time, nearly 68% of Google searches now end without a click because users get their answers directly on the search results page.

The good news is that the fall was not permanent. By early 2026, Seer Interactive found that CTR for AI Overview searches had started to recover, reaching around 2.4%. However, search has not returned to the way it worked before. Today, websites referenced or cited in AI Overviews gain more visibility and clicks than those that are not.

The biggest takeaway is simple. The old CTR benchmarks no longer apply. To succeed in 2026, businesses need to optimize not only for higher rankings but also for visibility in AI-powered search results.

Why Does the Impact Vary So Much by Industry?

The variation depends on how often AI Overviews actually trigger for a given query type and whether the user needs to leave Google to complete their task.

Search Type

How Often AI Overviews Appear

Impact on CTR

Informational

(e.g., “How does X work?”)

Very often

Large drop in clicks

Comparison 

(e.g., “X vs Y”)

More than 95% of searches

Large drop in clicks

Question-based 

(e.g., “What is…?”, “Why does…?”)

Around 86% of searches

High drop in clicks

Commercial / Shopping 

(e.g., “Buy running shoes”)

Rare, sometimes as low as 4%

Little or no impact

Brand searches 

(e.g., “Nike”, “SEO Discovery”)

Rare

Little impact or sometimes more clicks

AI Overviews work best for informational searches because users can often get the answer directly on Google. Shopping and transactional searches are different. People still need to visit a website to compare prices, check product availability, read reviews, or make a purchase. This is the main reason why some industries have seen a much bigger drop in CTR than others.

How Is Retail & E-Commerce Holding Up?

AI search has affected retail and e-commerce less than most other industries. AI Overviews appear in only 4% of product searches because people usually want to visit a website to check prices, product availability, reviews, and other details before making a purchase.

There is also some good news. Visitors who come from AI search tend to spend more time on retail websites, view more pages, and are less likely to leave without taking action. These users often arrive after doing their research with AI, so they are closer to making a buying decision.

The biggest challenge for retail brands is their informational content, such as buying guides, “best products” articles, and comparison posts. Since these searches are more likely to trigger AI Overviews, they can receive fewer clicks from Google search.

Why Is Technology & Software the Hardest Hit?

Technology and B2B software websites have been affected more than almost any other industry. AI Overviews now appear for about 82% of B2B technology searches. Searches like “how to fix,” “best software for,” and product comparisons often receive AI-generated answers instead of sending users to a website.

SERP features CTR data shows that industries relying on how-to guides, comparison articles, and educational content are seeing the biggest drop in clicks because AI Overviews often answer these queries directly on Google.

This means many tech companies are seeing fewer clicks even though their impressions are staying the same or increasing. If your content strategy mainly focuses on educational blogs and how-to guides, you have likely experienced the biggest drop in organic traffic.

The solution is not to stop creating informational content. Instead, create content that AI cannot easily copy. Publish original research, unique data, case studies, product insights, and expert knowledge. AI search results are more likely to cite this type of content, which can help improve your SERP features CTR over time.

What's Different About Automotive & Finance?

Websites in the automotive and finance industries are better off than most. People use AI to get answers to general questions, but when it’s time to buy a car or apply for a loan, they typically turn to trusted websites to get the most accurate, up-to-date information.

Before making a decision, users want to see loan rates, compare financing, check out available vehicles, or locate a dealer in their area. They don’t just use AI summaries for these big decisions.

This is why automotive and finance websites are still getting quality clicks. A local inventory, loan and payment calculators, dealer pages, and financial advisor pages are features that AI cannot completely substitute.

Why Is Publishing & Media in Crisis?

It’s hard to think of another industry that’s been hit harder than publishing and media. People are increasingly turning to Google or AI for answers directly, which means they aren’t clicking through to news websites as often. As a result, many publishers have seen a major drop in organic traffic.

But the impact has not been uniform across all types of content. The biggest traffic loss has been to general content such as weather updates, TV schedules, horoscopes, and basic explainers, because AI can answer these questions directly. Conversely, breaking news, exclusive reports, original research, and investigative journalism continue to outperform as AI is still dependent on trusted sources for this type of information.

Generic content is the first to lose traffic, and high-quality, original, well-researched, and unique content is far more likely to stay visible and get clicks.

What's the Citation Advantage, and How Do You Get It?

Getting your brand mentioned in an AI Overview is a big advantage. Research shows that brands cited in AI-generated answers receive about 120% more organic clicks per impression than brands that are not mentioned for the same search.

There is another benefit too. According to Digital Applied’s 2026 research, branded searches that include an AI Overview can see an 18% increase in click-through rate (CTR). This is because users are more likely to trust and click on brands that are referenced by AI.

The best way to earn these citations is by publishing original research, unique data, expert insights, case studies, and content that provides real value. The more reliable and original your content, the more likely AI search engines will cite it.

This is where Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) becomes important. GEO is the process of creating and structuring content so AI search engines mention and cite your website instead of simply using your information without giving you credit.

Research from Princeton University and the Allen Institute for AI, which introduced the concept of GEO, found that the right optimization techniques can increase a website’s visibility in AI-generated answers by up to 40%.

GEO does not replace Search Engine Optimization (SEO) or Answer Engine Optimization (AEO). Instead, they work together. SEO helps your website rank in search results, while GEO helps AI engines cite and recommend your content in AI-generated answers. In 2026, businesses need both to improve their AI visibility and organic traffic.

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How Should Businesses Adapt in 2026?

Improve CTR SEO results in 2026 by treating AI visibility as its own workstream, not an afterthought bolted onto your existing content plan. Here are some best practices:

  • Write clear and direct answers. Start each section with a simple answer, then explain it in more detail. This makes it easier for AI search engines to understand and cite your content.
  • Create original content. Publish unique research, case studies, expert insights, or data that other websites do not have. AI is more likely to cite original information.
  • Strengthen your Entity-Based SEO. Use schema markup, keep your brand information consistent across the web, and build a strong author and brand profile so AI can recognize your expertise.
  • Expand beyond Google. Share your content on platforms like YouTube, Reddit, and LinkedIn. This is the core idea behind Search Everywhere Optimization. It helps your brand reach users wherever AI search engines find and use information, not just on Google’s search results page.
  • Update your content regularly. Refresh important pages with the latest information. AI search results are more likely to feature new and up-to-date content.
  • Track AI citations, not just rankings. Monitor how often ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Gemini, and Perplexity mention your brand, along with your Google Search Console performance.

Businesses that want to optimize content for ChatGPT and AI assistants specifically should build an internal AI search content optimization checklist covering schema, source citations, freshness, and clear direct-answer formatting for every new piece of content, not just cornerstone guides.

What Happens When You Chase Citations Instead of Rankings?

What Happens When You Chase Citations Instead of Rankings

One of our clients at SEO Discovery noticed that their website traffic was dropping, even though their Google Search Console impressions were increasing. This is a common sign that AI Overviews are affecting click-through rates.

Instead of creating new content, we improved their existing pages. We added clear and direct answers at the beginning of each section, implemented structured data, and included original insights that their competitors did not have. Track the progress with a reliable CTR tool alongside Search Console to spot exactly which pages are losing clicks despite rising impressions.

Within 90 days, the client’s content started appearing in AI-generated answers for eight of their target keywords. Their organic CTR also increased, even though AI Overviews continued to appear for those searches.

Success in AI search is not about publishing more content. It is about creating content that AI search engines trust and want to cite.

Is Your Brand Still Getting Clicked?

AI search is here to stay, and businesses need to adapt. The brands that are performing well are not just focusing on higher rankings. They are creating content that AI search engines trust, cite, and recommend. They also track their visibility in AI search results, not just their position on Google.

At SEO Discovery, our AI SEO services and LLM optimization services help businesses improve their visibility in AI-powered search. We identify where your content is losing visibility, fix technical and content issues, and build an effective SEO content strategy that works for both traditional search engines and AI search platforms.

Whether you need enterprise SEO services for a large website with thousands of pages or you’re a growing business looking to protect your organic traffic, now is the right time to prepare for the future of search. The sooner you optimize for AI search with the right SEO content approach, the better your chances of maintaining and growing your organic visibility.

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FAQs About AI Search and CTR

No. Informational and comparison-heavy industries like technology and publishing see the steepest drops. Transactional industries like e-commerce are far less affected.

No. Search engine optimization determines rankings. GEO determines whether AI engines cite and recommend you. You need both.

Yes. Coverage grew roughly 58% year over year through early 2026, and Google’s I/O 2026 announcements point toward deeper AI integration across Search, not less.

Restructure your highest-impression, lowest-click pages to lead with a direct answer, add schema, and add one data point competitors don’t have.

Yes. Generative search systems retrieve and rank passages using NLP-based relevance and contextual relevance signals before synthesizing an answer.

Not yet. AI Agents are expanding what search can do, but most consumer and B2B queries still route through a recognizable AI Overview or chat interface today.

It’s related but distinct. Voice queries tend to pull from the same AI-summarized answer layer, so the same optimization principles generally apply.

If AI engines and top organic results consistently cite you across a cluster of related queries, not just one page, you’ve built real topical authority.