How AI Is Transforming Google Search—and What to Do About Falling Organic Session Activity

Patrick Blanchard
VP, Partner Solutions

The rise of AI in Google Search is revolutionizing how users access information — and it’s dramatically affecting how websites gain visibility in the search engine results pages (SERPs). With the introduction of Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) and the growing prominence of zero-click results, many websites are seeing a noticeable drop in organic traffic.

Why Organic Traffic Is Declining

AI is increasingly being used to generate instant answers directly in the SERP, often summarizing information from multiple sources. This reduces the need for users to click on traditional blue links. According to Ahrefs, over 50% of all Google searches now end without a click — largely due to SERP features like featured snippets, knowledge panels, PAA callouts and AI-generated summaries.

With SGE, this trend is accelerating. Users are getting AI-powered responses that answer their questions immediately, sometimes without even seeing the source websites unless they expand or hover over the summaries. This change challenges the traditional SEO model, where the goal was to rank in the top 10 organic results and drive clicks.

Moz also highlights this shift in their article on how AI is changing the search landscape and causing brands to re-think their marketing strategies, emphasizing that content visibility now depends more on whether it’s included in AI summaries than its actual position in the SERP.

Strategies to Mitigate the Impact

Optimize for AI Inclusion - Focus on creating content that AI systems trust and cite. This means:

Authoring well-researched, high-E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness) content.
Structuring content with clear headings, bullet points and concise answers.
Using schema markup (see Google’s structured data guidelines) to help AI identify and extract relevant information.

Diversify Traffic Sources - Don’t rely solely on Google. Build audiences through:

Email newsletters
Optimized social media profiles and channels
Direct engagement via communities and forums
Experiential marketing campaigns and ABM

Double Down on Branded Search

As generic traffic gets squeezed, branded search becomes more valuable. Strengthen brand recognition through PR, partnerships and offline campaigns so users search for your brand directly — even in an AI-dominated search experience. This includes branded search with authentic messaging and substance rich content that answers questions that prospective customers or clients may have during the buyer journey.

Use Analytics to Adapt

Monitor traffic patterns to understand which queries are becoming zero-click. Ahrefs and Google Search Console can help you identify which keywords are driving impressions but not clicks, giving you insight into where AI summaries may be cannibalizing your traffic.

Repurpose and Expand Content

Adapt existing content for multiple formats and channels to increase reach. For example, turn blog posts into videos, podcasts or short-form content for platforms like LinkedIn, TikTok, Facebook and Instagram. Repurposing not only maximizes your content investment but also ensures that your message is visible outside of traditional search, meeting audiences where they already spend time online.

Final Thoughts

The integration of AI into search isn’t a threat — it’s a sign to evolve. SEO professionals and marketers who adapt by focusing on content clarity, brand authority and diversified digital strategies will be well-positioned to thrive in this new era of AI-enhanced search. It’s time to stop analyzing the reduction in organic search results in Google Analytics and focus on the future. There are great opportunities with AI-enhanced search. Just remember that at the end of the day, we are still marketing and advertising to humans with hopes, dreams, overarching world views, financial obligations, financial restrictions and who also have the choice to decide which brands they trust and how they engage. Be authentic and be deliberate.

We’d Love to Help

Our team can help you find your authentic voice and assist with the pivot towards AI features in search. Feel free to reach out for a cup of coffee. We would love to chat with you.

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