A few years ago a Google search gave you ten blue links. In 2026, for many queries the first thing you see is a ready-made answer written by AI: Google AI Overviews. AI Mode goes a step further and turns search into a ChatGPT-style conversation. The result: the user gets the answer but never visits the site.
What do the numbers say?
Different studies point the same way; only the percentages differ:
- According to Ahrefs, on queries with an AI Overview the click-through rate of the top result drops by roughly 34.5%.
- Pew Research tracked user behaviour: on pages with an AI summary, people click links noticeably less.
- The hardest hit are informational queries: "what is X", "how to".
Collecting traffic with generic posts like "what is SEO" was the old model, and it is getting weaker.
Is this the end of SEO?
No. What changes is the definition of winning. The goal used to be "rank #1". Now the goal is to be the source of the AI answer. Sites cited in an AI Overview get both visibility and a "warmer" visitor, someone already informed and ready to decide.
This approach is called GEO (Generative Engine Optimization): optimising not just for Google but for AI assistants such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and Claude.
What to do in 2026: 6 practical steps
- Answer the question directly. Make the first one or two sentences of each section a clear answer. AI lifts exactly these "quotable" sentences.
- Add structured data. FAQPage, Organization, Product and Service schema tell AI, in machine language, who you are and what you offer.
- Provide unique facts. AI can write generic information itself. What it will take from you is local prices, your experience, real numbers and case studies.
- Grow branded search. If people search for your name, an AI Overview can't bypass you. Social media, PR and ads all lift branded queries.
- Collect external trust signals. Before recommending a company, AI models check whether it is mentioned elsewhere: directories, news sites, customer reviews, Google Business Profile.
- Don't block AI bots. On many sites Cloudflare or robots.txt blocks GPTBot, ClaudeBot and PerplexityBot by default. If they're blocked, AI can't read you and won't recommend you.
What should you measure?
"Traffic" alone isn't enough. In 2026, track Search Console impressions and branded queries, visits from AI assistants (chatgpt.com and perplexity.ai referrals), lead volume and conversion. Traffic can fall while leads rise, and in the AI era that is a normal picture.
An opportunity for the Azerbaijani market
High-quality, structured content in Azerbaijani is still scarce. When AI assistants get a question in Azerbaijani, they look for a source to cite, and whoever fills that gap now will hold an advantage for years.
Want to check whether your site is ready for both Google and AI assistants? See our SEO service or get in touch.