When Google Starts Answering First: What a 2.3M‑Keyword Study Tells Us About AI Overviews

For years, SEO followed a familiar playbook.

Find intent. Create content. Earn the click. Repeat.

But 2025 brought a quiet rupture, and it’s not slowing down. Google’s AI Overviews are now rewriting how search works. What used to be a list of links is increasingly a block of AI-generated copy summarizing “the answer” before a user scrolls.

We studied 2.3 million keywords to understand what’s changing and what that means for search visibility going forward.

Spoiler: AI Overviews aren’t a feature. They’re a filter. And they’re reshaping the rules of content strategy, ranking, and what qualifies as a win in organic search.

Where AI Overviews Actually Show Up

Let’s start with what Google chooses to summarize.

You’d think AI Overviews would be reserved for super niche, uncommon questions — but that’s not the pattern. What actually triggers them? Query length.

Here’s what the data showed:

• 1–2 word searches: AI Overviews appear in 18% of results

• 3–5 words: 23%

• 6–7 words: 33–45%

• 8+ words: Over 57%

In short: the longer and more detailed the query, the more likely Google will try to answer it before your content ever appears.

That’s a problem. Because for the last decade, long-tail queries have been a goldmine for SEOs. Less competition, clearer intent, better conversions.

Now? Those same queries are where AI steps in the hardest.

Implication: Traditional keyword targeting strategies that center long-form, mid-funnel traffic are going to need a second look. The more “helpful” your content is, the more likely Google is to intercept it.

Intent Over Keywords: AI Knows Why They’re Searching

Not every long-tail query gets an Overview, because length alone isn’t the trigger. The real signal is intent.

We labeled every keyword by type: informational, transactional, commercial, navigational. Then mapped Overview frequency to each.

• Informational searches (e.g., “how to write an OKR”) triggered AI Overviews ~39% of the time

• Commercial intent (e.g., “best CRM for startups”) saw ~21%

• Transactional queries (e.g., “buy running shoes online”) dropped to 15%

• Navigational queries (e.g., “Ahrefs pricing page”) were lowest at ~11%

Informational queries dominate AI Overview territory. That’s because Google, and its LLMs, are most confident summarizing general knowledge, not specifics tied to brands or purchases.

So if your site’s traffic comes primarily from educational content, expect a bigger hit.

Quick test: Open your top 10 pages. How many exist to explain, compare, or guide? If that’s most of your traffic, you’re squarely in the AI firing zone.

Industry-Level Exposure: Who Should Be Nervous

The intent data maps directly to industry impact. Some verticals are already in the AI blast zone. Others have time, but not forever.

Here are sectors with the highest share of Overviews in their SERPs:

• Pets & Animals — 45%

• Travel — 37%

• DIY / How-To — 35%

• Mental Health — 34%

• Personal Finance — 33%

These aren’t necessarily the biggest-spending niches, but they’re rich in explanatory content. That’s what AI wants to summarize.

Industries that are safer — for now — include:

• Ecommerce / Apparel

• Live Events / Tickets

• Local Services

• Real-Time Info (e.g., weather, flights)

They depend on real-world specificity, not broad knowledge, something LLMs aren’t quite ready to automate at scale.

But make no mistake: every sector will feel this eventually.

Not All Questions Are Created Equal

One of the more nuanced findings was this: the structure of a query affects the likelihood of an AI Overview appearing.

We analyzed question-based queries and found sharp differences:

• “Why” and “How” phrases triggered Overviews in over 40% of cases

• “What” hovered around 25%

• “Where” and “When” were lowest, under 20%

• Brand-led queries (e.g. “Zapier integrations”) triggered AI only ~9% of the time

Why? Because Google is cautious about summarizing questions that require location data, brand specifics, or time-sensitive context.

But if your site is heavy on “how-to” or “why this matters” content, you’re likely being pulled into Overviews whether you’re ready or not.

Local Search Still Has Breathing Room

If you work in local SEO, here’s the good news: AI Overviews rarely appear in location-specific searches.

“Near me” queries showed a 70% drop in AI Overview frequency compared to other search types.

This suggests Google still relies on its maps infrastructure, review system, and local listing data, rather than letting AI summarize your business.

Now’s the time to double down on local. Structured data. Reviews. GBP optimization. It’s one of the few organic plays still protected, and ripe for durable visibility.

Ads Change the Layout — Fast

Another clear signal: the presence of ads suppresses AI.

• No ads = 33% AI Overview likelihood

• One ad = 24%

• Multiple ads + Shopping carousel = under 10%

Why? Revenue.

When Google makes money from a click, it’s less likely to distract users with an AI summary. That means heavily monetized SERPs (shopping, branded searches, commercial keywords) are still mostly functioning as they always have.

It also means PPC can act as a shield. If you’re losing traffic to Overviews, test running ads on those terms. You may not prevent the Overview, but you’ll retake screen share.

What Smart SEOs Are Doing Now

Let’s talk solutions.

This isn’t a doomsday scenario, but it is a signal to evolve. Fast.

Here’s what the best teams are already doing:

• 🧠 Shifting from “rank-first” to “be-cited”

Content that feeds Overviews wins brand visibility, even if the click doesn’t happen. Clear structure, fast answers, and authoritativeness now matter more than CTR.

• 📊Using data as a differentiator

Google’s LLMs can’t fabricate first-party research. If you want your content to stand out, and be quoted, use your own data. Surveys, product usage stats, benchmarks.

• 🛠️Publishing content Google can’t summarize

Tools. Calculators. Interactive flows. AI can’t replicate utility. Make things that answer by doing, not saying.

• 📈Watching keyword-level AI exposure

Your best keyword may already be compromised by an Overview. Track it. Don’t wait until your CTR drops to investigate.

The Shift Has Already Started. Don’t Let It Pass You.

AI Overviews are changing the definition of organic visibility.

This isn’t about fighting for position one, it’s about being recognized within the answer.

If your content isn’t built for inclusion, it’s being skipped.

If your SEO playbook doesn’t account for LLM behavior, it’s already outdated.

But the good news? This shift rewards clarity. Structure. Authority. The things SEO has always claimed to value, now with higher stakes.

Adapt early. Not because SEO is dying, but because it’s finally being rewritten.