Google AI Overviews now appear on more than 80% of searches as ads blend into AI Mode
Google's AI Overviews now surface on over 80% of search queries and the share is still climbing, according to the week's search news roundup. Google is also testing the removal of the citations box that sits to the right of AI Overviews, and trying query refinement buttons inside them that push users into AI Mode.
A small study cited in the roundup put the click-through rate for AI Overviews and AI Mode at 0.9%. On the advertising side, Google has expanded ads in AI Mode to more countries, launched multiturn ads in the US, and is testing sponsored products blended with organic results. Bing is now showing ads inside its AI Overviews too.
Google said it currently earns less from ads in AI Mode than from traditional search ads, even as its overall ad revenue rose 10.5% and total revenue grew 25%. Microsoft reported Bing ads revenue up 12% with overall revenue up 19%.
For brands chasing citations in AI answers, the direction of travel is clear: answers cover most queries, clicks from them are rare, and paid placements are moving into the same surface as organic recommendations. Google also warned tools about user-generated spam guidance, and John Mueller said automated systems will eventually catch AI spam and the tricks used to game them.
Reported by Search Engine Roundtable ↗
Topics: AI Overviews, AI Mode, AI advertising