Google's new AI Overviews in search, do you think it will affect our ad spend?

[TheCuriousMind]

I have been noticing AI answers showing up at the top of Google search results more and more. People are getting answers without even clicking anything. If users stop clicking organic results does that mean they will also skip ads? Or do you think Google will push ads even harder to make up for the lost clicks.

Anyone changed their Google Ads strategy because of this? Curious what people here think about where paid search is heading in next 2 years.

 

[BlackHatBets]

Yeah, I’ve noticed it too. My gut says fewer organic clicks might push more people to ads, but CPCs could creep up. I’m testing broader match keywords and smaller funnels to hedge, just in case.

 

[EchoHackr]

Tbh I think Google will just cram more ads inside AI overviews itself
Organic CTR already getting cooked, paid will probably get more expensive too.
I started focusing more on branded traffic + email lists lately, relying only on Google feels risky now.

 

[WPGads]

I think organic publishers should be more worried than advertisers

Most AI Overviews answer informational queries. Those clicks were going to blogs and affiliate sites before

People searching with commercial intent still click. If someone searches "best CRM for small business" or "buy running shoes online", they're usually not stopping at an AI summary

What I do think will happen is CPCs get even more competitive as organic traffic shrinks and more businesses rely on paid traffic

Feels like bad news for SEO-first projects, not necessarily for advertisers

 

[ShadowbladeStorm]

I have been noticing AI answers showing up at the top of Google search results more and more. People are getting answers without even clicking anything. If users stop clicking organic results does that mean they will also skip ads? Or do you think Google will push ads even harder to make up for the lost clicks.

Anyone changed their Google Ads strategy because of this? Curious what people here think about where paid search is heading in next 2 years.

I think Google will just pack more ads into AI results tbh. Organic clicks already dropping on some niches from what I seen. Paid ads probably get more expensive, not less lol.

We're testing more branded + high intent keywords now instead of broad stuff. AI answers kill a lot of info searches already.

 

[ClickVertex]

Yeah it’s definitely gonna change PPC. Informational keywords feel weaker now, but buyer intent searches still convert fine for us. Google won’t let revenue drop, they’ll find a way to shove ads inside AI overviews sooner or later.

 

[DarkSpend]

Been seeing lower CTR on some campaigns since AI overviews rolled out. Not dead yet but I wouldn’t rely only on Google traffic long term.
Smart move now is building email lists + other traffic sources imo.

 

[Orangereview]

I think google will just blend ads into AI rsults somehow. it is hard to imagine them losing ad revenue without adapting.

 

[DarkMatterLab]

Yeah CTR is already getting hit on some info keywords. I noticed ads still get clicks when the search has buying intent, but for basic questions AI overview kills traffic fast.
Google will probably stuff more sponsored placements into AI results sooner or later. I’d focus more on branded traffic, email lists and high intent keywords now instead of broad info campaigns.

 

[SEO_Maverick]

I think informational traffic will get hit the most. people are getting answers dirctly from AI overview now But for buyer intent keywords, ads will probably still perform fine.

 

[myadreviewer]

yeah it will change things a bit, less clicks on some info keywords for sure

but ads won’t disappear, google will likely keep ads above or inside those AI sections over time
so strategy shift is more about focusing on high intent keywords where people still want to buy not just learn
top of funnel traffic will get weaker, bottom of funnel will matter more now.

 

[anes2010]

AI Overviews will definitely change search behavior but I do not think ads are going away Google will likely keep adapting ad placements The best approach is to monitor performance closely and focus on keywords where users still have strong buying intent

 

[P P]

Smart marketers are already moving some budget away from Google to avoid putting all their eggs in one basket. They are shifting funds toward paid social media, video ads, and direct community building.

 

[SplashyVibes]

I dont think ads are going away, if anything Google will probly find more ways to place ads inside the user journey, but targeting and ad quality will matter even more than before.

 

[super_master]

I think the main change is that weak clicks will disappear first.

Like if someone just wants a basic answer, AI will answer it and they won’t click anything. But if they’re actually looking to buy, compare prices, book a call, check reviews, etc., they’ll still click.

So I’d be more careful with broad/info keywords now. Not saying they’re useless, but I’d watch them closely.

Also the landing page matters more. If your page just gives the same basic info Google AI already gave, why would they stay? Give them pricing, proof, examples, comparison, demo, something they can’t get from the quick AI answer.

Paid search won’t die imo, but the clicks you pay for need to be more serious.

 

[Feijo]

I dont think ads are going away anytime soon. If anything, Google will probably find more ways to place ads around AI Overviews. What I do think will change is the amount of organic traffic for informational keywords, since people can get quick answers without clicking. For paid search, high-intent keywords should still do well because users looking to buy, sign up, or compare options usually need more than a short AI answer. I'm keeping a closer eye on search terms and conversion quality, but I haven't made any major changes yet. The next couple of years will probably be more about adapting creatives and targeting than reducing ad spend.

 

[Powerful Tiger Ads]

Tbh I think Google will just cram more ads inside AI overviews itself
Organic CTR already getting cooked, paid will probably get more expensive too.
I started focusing more on branded traffic + email lists lately, relying only on Google feels risky now.

Can‘t agree any more..Google AI ads are gradually increasing.. diversifying is the only way to survive how are you finding the conversion rates on your branded traffic lately?

 

[SilentZebraX]

I think it will reduce some organic clicks, but ads will still stay strong since Google will likely keep pushing paid placements around or within AI results to protect revenue.

 

[LuciferLeads]

Yea probs clicks might drop a bit, but Google gonna push ads more, maybe just test smart bidding and focus on top intent keywords.

 

[WinterSoldier]

AI Overviews will likely reduce some organic clicks, but ads usually don’t get fully avoided because they still show for high intent searches. In my view, Google will keep pushing ads more into commercial queries, so the focus will shift more toward intent based targeting and higher quality landing pages rather than just traffic volume.