SGE Killing CTR?

She Hulk

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Is Google's SGE (Search Generative Experience) killing organic click-through rates?

What suggestions do you have? I would love to hear your thoughts!
 
Yeah, SGE is definitely shaking things up. Early data shows it’s eating into traditional organic CTR, especially for top-of-funnel queries. Google is giving more direct answers, which means fewer users are clicking through.


That said, there's still room to adapt:


  • Target mid to bottom-funnel keywords where users want deeper info or comparisons.
  • Build brand searches — if people search you directly, SGE can't replace that.
  • Focus on EEAT content that builds trust and authority — it’s more likely to be cited in SGE summaries.
  • Schema + content formatting matters more now for visibility within AI snapshots.

It’s not game over, but it’s a new game
 
Yes! you are absolutely right. The SGE have spoiled the click through rate. Because the user can get all the information through SGE. This will leads to reduce the click through rate.
 
Is Google's SGE (Search Generative Experience) killing organic click-through rates?

What suggestions do you have? I would love to hear your thoughts!
Yes, SGE is reducing organic CTR by answering queries directly in the SERP.

Suggestion: Shift focus to long-tail keywords, build topical authority, and optimize for brand visibility within AI-generated answers. Also, diversify traffic sources beyond Google.
 
SGE’s already nuking CTRs on some niches. Saw a 28% drop on one of my health sites since May tests rolled out.
 
Google’s SGE (renamed AI Overviews (AIO) in May 2024) uses generative AI to provide direct answers at the top of the SERP, often pushing organic results below the fold. Industry data and X-sentiment confirm that AIO significantly reduces organic CTR, especially for informational queries, but the impact varies by segment and query type
 
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