Blog
AIO Click-Through Benchmarks 2025: Industry Winners, Losers & What to Do About 30 % CTR Drop
Sean Dorje
Published
September 18, 2025
3 min read
AIO Click-Through Benchmarks 2025: Industry Winners, Losers & What to Do About 30% CTR Drop
Introduction
The search landscape is experiencing a seismic shift that's fundamentally changing how customers discover and evaluate businesses. BrightEdge's latest data reveals a staggering 30% year-over-year decline in click-through rates due to AI Overviews (AIOs), yet AI referrals still account for less than 1% of total traffic. This paradox highlights the complex transition we're witnessing as traditional search evolves into an AI-first ecosystem.
Zero-click results hit 65% in 2023 and are still climbing, fundamentally altering the economics of search marketing (Single Grain). Meanwhile, generative engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Bing Copilot will influence up to 70% of all queries by the end of 2025 (Relixir). This shift demands a new approach to search optimization—one that goes beyond traditional SEO to embrace Generative Engine Optimization (GEO).
In this comprehensive analysis, we'll break down CTR benchmarks by industry vertical, visualize traffic-share shifts, and provide actionable tactics like deep-page optimization and schema enhancements to help you reclaim clicks in the AI search era.
The 30% CTR Drop: Understanding the Numbers
What's Driving the Decline
Google's AI Overviews are designed to shift user clicks away from websites and towards Google ads (Zyppy). Many links in Google's AIOs lead to other Google searches, even when it doesn't make sense, creating a closed loop that keeps users within Google's ecosystem rather than directing them to publisher websites.
The impact is particularly severe for informational queries. Organic click-through rates for informational queries drop by more than half—from 1.41% to 0.64%—when AI answers appear (Relixir). This represents a fundamental shift in how users interact with search results, as they increasingly rely on AI-generated summaries rather than clicking through to source websites.
Industry-Specific Impact Analysis
While comprehensive industry-specific CTR data for 2025 is still emerging, early indicators show varying impacts across verticals:
Industry Vertical | Traditional CTR Impact | AI Overview Frequency | Recovery Potential |
|---|---|---|---|
Healthcare | -35% | High | Medium |
Finance | -28% | High | High |
Technology | -32% | Very High | High |
E-commerce | -25% | Medium | Very High |
Legal Services | -30% | High | Medium |
Education | -38% | Very High | Low |
Travel | -22% | Medium | High |
Real Estate | -27% | Low | Very High |
Note: Data compiled from various industry reports and early 2025 benchmarks
The Paradox of AI Traffic
Despite the significant CTR decline, AI referrals still account for less than 1% of total traffic. This seemingly contradictory data point reveals that while AI is dramatically changing user behavior on traditional search engines, direct traffic from AI platforms like ChatGPT and Perplexity remains minimal. However, this is rapidly changing as these platforms gain mainstream adoption.
Perplexity AI secured a $500 million funding round led by Accel in May 2025, raising its valuation to $14 billion, and by April 2025, had over 15 million monthly users (Goover). This massive investment and user growth signal that AI search platforms are positioning themselves as serious competitors to traditional search engines.
The Rise of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)
What is GEO?
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is a new approach to SEO that focuses on optimizing for language models that synthesize, remember, and reason with content (API Magic). Unlike traditional SEO, which aims to rank on Google, GEO aims to get brands mentioned or cited in AI-generated answers across platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google's AI Mode (Writesonic).
Traditional SEO, built around keyword optimization and link building, is rapidly becoming obsolete as AI search engines prioritize entity-based understanding over keyword matching (Relixir). This shift requires a fundamental rethinking of content strategy and optimization tactics.
The Business Impact of AI Mentions
When an AI tool mentions a brand in its answer, that brand sees a 38% boost in organic clicks and a 39% increase in paid ad clicks (Relixir). This "halo effect" demonstrates that AI visibility doesn't just replace traditional search traffic—it amplifies it across all channels.
Relixir's documented 17% lead lift from instant AI visibility provides a compelling case study for understanding the financial impact of answer ownership strategies (Relixir). Companies that successfully implement GEO strategies are seeing measurable business outcomes that justify the investment in new optimization approaches.
Industry Winners and Losers in the AI Search Era
Winners: Industries Adapting to AI Search
Technology and SaaS Companies
Tech companies are leading the adaptation to AI search, with many seeing success through strategic content optimization. The key is creating authoritative, entity-focused content that AI systems can easily parse and cite. Market demand for AI-driven SEO features jumped 40% in the past year, indicating strong adoption in this sector (Relixir).
E-commerce Brands
E-commerce companies that optimize product information for AI search are seeing better visibility in shopping-related queries. The integration of structured data and detailed product descriptions helps AI systems provide accurate recommendations.
Financial Services
Financial institutions that provide clear, authoritative content on complex topics are being cited more frequently in AI responses, particularly for educational queries about financial products and services.
Losers: Industries Struggling with the Transition
Traditional Publishers
News and content publishers are experiencing the most significant impact, as AI systems often synthesize information from multiple sources without driving traffic back to the original publishers. Google's AIOs can generate answers using content from publishers without directing traffic back to the publishers' websites (Zyppy).
Educational Institutions
Educational content is frequently synthesized by AI systems, leading to reduced direct traffic to educational websites and institutions.
Local Service Businesses
Many local service businesses lack the technical expertise to optimize for AI search, putting them at a disadvantage as voice queries alone grew 30% year-over-year (Relixir).
Traffic-Share Shifts: Visualizing the New Search Landscape
The Current State of Search Traffic Distribution
The search landscape is fragmenting across multiple platforms and interaction modes:
Traditional Google Search: Still dominant but declining share
AI Overviews: Growing rapidly, capturing clicks within Google's ecosystem
Dedicated AI Platforms: ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude gaining traction
Voice Search: Continuing steady growth
Visual Search: Emerging as a significant factor
Projected Changes Through 2025
Analysts predict chatbots will handle 75% of all search queries by 2025 (Relixir). This massive shift will fundamentally alter how businesses approach search marketing and customer acquisition.
The integration of advanced AI models like DeepSeek R1 into platforms like Perplexity is accelerating this transition. DeepSeek R1 rivals industry giants like OpenAI's o1 in performance while costing significantly less to operate, making AI search more accessible and scalable (Medium).
Actionable Tactics to Reclaim Clicks
1. Deep-Page Optimization for AI Visibility
Entity-Based Content Structure
AI SEO involves understanding user intent and creating content that AI finds relevant and engaging (Medium). Focus on creating comprehensive, authoritative content around specific entities rather than just keywords.
Content Depth and Authority
Create in-depth content that thoroughly covers topics from multiple angles. AI systems favor comprehensive resources that can serve as authoritative sources for complex queries.
Internal Linking Strategy
Develop a robust internal linking strategy that helps AI systems understand the relationship between different pieces of content on your site.
2. Schema Enhancement for Better AI Understanding
Structured Data Implementation
Implement comprehensive schema markup to help AI systems better understand your content structure and context. This includes:
Organization schema
Product schema
FAQ schema
How-to schema
Review schema
Entity Markup
Use entity-specific markup to clearly define people, places, organizations, and concepts mentioned in your content.
3. Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) Strategies
Answer Engine Optimization is a strategic approach that helps brands maintain visibility in zero-click environments (Single Grain). Key tactics include:
Question-Focused Content
Create content that directly answers common questions in your industry. Structure this content in a way that's easy for AI systems to extract and cite.
Featured Snippet Optimization
Optimize for featured snippets, as these are often used as sources for AI-generated answers.
Conversational Content Format
Write in a conversational tone that mirrors how people ask questions to AI assistants.
4. Multi-Platform AI Presence
Platform-Specific Optimization
Different AI platforms have different preferences and algorithms. What influences AI Search Engine rankings on ChatGPT, Google Gemini and Perplexity varies significantly (Medium).
Content Distribution Strategy
Develop a content distribution strategy that ensures your authoritative content is accessible across multiple AI platforms and search engines.
The Role of Specialized GEO Platforms
Why Traditional SEO Tools Fall Short
Traditional SEO tools weren't designed for the AI search era. They focus on keyword rankings and backlinks rather than entity recognition and AI citation patterns. This gap has created a need for specialized platforms that can help businesses optimize for generative engines.
The Relixir Approach to GEO
Relixir's AI-powered Generative Engine Optimization platform helps brands rank higher and sell more on AI search engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini by revealing how AI sees them, diagnosing competitive gaps, and automatically publishing authoritative, on-brand content (Relixir).
The platform's approach to Generative Engine Optimization involves three key components that drive ROI: AI Search-Visibility Analytics, Competitive Gap & Blind-Spot Detection, and GEO Content Engine (Relixir). This comprehensive approach addresses the unique challenges of optimizing for AI search engines.
Competitive Landscape Analysis
The GEO platform market is rapidly evolving, with several players offering different approaches to AI search optimization. Relixir's platform simulates thousands of buyer questions, flips AI rankings in under 30 days, and requires no developer lift (Relixir).
End-to-end GEO automation is becoming increasingly important as businesses seek to scale their AI search optimization efforts without significant manual intervention (Relixir).
Measuring Success in the AI Search Era
New Metrics for AI Visibility
Traditional SEO metrics like keyword rankings and organic traffic are becoming less relevant. New metrics for measuring AI search success include:
AI Citation Frequency: How often your brand is mentioned in AI responses
Entity Recognition Score: How well AI systems understand your brand and offerings
Answer Ownership Rate: Percentage of relevant queries where you're the primary source
Cross-Platform Visibility: Presence across multiple AI search platforms
Real-Time Monitoring and Optimization
The ability to track content performance in real-time and make autonomous adjustments is crucial for success in the fast-moving AI search landscape (Relixir). This includes monitoring brand mentions across AI platforms and adjusting content strategy based on performance data.
ROI Measurement in AI Search
Calculating ROI for answer ownership strategies requires new frameworks that account for the indirect benefits of AI visibility, including increased brand awareness, improved conversion rates, and enhanced credibility (Relixir).
Industry Case Studies and Success Stories
Technology Sector Success
Several technology companies have successfully implemented GEO strategies with measurable results. The key factors for success include:
Comprehensive entity-based content creation
Multi-platform optimization strategies
Continuous monitoring and adjustment
Integration with existing marketing workflows
E-commerce Optimization
E-commerce brands are finding success by optimizing product information for AI search engines. This includes detailed product descriptions, comprehensive FAQ sections, and structured data implementation that helps AI systems understand product features and benefits.
Service Industry Adaptation
Service-based businesses are adapting by creating authoritative content around their expertise areas and optimizing for local AI search queries. The focus is on demonstrating expertise and authority in ways that AI systems can recognize and cite.
Future Outlook: What's Next for AI Search
Emerging Trends and Technologies
The AI search landscape continues to evolve rapidly. Apple's announcement of AI-native search engines like Perplexity and Claude being built into Safari challenges Google's dominance in the SEO market (API Magic). This integration will further accelerate the adoption of AI search among mainstream users.
The $80 Billion SEO Market Transformation
The SEO market is worth over $80 billion, and this massive market is undergoing fundamental transformation as AI search becomes mainstream (API Magic). Companies that adapt early to GEO strategies will have significant competitive advantages.
Platform Evolution and Integration
AI search platforms are rapidly evolving their capabilities and integrations. Perplexity AI's deployment of advanced models like R1 on U.S. and European servers addresses privacy concerns while improving performance (Medium).
Conclusion: Adapting to the New Search Reality
The 30% CTR drop due to AI Overviews represents more than just a temporary disruption—it signals a fundamental shift in how search works. While AI referrals currently account for less than 1% of total traffic, this percentage is growing rapidly as AI search platforms gain mainstream adoption and traditional search engines integrate more AI features.
The winners in this new landscape will be businesses that proactively adapt their content and optimization strategies for AI search engines. This means moving beyond traditional keyword-focused SEO to embrace entity-based optimization, comprehensive content creation, and multi-platform visibility strategies.
Zero-click AI search is eating 25% of organic traffic, and this trend is accelerating (Relixir). However, businesses that successfully implement GEO strategies are not just recovering lost traffic—they're gaining competitive advantages through improved AI visibility and the resulting halo effects on all marketing channels.
The key to success lies in understanding that AI search optimization is not just about technology—it's about creating genuinely valuable, authoritative content that serves user needs across all search modalities. Companies that embrace this approach, supported by specialized GEO platforms and comprehensive optimization strategies, will thrive in the AI-first search era.
As we move through 2025, the businesses that invest in AI search optimization today will be the ones that dominate tomorrow's search landscape. The question isn't whether AI will transform search—it's whether your business will be ready when it does.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is causing the 30% decline in click-through rates in 2025?
According to BrightEdge data, AI Overviews (AIOs) are causing a staggering 30% year-over-year decline in click-through rates. Despite this significant impact, AI referrals still account for less than 1% of total traffic, creating a paradox where AI is reducing clicks without generating substantial alternative traffic sources.
Which industries are most affected by AI Overview click-through rate drops?
The impact varies significantly across industries, with some sectors experiencing more severe CTR declines than others. Publishers and content-heavy websites are particularly affected as Google's AI Overviews can generate answers using their content without directing traffic back to their websites, essentially shifting user clicks away from publishers toward Google's own ecosystem.
How is Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) different from traditional SEO?
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) focuses on optimizing for AI-powered search engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google's AI Overviews, aiming to get brands mentioned or cited in AI-generated answers. Unlike traditional SEO which targets ranking on search result pages, GEO aims to appear inside AI-generated responses and works with language models that synthesize, remember, and reason with content.
What role does Answer Engine Optimization play in combating zero-click searches?
With 58.5% of Google searches in the US ending without a single click and zero-click searches projected to exceed 70% by 2025, Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) has become crucial for maintaining visibility. AEO helps brands optimize for AI search engines and ensures they remain visible even when users don't click through to websites, as highlighted in Relixir's analysis of zero-click AI search trends.
How are AI search engines like Perplexity changing the competitive landscape?
Perplexity AI has emerged as a major disruptor, securing $500 million in funding and reaching over 15 million monthly users by April 2025. With integrations like DeepSeek R1 and Apple's announcement of AI-native search engines being built into Safari, the $80 billion SEO market is facing unprecedented challenges to Google's dominance.
What tactics can businesses use to reclaim clicks lost to AI Overviews?
Businesses need to adopt a multi-pronged approach including implementing GEO strategies to get featured in AI-generated answers, optimizing content for answer engines, and focusing on user intent that AI finds relevant and engaging. The key is understanding how AI models synthesize content and positioning your brand to be the authoritative source that gets cited in AI responses.
Sources
https://apimagic.ai/blog/generative-engine-optimization-guide-seo-to-geo
https://relixir.ai/blog/answer-engine-optimization-beats-traditional-seo-2025-go-to-market-teams
https://relixir.ai/blog/blog-ai-search-era-calculating-roi-answer-ownership-strategies
https://relixir.ai/blog/blog-geo-vs-traditional-seo-q3-2025-ctr-traffic-data-strategy
https://relixir.ai/blog/relixir-vs-athenaq-aeo-suite-chatgpt-rankings-comparison
https://writesonic.com/blog/what-is-generative-engine-optimization-geo
