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How ads and artificial intelligence are transforming search results: a practical guide to SERPs, with FAQs, charts, useful links and notes
SERPs are the foundation of any SEO, digital marketing and online visibility strategy, especially for professionals and online store owners who aim to maximize their visibility, organic traffic and profitability. In recent years, SERP ads have occupied an increasing amount of space at the top and other points of search results, significantly influencing the distribution of clicks. At the same time, Google’s AI Overviews have come to radically change organic search results, introducing new challenges and opportunities for those investing in SEO and online marketing.
SERP ads, also known as Google Ads, are now appearing higher in search results, often leading to an increase in zero-click searches, i.e. searches where the user does not click through to a site. According to Semrush analysis, 50% and more queries in the US show at least one ad in the SERPs. In some categories, the presence of paid search results is even greater. This means that more and more users are clicking on sponsored content first, increasing advertising costs and reducing the click-through rate of organic search results.
For better organic performance, the topic SERPs it needs a clear structure, specific answers and practical check points. The following outline helps to quickly see which factors are most important to the reader and for evaluating the content.
Indicative content optimization priority
AI Overviews, which Google has begun rolling out in markets like the US, provide users with a summary of AI-generated answers at the top of SERPs, often condensing the information before organic search results or featured snippets. This has the effect of reducing organic traffic, especially for informational or Q&A queries, where the AI Overview answers directly without requiring a site visit. At the same time, clicks are directed either to the featured links displayed in the AI Overview or to the SERP ads located directly above it. According to data from Semrush, about 16% of SERPs in the US display AI Overviews in the fixed results, and some categories reach up to 30%.
The Semrush study highlights that keywords with transactional intent – e.g. “buy laptop online” or “best running shoes” – show a particularly high density in SERP ads and AI Overviews. Search intent plays a decisive role: for queries where users are looking for products or services, the ad and AI Overview often occupy the most central places in the SERPs. In informational queries (“how to…” or “what is…”), AI Overviews play a leading role, reducing organic clicks. If you manage an e-shop or provide services, it is essential to know where and how the keywords you target undergo these changes.
With the integration of more ads and AI Overviews, the click-through rate on organic search results is significantly reduced, as evidenced by many studies (Semrush, SparkToro). Websites are now facing a market with less traffic available from organic search. This is especially critical for e-commerce SEO, where direct organic traffic has until recently been one of the most consistent sources of new customers.
To maintain or increase search visibility in modern SERPs with ads and AI Overviews, it is necessary to adjust both your SEO strategy and advertising spend. In practice, targeted advertising with Google Ads on keywords that are “suffocated” by paid search results becomes imperative. At the same time, optimizing content for featured snippets and creating content that fully answers queries can improve the likelihood of your site being selected by AI Overviews. Also, SERPs analysis for each key keyword before investing in SEO or advertising is now a must, so as to avoid keywords with high “suppression” from ads and AI elements.
SERP analysis tools like Semrush can provide insights into the structure of new SERPs, the number of ads, the presence of AI Overviews, featured snippets, and more. Through examples and real-time data, SEO professionals and e-shop owners can identify opportunities to optimize content that responds to a specific search intent, as well as assess when a paid display is more efficient than an organic one.
The most effective way to understand the evolution of SERPs is through statistics and real-world examples. For example, for the keyword “best smartphones 2024”, the SERP structure includes 2-4 paid search results, then an AI Overview and only 2-3 organic results, making it difficult to distinguish organic links. According to Semrush, 95% of SERPs for shopping keywords in the US show ads, while zero-click searches have increased by 10% in categories with strong AI Overviews. This data highlights the importance of constantly analyzing and reviewing SEO and content strategy for online stores and professionals.
The ever-changing nature of SERPs, with the increased presence of SERP ads and AI Overviews, forces professionals and e-shop owners to frequently re-evaluate their strategies. This complex approach requires keyword evaluation, content optimization for featured snippets and AI, smart use of paid marketing, and continuous monitoring of statistics for meaningful decision making. With methodical moves and the use of reliable analysis tools, you can secure your position in the first results of SERPs and ensure a stable, competitive advantage in organic and paid search.
Sources:
https://www.semrush.com/blog/serps-with-ads-and-ai-overviews/
https://sparktoro.com/blog/zero-click-searches-in-2022/
https://www.searchenginejournal.com/ai-overviews-impact-seo/508991/
Useful links: For deeper strategy see also SEO website construction eshop construction. For technical guidance and best practices, you can consult the Google Search Central.
SERPs are the foundation for any SEO, digital marketing, and online visibility strategy, especially for professionals and online store owners who aim to maximize visibility, organic traffic, and profitability.
SERP ads, also known as Google Ads, are now higher in the results, often causing an increase in zero-click searches, i.e. searches where the user does not click on a site.
AI Overviews, which Google has begun rolling out in markets like the US, provide users with a summary of AI-generated answers at the top of SERPs, often condensing the information before organic or featured search results.
Semrush's study points out that keywords with transactional intent – e.g. "buy laptop online" or "best running shoes" – show a particularly high density in SERP ads and AI Overviews.
