A 5-year veteran, Ilias Sami’s perspective on what’s really happening with AI search and why quality beats quantity every time
If you’ve been following SEO discussions lately, you’ve probably heard the doom-and-gloom narrative: “AI is killing SEO,” “Organic traffic is dead,” “Google’s AI Overview is destroying website visits.”
After five years in this field, watching algorithm updates come and go, I’m here to tell you something different. AI Overview isn’t killing SEO—it’s evolving it into something better. And if you understand what’s really happening, you’ll see why this is actually the best thing that could happen to serious SEO practitioners.
You can also check out my article on Why I am Shifting from SEO to UXO and AEO for a better understanding of the shift and the consequences.
The Reality Check: What’s Actually Changing
Let me start with the facts. Recent studies show that 13.14% of all queries now trigger AI Overviews, and yes, this has reduced traditional organic click-through rates. But here’s what most people are missing: the fundamental dynamics haven’t changed—they’ve just shifted.
Remember how the top 3 organic results used to capture 75% of all clicks? Those same dynamics are now happening within AI Overviews. The difference is that instead of random clicks from positions 1-3 (many of which were low-intent browsers), we’re now getting pre-qualified visitors who read an AI summary and still chose to click through to our content.
Think about that for a moment. If someone reads a comprehensive AI-generated answer and still decides to visit your website, what does that tell you about their intent level?
The Quality Filter Effect: Less Traffic, Better Conversions
This is where traditional SEO thinking fails. Most practitioners are panicking about traffic volume drops, but they’re missing the conversion story. Long-tail keywords have 2.5 times the conversion rate of short-tail keywords, and AI Overview is essentially creating this same filtering effect at scale.
When AI Overview summarizes information from multiple sources, it’s performing a pre-qualification function. Users who click through after reading that summary are demonstrating:
- High engagement with the topic
- Unmet information needs
- Strong commercial or research intent
- Willingness to dig deeper than surface-level answers
This isn’t traffic loss—this is traffic refinement.
The Hyper-Specificity Revolution
Here’s where it gets interesting. While everyone’s debating AI Overview impact, the real shift is happening in query patterns. We’re seeing the emergence of what I call “hyper-specific searches”—queries that go beyond traditional long-tail keywords into personalized, context-rich search phrases.
Instead of optimizing for “best CRM software” (which triggers AI Overview anyway), smart SEOs are now targeting queries like:
- “CRM for 50-person B2B agency that integrates with HubSpot under $200/month”
- “Marketing automation for e-commerce stores with Shopify Plus and email sequences”
- “Project management software for remote design teams with client collaboration features”
The new keyword formula has evolved to Search Intent + Emotional State + Contextual Variables, moving far beyond the simple 3-5 word terms we used to target.
The 80/20 Rule for New SEO in Action
This evolution perfectly aligns with the Pareto Principle. Instead of chasing broad keywords that generate 80% vanity traffic with 20% conversion value, we’re now focusing on the specific queries that represent 20% of search volume but drive 80% of qualified leads.
Users searching for very specific terms are probably highly interested in the topic and likely ready to convert. This isn’t a bug in the new system—it’s a feature.
The Strategic Shift: From Volume to Precision
After analyzing this evolution, I’ve identified three critical shifts every SEO professional needs to make:
1. Buyer Psychology Over Keyword Volume
Traditional keyword research focused on search volume and difficulty scores. The new approach requires deep understanding of your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) and their psychological journey. What questions keep them up at night? What specific scenarios are they trying to solve?
2. Content Depth Over Content Quantity
AI Overview pulls from comprehensive, authoritative sources. This means your content needs to be the definitive resource on your topic—not just another blog post. 67% of people see improvement in content quality when using AI, but human expertise and unique insights remain irreplaceable.
3. Authority Building Over Traffic Chasing
With fewer but higher-quality clicks available, building topical authority becomes crucial. This means consistent content creation in your niche, backed by real expertise and unique perspectives that AI can’t replicate.
The Kaizen Approach to Modern AI SEO
The Japanese concept of Kaizen—continuous small improvements—perfectly describes how to win in this new landscape. Instead of seeking massive traffic wins, focus on:
- Incremental improvements in content depth and expertise
- Gradual expansion into more specific query territories
- Consistent optimization based on user behavior data
- Building authority through persistent, quality-focused efforts
Each small improvement compounds over time, creating sustainable competitive advantages that are difficult for competitors to replicate.
Practical Implementation: The New LLM Based SEO Playbook
Based on current data and my practical experience, here’s how to adapt:
Phase 1: Audit and Refocus
- Identify which of your pages are most likely to be summarized in AI Overview
- Analyze the user intent behind your current high-performing content
- Map your content to specific buyer psychology states
Phase 2: Content Evolution
- Transform broad topics into hyper-specific, scenario-based content
- Add unique data, case studies, and expert insights that AI can’t replicate
- Structure content for both AI consumption and human engagement
Phase 3: Authority Amplification
- Build topical clusters around your expertise areas
- Create content series that demonstrate deep industry knowledge
- Develop unique frameworks and methodologies
The Counter-Narrative: Why This Is Actually Good News
While others mourn the “death” of traditional SEO, I see this evolution as a massive opportunity. 47% of marketers are already implementing AI SEO tools, but most are using them for the wrong purposes—trying to recreate old tactics at scale.
The real opportunity lies in understanding that AI Overview is eliminating low-value traffic while concentrating high-value opportunities. This creates several advantages:
- Reduced Competition: Many SEOs will chase vanity metrics and miss the precision play
- Higher Conversion Rates: Pre-qualified traffic converts better than random clicks
- Better Resource Allocation: Focus efforts on content that actually drives business results
- Sustainable Differentiation: Human expertise becomes more valuable, not less
Looking Forward: The Next Phase of SEO
As we move deeper into 2025 and beyond, I predict we’ll see further evolution toward:
- Conversational SEO: Optimizing for natural language queries and AI interactions
- Intent Layering: Understanding multiple user motivations within single queries
- Expertise Amplification: AI highlighting human knowledge rather than replacing it
- Micro-Niche Domination: Extreme specialization becoming the norm
The practitioners who understand this shift will build stronger, more sustainable businesses than those still chasing yesterday’s metrics.
Conclusion: Embrace the Evolution
After five years of watching SEO evolve through countless algorithm updates, mobile-first indexing, Core Web Vitals, and now AI integration, one thing remains constant: the businesses that provide genuine value to their audiences always win.
AI Overview doesn’t change this fundamental truth—it amplifies it. By filtering out low-intent traffic and highlighting high-quality, authoritative content, it’s actually making the SEO industry more meritocratic.
The question isn’t whether AI will impact your SEO strategy. The question is whether you’ll adapt your strategy to leverage AI’s quality filtering effect, or continue chasing metrics that no longer matter.
The choice is yours. But I know which side of this evolution I’m on.
What’s your experience with AI Overview and traffic quality changes? I’d love to hear your thoughts and data in the comments below.
And, about me?
Discover more from Ilias Sami - The White Label SEO Agency
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
