Once upon a time, being #1 on Google meant that the site could not lose. In 2026, it is not the case anymore. From early 2026, AI Overviews have appeared above regular results for a significant portion of Google queries, and they have already affected how much organic traffic websites receive from Google. When evaluating SEO packages, one should not rely on ranking reports – one should consider the impact of AI Overviews on SEO.
Here we will talk about the specifics of how organic click behavior has changed due to that, and how it affects the design and evaluation of SEO packages.
The CTR Realities In 2026
Being in the #1 position in Google remains the most effective, but brings less traffic. Without AI Overview, the most popular organic position is expected to bring about 25-35% of all clicks (depending on how many people use the search engine). The top three positions’ clicks make up more than 50% of all clicks on the results page. However, if there is AI Overview in place, the situation may change considerably.
The very first position is expected to bring only about half of all clicks it used to bring – and some research tracking specifically AI Overview queries has shown an even steeper decline (clicks on #1 position dropped by 50-60% per year). In other words, if your SEO services provider does not track CTR and organic traffic, but only tells you the ranking, they do not give you all the necessary information.
How This Affects SEO Packages Design
If the package was designed according to 2020-era logic (“chase ranks, report ranks, repeat”), it will not provide you with all necessary services anymore. Packages created for the current environment are expected to have such additional services as:
- The structured, citable content optimized not only for Google crawlers, but also for AI Overview;
- Structured data and schema markup (it helps with Google ranking and citability);
- Traffic and conversions tracking, not just rank tracking (being #1 with collapsed CTR does not bring any growth of visits);
- Continuous checking of SERP features for selected keywords (AI Overviews, featured snippets, local packs and so on).
Of course, it does not change the essence of SEO. It just means that these aspects become relevant when designing the SEO packages properly.
Questions You Should Ask Before Signing Up For The SEO Package
1. “How do you measure success beyond rankings?”
A provider who is able to show you organic traffic and conversion trends, along with ranking data, is doing things right.
2. “How do you take into account AI Overviews in my industry?”
Depending on whether the queries in question belong to informational, how-to, or comparison categories (or transactional, local-intent) – AI Overview can have a different impact. The provider should know what category the queries you want to work with belong to.
3. “What is the content production process?”
You should know if the content is written and reviewed by someone with knowledge of the subject matter, or if it is AI-generated with minor editing.
4. “How do you deal with the aftermath of a core update?” Algorithm updates can affect your
Google ranks quite a lot. Ask how the provider deals with recovery work and if this work is billed.
5. “Can I see anonymised before/after traffic data from a comparable client?”
It is a reasonable request for the established provider and a way to test if the company keeps its promises.
Local Business: A Slightly Different Case
Local-intent queries (the queries related to finding a plumber nearby or a dentist who works right now) are less affected by AI Overview, because local results are often served via local pack (map results), not via AI Overview. It does not mean that local SEO is not affected by changes – it just means that the local business can gain more benefit from Google My Business Profile optimization, review generation, and locations page optimization than from long-form blog articles on informational queries.
If you want to evaluate how the particular provider designs the local and non-local parts of the package, you should read the description of the process, not just price tiers. For example, NearMeExperts provides a detailed description of SEO services on their website.
Comparison: Ranking-Focused vs. Traffic-Focused SEO Packages
| Factor | Ranking-Focused Package | Traffic/Conversion-Focused Package |
| Primary KPI | Keyword position | Organic traffic, clicks, conversions |
| Content approach | Volume-driven, keyword-mapped | Structured for both readers and AI citation |
| Reporting | Rank-tracking dashboard | Traffic, CTR, and conversion reporting alongside rankings |
| Risk | Can look successful while traffic declines | Requires more sophisticated (often costlier) reporting tools |
| Best fit | Low-competition niches with stable SERPs | Any business relying on organic traffic for revenue |
Frequently Asked Questions
If clicks become irrelevant with AI Overviews, does the position of #1 matter anymore?
Although being number one used to be the most valuable position, being in this position is better than occupying any other organic position; in almost every study, the number one position gets more clicks than positions from three to ten combined. In 2026, number one is still the best position in terms of both clicks and being included in an AI-generated overview. However, since having the number one position does not mean receiving the same amount of traffic anymore, the provider should estimate how much traffic and conversions can be brought with the help of the package rather than showing a ranking position.
How much should SEO services with AI-search optimization cost?
It should cost approximately the same as a package with structured data and schema; since AI-friendly content is usually included in the regular content creation process and is priced approximately the same way as regular content creation, it is reasonable to assume that this cost will not be much higher. The price of an SEO package for small and midsize businesses in 2026 is $1,500-$5,000, depending on the complexity of a business structure. A package with “AI SEO” or “GEO” services, which is significantly more expensive, sounds suspicious without providing information on what exactly it includes.
How fast can traffic be restored?
Depending on whether clicks can be restored at all, the time of traffic recovery is unpredictable. If click loss was caused by AI Overviews, chances are that clicks can be restored; in this case, the time for traffic recovery can be from 3 to 6 months, as it takes to make changes in content and change reporting from keyword ranks to clicks and conversions.
Is local SEO less affected by AI Overviews?
Yes, as the majority of searches triggered in local search lead to the local pack in the form of a map. At the same time, it is always good to ask your provider for an analysis of your target queries in order to find out how exactly they look in current SERPs.
What is the most common mistake in choosing SEO services?
Failing to pay attention to traffic trends while receiving only keyword rank reports from an SEO provider. In 2026, while the ranks of the keywords may remain the same or even grow, CTR can fall because of AI Overview and other reasons.