AI is reshaping search. Publishers still shape opinion.

by Erin Mulrooney

AI is changing the way people discover content — and fast. With tools like Google’s AI Overviews, users are getting summaries, takeaways, and headlines without ever clicking a link. That’s having a massive effect: nearly 60% of searches now end without a click, and when AI Overviews are present, top-result click-through rates drop by as much as 35%.

With clicks going down and influence harder to earn, what does that mean for marketers and publishers? Not that the search game is over. But that the rules have changed — and the smartest campaigns are already evolving.

Three ways you can adapt to lessen the blow of falling CTRs:

Optimize for AI-First Search Behavior

AI is compressing the funnel. People aren’t reading five articles to form an opinion anymore — they’re scanning one AI-generated summary and moving on. More than a quarter of Agenda Setters have said they’re comfortable with AI searching content on their behalf. If your brand doesn’t surface in that instant answer, you’re out of the conversation. Content needs to be built for AI to read it: think using structured headers; direct, FAQ-style answers; and long-tail, conversational phrasing.

Paid Search is Prime Real Estate

Organic links are getting buried. Paid search is now your front-row seat, but only if your campaigns evolve. Align copy to AI-style queries with answers based on how people are asking questions. Test Google’s new AI-driven formats like automatically created assets (ACA) and Search Themes, which let you signal what content your ads should align with. If you haven’t already adopted Google’s AI features, like Responsive Search Ads and dynamic keyword insertion, you’re behind the curve. Don’t just buy keywords — buy relevance.

Publishers Still Shape Opinions

AI didn’t replace trust. Agenda Setters still turn to established publishers like the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and others to make sense of the world. But how they find those stories has changed. Strategic media matters more than ever. That means contextual placements over homepage takeovers, and social and section takeovers over banner ads. These shifts will ultimately build deeper partnerships that lead to lasting attention. In short, don’t abandon news — rebalance how you show up in it.

The Takeaway

We’re in a new era of search. AI is rewriting the rules. Clicks are down. Visibility is everything. Optimize for AI-first behavior, evolve your Google Ads strategy, and show up next to what people trust, not below what they scroll past.

The smartest brands aren’t picking sides between paid search or premium news. They’re owning both.