“Traffic Is Stable” – But Is It Really? A Real SEO Take on Google’s AI Mess
By now, you might’ve read the post from SE Ranking that I shared earlier today, the one unpacking Google’s latest round of ‘everything’s fine, nothing to see here’ messaging around AI Overviews, AI Mode and organic traffic. If you haven’t, here’s the gist:
Google says searches are up, traffic is “relatively stable,” and clicks are “higher quality.” Meanwhile, SEOs across the board are waving red flags, sharing GSC charts showing real declines, and asking (loudly): What on earth is actually happening?
Here’s my take, with no fluff, no fence-sitting.
There’s a Definite Disconnect
Google’s PR spin is starting to feel more out of touch to me, rather than reassuring. Sure, maybe aggregate traffic is “stable,” but zoom in, on individual industries, verticals, or even specific query types, that’s where I’m interested, and the story changes fast.
If you’re working in publishing, eCommerce, or affiliate content right now, you don’t need a Google blog post to tell you what your analytics already have: clicks are down. And not just a little.
“Better Quality Clicks” Is a Convenient Deflection
Google’s mention of “higher quality clicks” reads like a tactical distraction. Of course users who do click through are more qualified. AI Overviews are answering everything up top, so only the most motivated searchers are making it through.
To me and a lot of other SEOs volume still matters. Don’t get me wrong, we’re advocates of quality traffic, but what we’re seeing is that even lower quality traffic might soon be obsolete. Quality doesn’t pay the bills if quantity of quality traffic is also tanking. Especially if you’re a site that relies on informational or long-tail traffic, the stuff AI now answers directly.
The SEO Community Isn’t Imagining This
As Glenn Gabe bluntly said on X: “People are not dumb, they have eyes, and can read charts and interpret the data. :)”
Whether it’s screenshots showing AI Overview-related decoupling, or industry voices like Lily Ray and Aleyda Solis calling for more transparency, the pattern is clear: SEOs are seeing the impact. They’re not waiting for Google to admit it anymore. They’re talking about how to adapt.
And honestly, that’s what we should all be doing.
Where This Leaves Us
I don’t think SEO is dying. I don’t even think Google is the villain — not entirely. But we are in a moment of reckoning, and it feels like the communication gap between search engines and the SEO industry has never been wider.
We need:
- Better data transparency from Google. Stop treating aggregate data like it explains everything.
- Clear attribution for AI Overviews. How many queries are impacted, and how can SEOs measure that?
- Real talk from within the industry. Less performative outrage, more shared experiments and honest case studies.
My Advice to Fellow SEOs?
Stop waiting for the official word. Build for users, yes, but build with an awareness that not all traffic will make it past the SERP anymore.
Start stress-testing content strategies. Explore new distribution methods. Think about how your content can earn clicks even if AI is answering the basics. And don’t be afraid to call out the nonsense. We all want to start calling out the bull, so let’s start doing it.
This is the job now. So, let’s be honest about it.
