Google Took 58% from Us

Google Took 58% from Us

From The Prompt by Jim Carter

April 20, 2026 · 6 min · Episode 174

About this episode

Jim Carter discusses the impact of Google's AI Overviews on website traffic and the changing landscape of SEO.

58% of clicks gone. Just like that. That’s the gut punch Jim Carter opens with in this episode of The Prompt, and it sets the tone fast: if a business still depends on Google sending traffic the old way, the ground has already shifted. Jim walks through what’s happening with Google’s AI Overviews and why so many sites are seeing their traffic fall off a cliff. He explains how the old SEO playbook used to be simple: publish useful content, rank near the top, and wait for the clicks. Now Google is answering more questions directly on the search page, which means users often never make it through to the website. One of the strongest moments in the episode is Jim’s restaurant analogy. For years, people walked past the menu and came inside. Now there’s a kiosk outside the door handing out free samples made from everyone’s food, and people leave feeling full without ever stepping inside. That’s his way of showing what AI Overviews are doing to publishers, bloggers, and service businesses. He backs it up with hard numbers. Studies from Ahrefs, Seer Interactive, Kevin Indig, and publisher reports all point in the same direction: major click loss, especially for informational searches. He…

People in this episode

Host: Jim Carter

Topics covered

  • Google AI
  • SEO changes
  • traffic loss
  • business strategy
  • content creation
  • digital marketing

Keywords

  • Google
  • AI Overviews
  • SEO
  • traffic loss
  • business strategy
  • content marketing

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Google, Ahrefs, Seer Interactive, AI Overviews

Places: travel, pets, DIY, mental health, personal finance

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