AI Overviews Rolled Out in Germany: Massive Changes Expected for SEO and Traffic

Becci

Reading Time:

min.

changed:

04.04.2025

published:

04.04.2025

Google is once again revolutionizing search results: After AI Overviews had already been tested extensively in the USA since May 2024, Google announced in October 2024 that it would be rolling out this function in over 100 other countries, although Germany was not included at the time. At the beginning of March 2025, users in Germany, Italy and Switzerland began to report the first sightings of AI Overviews. Google then confirmed that this was a limited test that only affected a small proportion of traffic.

The official launch in Germany finally took place on March 26, 2025, and we have since observed a massive increase in these AI-generated results, especially among users of the Chrome browser. If you want to test this innovation for yourself, take a look at the Google search results in the Chrome browser. The AI-generated summaries appear there particularly frequently and have a significant impact on the user experience.

The Most Important Things in Brief

Change in search results: Google's AI Overviews provide AI-generated summaries directly in the search results, significantly influencing user click behavior.
Massive challenges for website operators: Websites that do not appear in the AI Overviews could experience a significant drop in organic traffic. However, even sites that are included in it could see a lower click-through rate (CTR) as users increasingly tend to consume the summaries displayed directly in the search results rather than clicking on the traditional organic results.
Adaptation of SEO strategies: It is becoming increasingly important for businesses to optimize content to be included in AI Overviews to ensure visibility and traffic.

What are AI Overviews?

AI Overviews are AI-generated summaries from Google that appear directly above the organic search results and provide users with a quick, precise answer to their search query. These new results are based on artificial intelligence and provide users with immediate, relevant information without having to click on an external website first.

Screenshot from Google Search, in which an AI Overview can be seen at the beginning of the search results — AI Overviews in Google Search: This is what the AI-generated summaries look like

With AI Overviews, Google has introduced a new feature that fundamentally changes the rules of the game in search engine optimization. Originally launched in the US in May 2024, these AI-generated summaries have now also been available in Germany and other European countries since March 2025. Since this rollout, we have observed a significant increase in AI-generated summaries, especially when using the Chrome browser. What sounds like a user-friendly innovation at first glance also has a significant impact on the click-through rate of traditional search results and presents companies with new SEO challenges.

Effects on Organic Traffic

The effect of AI overviews on organic traffic is profound. Studies from the USA show that users click less frequently on conventional search results if an informative summary is already provided by Google's AI. Websites whose content is rated and cited by the AI as particularly relevant, on the other hand, benefit considerably: they achieve higher visibility and therefore potentially more clicks. For everyone else, however, this often means the exact opposite. Initial studies and empirical values show that pages that are not represented in the AI-generated summaries receive significantly less organic traffic - in some cases, declines of over 20% have been measured. According to a study by AWR, websites that appear in the first four positions and include search queries such as “what”, “when”, “where” and “how” saw a 7.31 percentage point drop in desktop click-through rates. At a time when organic clicks are already competitive, this could lead to dramatic losses for many businesses.

It is therefore crucial for companies to recognize early on which content is preferred by Google's AI in order to be able to react quickly and adapt their SEO strategies.

Observations from the Field - How AI Overviews are Changing Search

Since the European rollout in March 2025, we have observed a noticeable increase in AI-generated summaries in Google's search results. This is particularly noticeable for users who use the Chrome browser: Here, AI-generated summaries appear frequently and in many different subject areas, from product comparisons to how-to guides to complex technical questions.

Interestingly, however, our analyses show that users searching with the Safari browser or other alternative browsers come across AI Overviews much less frequently. This suggests that Google benefits greatly from user data collected via its own Chrome browser when selecting and displaying AI results.

These findings illustrate how Google search could develop in the future. We are continuously testing hypotheses to understand how overviews influence user behavior and how the visibility of content in search results can be targeted. These tests provide important insights into how SEO and content strategies need to be adapted in order to remain competitive in the new search landscape. Those who act early will secure decisive competitive advantages.

Adaptation of SEO Strategies

Traditional SEO methods are no longer sufficient in the new era of AI overviews. Companies need to create content that not only appeals to users, but also convinces Google AI. Google prefers precise answers to specific questions, clear structuring and reliable sources. We continuously test different approaches to find out which content formats and SEO strategies are best placed in the AI overviews.

Enabling and Disabling AI Overviews - How Users Control their Google Results

Users who want to test the new display can usually activate it directly in their search settings. To do this, it is usually sufficient to select or activate the AI-based mode in the search settings of the Google profile. This gives users early access to the latest AI features from Google.

If you find the AI-generated summaries annoying or prefer to rely on classic search results, you can also deactivate them. The process also takes place via the search settings of your Google account. This option allows you to customize your search experience.

Act Now to Stay Visible

The introduction of AI Overviews by Google is far more than just a new trend: it marks a turning point in the way users consume information in search engines. Companies that react early to these changes and adapt their SEO strategy will secure decisive competitive advantages.