AI Overviews were launched in the U.S. in May 2024, and their impact on analytics dashboards is still taking shape. While marketers and healthcare leaders have been busy speculating about their impact on organic traffic and brand visibility, Google isn’t offering much in the way of clarity.
Tools like Google Analytics and Search Console still don’t show how often your brand appears in AI-generated answers (and that isn’t expected to change with AI Mode).
So, how can healthcare marketers measure success when the data is incomplete and traditional attribution models fall short?
AI Overviews: A Seismic Shift for SEO
A Quick Recap of AI Overviews
AI Overviews is a feature in Google Search that uses generative AI to provide a concise, AI-powered summary of the most relevant search results based on user intent. These summaries often include hyperlinks, giving users the option to explore further (though not necessarily the incentive to do so).
So, what’s the problem?
As AI-generated answers dominate more space on search engine results pages (SERPs), traditional traffic metrics (e.g., click-through rates, impressions, bounce rates, etc.) can’t tell the full story anymore. This makes it more difficult to track patient engagement and marketing ROI using familiar attribution models.
That’s why branded search visibility (even without a click) is emerging as a better agent for awareness, trust, and overall marketing effectiveness.
Why Visibility Isn’t What It Used to Be
What counts as visibility today is changing fast.
Google’s generative AI, increasing complexity in Google’s algorithms, and higher user expectations are reshaping how (and IF) your brand appears in search.
Why does this matter?
AI Overviews are transforming Google into a one-stop-shop for answers, often satisfying user intent before they ever leave the SERP.
And this trend is accelerating.
AI-generated answers are expected to appear in more than 80% of informational queries in 2025 (up from 47% in 2024), and some reports already show a 30% drop in click-through rates year-over-year following the rollout of AI Overviews. Google is prioritizing answers over clicks, which is already impacting how users engage with your content, potentially reducing your visibility, site traffic, and patient inquiries.
Even more frustrating, until 2025, GSC showed zero data on how often your content appeared in AI Overviews. That means healthcare marketers were left completely in the dark for nearly a year. While new reporting via AI Mode is beginning to surface, it is still very limited.
It’s also worth noting—just because your content technically loads on the SERP doesn’t mean it’s actually seen. If your result appears below an AI overview and several paid ads, users may need to scroll several times before they ever reach your brand.
Showing up isn’t the same as standing out.
The Healthcare Marketing Impact
For hospitals, health systems, and healthcare brands, this shift is disrupting the brand narrative, brand growth, referral capture, digital performance, and more.
This change requires a strategic pivot across all areas of your business. It’s bigger than just marketing.
| What AI Overviews Mean for Healthcare Brands 10%+ drop in organic traffic for top hospital brands.Fewer measurable clicks despite increased investment in content.Traditional SEO and search attribution models no longer reliable.Branded search is your best indicator of audience trust. |
Why Traditional Metrics Are Losing Their Value
Clicks, Impressions, and the Shrinking SERP
All hail zero-click searches.
AI Overviews have taken over virtually everything above the fold in desktop search results, giving users immediate answers and removing the need to click through to your website.
And don’t even get me started on how much real estate AI Overviews and featured snippets are gobbling up on mobile screens—at least 75.7%!
As a result, traditional metrics like clicks and impressions can no longer fully reflect organic performance. Here’s why:
- Zero-click searches (AI Overviews) are unaccounted for in Google Analytics 4 (GA4) and Google Search Console (GSC).
- Evolving algorithms prioritize user intent and experience, not just keyword matches.
- The user journey now spans more touchpoints and platforms.
The Disappearing Organic Traffic Problem
If you’ve noticed your organic traffic has taken a nosedive recently, you’re in good company. Even leading health systems are seeing measurable impact.
According to insights from SEMrush’s AI assistant, CoPilot, organic traffic is down by more than 10% month-over-month for healthcare giants like the Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic, and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
What does this mean for your business?
Your content strategy must adapt. If AI is curating the top answers, your site must provide the kind of high-quality, structured information it needs to parse and present in AI Overviews.
Visibility now depends on how well your content performs for machines.
GSC Blind Spots and Attribution Challenges
Google’s AI Overviews create powerful experiences for users but also significant blind spots for marketers.
They limit visibility into how often your brand is featured, whether your content is being cited, and what impact that exposure has on conversions. This requires a significant shift in your SEO strategy and reporting framework.
You still need to monitor performance in Google Search, but now it’s equally important to watch your presence in AI Overviews (and AI Mode). Why? Because not appearing there can be even more damaging than not appearing on the first page.
In AI Overviews and AI Mode, there is no traditional ranking. Google presents a single, AI-generated summary with selected links (all of which share the spotlight in the top position).
Here’s how healthcare marketers can pivot:
- Optimize content for AI Overview visibility.
Identify high-intent queries and answer them directly. Structure them for machine readability. - Develop in-depth, well-structured content.
AI favors detailed, authoritative content that caters to long-tail and conversational queries. - Focus on Google’s E-E-A-T principles.
Create content that demonstrates Experience, Expertise, Authority, and Trust. - Track new visibility signals.
Use a combination of GSC, GA4, SEMrush, Ahrefs, and ZipTie to cross reference and analyze:- AI Overview impressionsScreen space occupied
- Content inclusion within AI Overviews
- Diversify your traffic sources.
Elevate other visibility channels, such as:- Email marketing
- Social media
- Physician networks
- Paid search
- Directory listings and review sites
- Referral Programs
Branded Search Visibility Is the New North Star
What Is Branded Search Visibility?
Branded search visibility refers to the number of search queries that include your brand name or variations of it.
Examples:
- “Dr. Smith’s pediatric clinic in Irvine”
- “UCLA Neurology in Los Angeles, address and hours”
- “Texas Endovascular uterine fibroid embolization procedure”
A Better Proxy for Awareness and Trust
When users search for your business name, providers, or service lines by name, they’re not discovering you. They’re choosing you.
That level of direct intent signals:
- Brand awareness and recognition.
- Trust and loyalty.
- Higher likelihood of conversion.
- Improved rankings and search visibility.
Branded search visibility is firmly in your control. It’s a vehicle for better search visibility and long-term brand equity.
How to Track It Over Time
Use tools like Google Analytics, Google Search Console, Google Trends, and third-party platforms to monitor:
- Branded keyword rankings.
- Website traffic from branded searches.
- Brand interest over time.
- Brand mentions on other platforms (e.g., social media and review sites).
What Metrics Are Still Trackable in GA4 and GSC
You can still gather meaningful metrics and trends from:
- Branded vs. non-branded traffic.
- Search terms that trigger site visits.
- Engagement on paid search landing pages featured in AI Overviews.
- Referring domains and high-quality backlinks.
While full journey tracking remains murky, you can track how often your healthcare brand is being chosen when users do click.
Additional resources:
- AI Mode Tracking in Google Search Console Confirmed [SEO Experiment]
- AI Search Currently Drives Less Than 1% of Traffic To Most Sites, Google Is Still Dominant, and Watch the Long-Term Risk of Ignoring Google Search
- How to Track Traffic From AI Overviews, Featured Snippets, or People Also Ask Results in GA4
Other Tools Worth Exploring
To succeed in this new AI-driven search era, healthcare marketers must diversify their technology stack. Consider these tools:
- SEMrush Copilot or Surfer AI to score content based on AI readability.
- ChatGPT or Perplexity plugins to simulate AI Overviews and test your content.
- SparkToro or Brandwatch to understand brand mentions and off-page visibility.
- Schema.org to ensure your structured data supports AI parsing.
Coming Up Next: AI-Driven Personalization
In our next post in the series, Healthcare Success will explore one of the most astonishing changes of all: AI-driven personalization. This means no two users will have the same search experience, putting brand consistency at considerable risk. But, with the right approach, your brand can remain visible, trustworthy, and top of mind. Here’s what we’ll explore next:
- How AI personalization impacts brand consistency and user journeys.
- What metrics can help you stay informed.
- How to communicate these changes to internal teams and stakeholders.
Stay tuned for our next deep dive and keep driving your brand visibility forward in this new era of search.
