In early 2026, Google implemented a major update to its search algorithm. AI Overviews — the artificial intelligence-generated summaries at the top of search results — are now active by default for more than 85% of all search queries in the Benelux. This has direct implications for how websites generate organic traffic and how SEO professionals need to structure their strategy.

What Exactly Is Changing?

The biggest change is that Google increasingly shows an AI-generated answer above the traditional blue links. This has far-reaching consequences:

  • Zero-click searches are rising - An estimated 58% of all search queries now result in a zero-click session, as users find their answer directly in the AI Overview
  • Position 1 is shifting - The traditional first organic position now sits on average 400 pixels lower on the page due to the AI block above it
  • Source attribution becomes crucial - Google's AI cites sources in its overview, and becoming a cited source delivers a new type of organic traffic
  • Conversational queries are growing - Users are asking longer, more natural questions now that Google understands them better
  • Visual search results - AI-generated answers increasingly include images, videos and interactive elements

Impact on Organic Traffic

Analysis of more than 10,000 websites in the Benelux shows that average organic traffic has declined by 15-25% since the rollout of AI Overviews. But this figure doesn't tell the whole story.

Websites that have adapted to the new reality are actually seeing an increase in their traffic. The key lies in the type of content you offer. Informative, surface-level content that can easily be summarized by AI loses the most traffic. In-depth, experience-based content with unique insights actually performs better than ever.

"The SEO world isn't dying — it's evolving. Websites that offer genuine expertise and unique value are actually rewarded by Google's AI with more visibility. The era of thin, keyword-focused content is definitively over." - Rand Fishkin, SparkToro

New Ranking Factors in the AI Era

Google's algorithm values a number of factors more heavily in 2026 than before. Understanding these shifts is essential for any SEO strategy:

  • E-E-A-T is more dominant than ever - Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness largely determine whether your content is cited as a source in AI Overviews
  • Authorship and entities - Google recognizes and values individual authors. A recognizable author profile with demonstrable expertise is now a direct ranking factor
  • Structured data - Schema.org markup is no longer optional. Websites with extensive structured data are cited up to 3x more often in AI answers
  • Content depth - Shallow 500-word articles are losing ground to comprehensive, well-structured pieces that fully cover a topic
  • Timeliness and updates - Google gives strong preference to content that is regularly updated and provided with recent data and sources

Practical SEO Tips for 2026

Based on the latest data and best practices, we have compiled a concrete approach to adapt your SEO strategy to the AI-driven search experience:

  • Optimize for citation, not just clicks - Structure your content so that Google can easily cite from it. Use clear headings, definitions and summaries
  • Invest in original research - Your own data, case studies and unique insights are the type of content that AI cannot generate itself and therefore actively cites
  • Build author authority - Add comprehensive author profiles, link to external publications and ensure that authors become recognizable entities in Google's Knowledge Graph
  • Implement extensive structured data - Use FAQ, HowTo, Article and Review schemas to give Google maximum context about your content
  • Focus on long-tail and conversational keywords - Optimize for the longer, natural questions that users are now asking Google's AI
  • Create multimedia content - Combine text with original images, infographics and videos to increase your chances of being featured in visual AI results
  • Monitor your AI visibility - Use tools that track whether and how often your website is cited in AI Overviews, alongside traditional ranking positions

Tools That Help with AI-SEO

The new SEO landscape requires new tools and approaches. A number of platforms have quickly adapted to the changing reality:

  • Semrush AI Toolkit - Now offers an AI Overview Tracker that lets you monitor which AI answers your site appears in
  • Surfer SEO - Has updated its content editor with specific optimization tips for AI citation
  • Ahrefs - Introduces metrics for AI visibility alongside traditional keyword rankings
  • Frase - Helps create content specifically optimized for answering conversational search queries
  • MarketMuse - Analyzes the depth and completeness of your content compared to cited sources in AI overviews

It's important to emphasize that SEO is not dead — it's transforming. The marketers and SEO specialists who adapt fastest to this new reality will reap the greatest benefits. The core remains the same: provide value to your target audience. Only the way that value is found and presented is fundamentally changing.

Looking for the right tools to future-proof your SEO strategy? Check out our comprehensive overview of the best AI SEO tools of 2026 and find the perfect match for your situation.