Google’s AI Overviews Link Back to Itself: What It Means for SEO & Visibility
The Big Discovery: Google Linking to Itself (A Lot)
Google’s latest feature, AI Overviews Google — is designed to give users quick, AI-generated answers at the top of search results. But according to recent data, 43% of these AI Overviews link back to Google’s own pages, not to third-party websites.
This development is more than merely a technological shift; it represents a major change in how search works and how SEO runs businesses or tries to grow organic traffic.
What does this mean for your website, content, and Google search engine ranking? Let's find it.
What the Research Says
A study by SE Ranking analyzed over 100,000 search queries across five U.S. states, and the results were eye-opening:
- 43.42% of AI Overviews linked back to Google.com
- Most Overviews included between 4–6 internal links
- Google was the most-cited source, ahead of Reddit, Wikipedia, and YouTube
- 30% of all Google searches now show AI Overviews
- Longer, low-volume queries are more likely to trigger these Overviews
This pattern reflects what many call Google self-preferencing, in which the search engine prioritizes its properties over those of other companies.
Here, the Google self-preferencing means that when you search for something on Google, Google puts its own stuff at the top. Even if other websites have better info, Search with Google show its own services first to help itself more than others.
What Are AI Overviews?
AI Overviews (AIOs) are summarized responses generated by the AI technology of Google. They are shown at the top of various search results and drag information and data from multiple sources, but more often, they navigate customers back to Google’s own ecosystems.
While these AI summaries make searching easier for users, they pose some real challenges for content creators, SEO professionals, and anyone relying on organic search traffic.
The Problem: A "Walled Garden" Approach
When almost half of the links in Google AI search results lead users back to Google, this creates a search bias. This is a growing concern that Google is transforming search into a closed system called a “walled garden” where users rarely leave the platform.
This reduces search visibility for other websites, even if they provide valuable, accurate, and original content. The impact on SEO Google strategies is already being felt across industries.
The walled garden is a matter of concern because this reduces the chances of search visibility for other websites, even if they are deserving due to their valuable, quality, and informational content. Across companies, the impact of Google SEO strategies can be seen easily.
Imagine creating in-depth, well-optimized content — only to lose visibility because Google's AI pulls info from you... and links back to itself.
Google vs. ChatGPT: Who Sends Users Away?
In a comparison by Momentic, it was found that:
- Google produces 0.6 external visits per user
- ChatGPT sends 1.4 visits per user
This means that despite Google's larger search share, ChatGPT is more effective at directing users to other websites. If this trend continues, it could shift how people use search tools and where they find information.
SEO Impact of AI Overviews
Let’s talk about how AI in search results is changing the game:
1. Less Organic Traffic
When a Google AI Overview offers all the information a user may need, they would not consider clicking on any of the individual websites, especially if such Overviews mostly link to Google.
2. Lower Click-Through Rates (CTR)
Even websites ranking in topmost positions may lose clicks to those overshadowed by a featured AI answer at the top of the Google SERPs.
3. Smarter SEO Needed
In order to become competitive today, brands and creators must consider AI SEO-that is, doing optimization not just on ranking, but to be cited or referenced in AI Overviews.
What Triggers AI Overviews?
The Google algorithm in SEO is evolving. Based on the SE Ranking study:
- Mid-difficulty keywords (21–40) most often trigger AIOs
- Low-competition keywords also show high AIO frequency
- High-CPC keywords ($10+) rarely show AIOs
- Fashion, politics, and e-commerce categories have the lowest AIO appearance rates
This means if you’re in low to mid-competition niches, your content is more likely to be affected by AI Overviews — both positively (more visibility) or negatively (less traffic if Google self-links).
How Can You Adapt?
This is an opportunity to think differently about your SEO strategy in the presence of AI competing with SEO. Adaptations can include:
1. Focus on Authority
Since Google cites what it trusts, build that trust yourself by generating quality backlinks and content, plus good Google link-building techniques.
2. Target AI-Friendly Queries
Target long-tail keywords and informational queries likely to have an AIO triggered on them.
3. Structure Content for AI
Aim to be clear and concise, presenting the content in a very digestible format, such as FAQs, summaries, and bulleted points, so that it can be extracted into the AI response with ease.
4. Keep An Eye On the AIO Appearance
Keep track, via tools, of whether AIOs appear for your keywords and how often your content is referenced in AIOs.
The Bigger Picture: Search Fairness & Open Web
The increasing use of AI in search has reignited concerns regarding Google search fairness. Critics argue that self-linking practices make it harder or nearly impossible for sites that are small and independent creators and are in race to compete.
While Google argues it’s offering a better user experience, the reality is — many users may never make it past the AI Overview box, especially if it's filled with links that just loop back into Google's own ecosystem. This challenges the open nature of the web, where visibility should be based on content quality, not platform ownership.
Final Thoughts from DizitalAdda
At DizitalAdda, we believe in staying ahead of the game, which means understanding the process that how AI is reshaping search.
The tools Google’s AI Overviews contain are strong, but unfortunately, have some downsides also. With search visibility, AI is now greatly influenced by internal links and AI summarization. So, yes - Your Seo strategy needs to evolve.
Whether you're a business owner, digital marketer, or blogger, now is the time to:
- Rethink your keywords
- Focus on value-rich, AI-readable content
- Watch how Google AI SERP behavior evolves
Want help navigating this new landscape?
Reach out to the experts at DizitalAdda — we're here to help you grow, adapt, and thrive in the AI search era.
