43% of Google AI Overviews Link Back to Google

New research has revealed that Google’s AI Overviews link back to its own search results 43% of the time. This trend raises concerns about the tech giant strengthening its “walled garden” approach, where users are kept within Google’s own ecosystem rather than being directed to external sources.

The data shows that nearly half of the AI-generated summaries, known as AIOs, lead users back to other Google-owned pages. This has led to growing concerns among publishers and digital marketers who fear reduced visibility and traffic to third-party websites.

Interestingly, the study found that AIOs are more likely to appear for longer and more specific search queries. These tend to include niche or low-volume keywords, suggesting Google is prioritising AI-generated responses when there’s less competitive content available.

At present, around 30% of all search queries are reported to trigger these AI Overviews. This statistic highlights how widespread the feature has become, despite it still being a relatively new addition to Google’s search engine results.

Critics argue that by linking back to itself so frequently, Google could be limiting the diversity of information available to users. Others claim it may affect the overall quality and variety of sources in search results.

As AI continues to play a larger role in search, the concern remains whether platforms like Google will prioritise their own content or maintain a balanced ecosystem that benefits users and publishers alike.

Recent findings suggest that Google’s AI Overviews frequently link users back to Google’s own services, reinforcing what is often referred to as the “walled garden” effect. This approach encourages users to remain within Google’s platforms, rather than navigating to external websites.

A study conducted by SE Ranking across five U.S. states has shed light on the extent of this practice. The research revealed that 43% of Google’s AI-generated responses include links that redirect users to additional Google search results.

Typically, each AI Overview contains between four and six hyperlinks, the majority of which point back to Google-owned pages. This not only minimises exposure to independent websites but also enhances user retention within Google’s ecosystem.

This trend reflects broader user behaviour, with recent data showing that, on average, users make around 10 clicks within Google before clicking through to other external sources. It signals a deliberate shift towards keeping traffic and engagement firmly on Google’s platform.

These patterns raise ongoing concerns among publishers and content creators who rely on organic traffic for visibility and revenue. By prioritising internal links, many fear their content will become harder to find through search.

There is growing speculation that Google’s increasing reliance on AI-generated summaries could eventually reshape the way search functions, with less emphasis on traditional results and greater control over what users see first.

As this technology continues to evolve, it remains to be seen whether the balance between user convenience and content diversity will be maintained.

Google Citing Itself in AI Answers

A recent study conducted by SE Ranking looked into how Google’s AI Overviews operate across various locations in the United States. The research analysed a total of 100,013 keywords, focusing on five key regions: Colorado, Texas, California, New York, and Washington, D.C.

The aim was to understand how often Google’s AI-generated summaries include links to specific sources. While there were slight regional differences in results, the overall trend was clear—Google’s own platform is the most frequently cited source within these AI Overviews.

The data revealed that Google appears in around 44% of all AI responses. This is a significant lead compared to other commonly referenced platforms such as YouTube, Reddit, Quora, and Wikipedia, each of which were cited in roughly 13% of cases.

The findings suggest that Google is heavily prioritising its own content when delivering AI-powered search results. This reinforces concerns over a “walled garden” approach, where users are kept within Google’s ecosystem rather than being directed to external sources.

According to the study, a total of 141,507 AI Overview appearances were recorded across the five states. Of these, 43.42%—equal to 61,437 instances—included links pointing to Google’s organic search results.

In contrast, 56.58% of AI responses contained no such links to Google’s own results, instead referencing a broader mix of external sites. However, the heavy presence of Google in nearly half of the AI responses is a notable finding.

These insights further highlight how Google’s AI Overviews may be shaping the way users access information, potentially limiting the visibility of third-party websites.

Building on the Walled Garden Trend

Recent research builds on findings from Momentic, which revealed that Google users now average around 10 page views before navigating away from the platform. This suggests that users are engaging with significantly more internal content before clicking through to external websites.

The data highlights how Google is increasingly becoming a self-contained platform, designed to keep users within its own ecosystem. This shift is largely driven by the introduction of AI Overviews, which now appear in roughly 30% of all search queries.

Interestingly, nearly half of these AI-generated summaries include links that lead straight back to Google search results, reinforcing the so-called “walled garden” experience.

Another key observation from the study is that users are more likely to encounter AI Overviews when entering longer and more specific search terms. This means that detailed queries are more likely to trigger responses generated by AI.

Despite this trend, Google still contributes significant traffic to other websites. According to Momentic, the platform was responsible for 175.5 million external visits in March alone.

However, when measured in terms of visits per user, Google is now trailing behind ChatGPT. On average, Google drives just 0.6 visits to external sites per user, while ChatGPT manages 1.4 visits—more than double.

This comparison highlights a subtle but important shift in how users access information online. While Google remains a dominant traffic source, its newer AI features may be reducing the visibility and reach of third-party websites.

More Key Stats from the Study

The latest findings from SE Ranking’s research have shed more light on how Google’s AI Overviews are functioning and influencing the search experience.

According to the study, AI Overviews appear alongside other search features almost every time—around 99.25% of the time. The most common pairing is with the “People Also Ask” section, which shows up in about 98.5% of cases where AI Overviews are present.

On average, each AI Overview contains roughly 1,766 characters, which equates to about 254 words. These summaries typically cite 13.3 different sources, offering a broad snapshot of information drawn from across the web.

The research also reveals that keywords with medium difficulty (rated between 21 and 40) are most likely to generate AI Overviews, with a 33.4% appearance rate. In contrast, highly competitive keywords—those scoring between 81 and 100—are far less likely to trigger them, appearing just 3.7% of the time.

When looking at keyword cost, the trend becomes even more interesting. Search terms with cost-per-click (CPC) values between $2 and $5 are the most likely to result in AI Overviews, showing up in 32% of searches. Meanwhile, keywords costing over $10 see a much lower appearance rate, at only 17.3%.

In terms of subject matter, certain sectors seem to be largely unaffected by AI Overviews. For instance, the Fashion and Beauty category sees the lowest inclusion rate, at a mere 1.4%. E-Commerce follows at 2.1%, and News and Politics aren’t far ahead, with a 3.8% appearance rate.

The study also points out a direct relationship between the length of an AI Overview and the number of sources it cites. Short responses under 600 characters usually link to about five sources. However, when the response exceeds 6,600 characters, that number increases to approximately 28 sources.

Altogether, these statistics provide a clearer picture of how Google’s AI Overviews are evolving and impacting the way users interact with search results.

For businesses and content creators, the findings underscore the importance of diversifying traffic strategies and ensuring their content remains visible within Google’s ever-changing landscape.