Katie Morton, editor-in-chief of Search Engine Journal, and I recorded the debut episode of Search Engine Journal’s revamped podcast, focusing on a recurring theme in our coverage. We discussed how clicks are declining on the open web, a trend many in search have noticed. We argue that much of this attention hasn’t vanished but has shifted to areas not easily tracked by standard analytics. Listen to the complete episode here.
[04 : 28] — Introduction: The Disappearing Clicks
[05 : 09] — Where to Invest Your Marketing Resources?
[09 : 14] — How to Measure Performance Beyond Clicks
[13 : 49] — Where Is Search Traffic Going?
[16 : 41] — What Does Visibility Mean Now?
[21 : 11] — Resetting Goals for Content Leaders
Where Searches Are Landing Now
Most searches nowadays often don’t lead directly to a click on the open web. According to Rand Fishkin’s analysis of Similarweb clickstream data, about 68% of U.S. Google searches in the first four months of 2026 end without any click at all. Only around a quarter actually take users to an external website. The rest either conclude without a click, lead to another Google search, or direct users to a Google-owned property or paid result.
That attention is collecting in a few places. A lot of it never leaves Google, held by AI Overviews, Business Profiles, Maps listings, and newer surfaces like Ask Maps that point people toward specific businesses. Community platforms are showing up in the results more often, too.
After May’s core update, SE Ranking’s tracking showed Reddit gaining top-three positions across all 20 niches it follows. Google’s partnership with Reddit has been in place for a while, and Google has leaned harder into forum results, though I wouldn’t say the deal alone explains the movement.
Then there’s a narrower set of sites that still reliably pull organic traffic. Transactional, local, and branded searches keep sending clicks. What’s getting hit hardest is lifestyle content, wire-service journalism, and utility pages like weather and TV listings, which are the kind of thing an AI Overview can answer without sending a click anywhere.
Katie added that much of what leaves the open web lands on social platforms and video, where AI can’t easily replicate the formats. Younger audiences, in particular, are spending their time there rather than on traditional sites, and YouTube holds their attention across age ranges.
The Content Bets That Stopped Paying Off
Many blogs try to cover every related topic with generic content, which worked when Google indexed them all and drove traffic. Now, they face tougher competition from similar pages and AI summaries that answer directly in search results. Focusing on volume alone no longer works.
Google’s Danny Sullivan drew that line at Search Central Live Toronto this spring, separating commodity content from the kind of work only your business and your experience can…
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