The search landscape has never been static, but the past few years have seen an especially high amount of fluctuation. Google’s search engine result pages (SERPs) have evolved from the classic “10 blue links” to a complex ecosystem of featured rich snippets, People Also Ask (PAA) queries, knowledge panels, shopping carousels, (an absurd number of Reddit links), and now AI Overviews (AIOs). With each shift, the path from search query to website click has changed, forcing ecommerce brands to rethink how they attract and engage with potential customers.
Informational queries, in particular, are increasingly answered directly in the search results, leading to a rise in zero-click searches. On the surface, this might seem like a death sentence for informational SEO. But in reality, the opposite is true.
While AI may alter how users interact with search results, it hasn’t eliminated the need for well-researched and useful content. If anything, the presence of AI has raised the bar. Brands that produce high-quality informational content will maintain a presence in this new search environment while positioning themselves as authoritative sources that humans can trust.
The Road From 10 Blue Links to AI Overviews
When Google first officially launched in 1998, its search results were quite simple. A search produced a plain list of 10 blue links pointing to relevant web pages. For ecommerce brands, that meant organic search success was largely about ranking as high as possible and attracting clicks. But over time, the search results page began to transform. Features like map packs, image results, and PAA boxes emerged, offering more immediate answers and a more visual experience. Most of this information was pulled directly from websites on the first page of the SERPs, which resulted in a reduction in the need for users to click through.
With the addition of AI Overviews, we’re experiencing another major leap. Google’s AI summarizes information from multiple sources into a cohesive response right at the top of the results page. For many searchers, this means they can get a complete answer without visiting a single website. But for ecommerce sites, this means fewer visitors.
Informational Content & The Great Decoupling
The arrival of Google’s AI Overviews has intensified a trend that’s been quietly reshaping search for years: the rise of zero-click searches. A zero-click search occurs whenever a user finds their answer directly on the search results page without ever clicking through to a website. As with Google’s previous SERP features, many casual users find AI Overviews to be another great time saver. For many queries, especially informational ones, AI Overviews will compile a complete, context-rich answer from multiple sources, allowing users to satisfy their intent instantly. The issue is that brands providing the underlying information may receive little or no direct traffic, even if their content directly generated the answer.
This phenomenon is sometimes called “The Great Decoupling,” which is a term born out of a dramatic increase in impressions paired with declining traffic. Where once high rankings could easily translate into higher on-site traffic, the benefit and means to measure it are murkier. Now, your content might be referenced in AI results, but that visibility doesn’t guarantee a visit to your site.
For ecommerce brands, this presents both a challenge and an opportunity. The obvious challenge is that reduced click-through rates can make it harder to measure the value of informational content. At the same time, there is an opportunity in brand positioning. If your site is consistently cited as a trusted source in AI Overviews, it can build credibility, brand awareness, and even influence purchase decisions. What this ultimately means is that in this new environment, success may require you to shift your mindset. Informational content isn’t just about driving clicks; it’s about becoming an authority in your niche.
Why Informational Content Still Matters in the Era of AI
Google and other search platforms are leaning heavily on trusted, authoritative sources to inform their answers. As such, brands that invest in detailed informational content will be positioning themselves to be referenced in AI results. Let’s take a closer look at how informational content can still move the needle for ecommerce websites.
1. Topical Authority and E-E-A-T Signals
Search engines and AI systems reward websites that demonstrate deep expertise within a specific subject area. This is the essence of topical authority: becoming a go-to resource for a niche by covering it comprehensively from multiple angles. For ecommerce brands, robust informational content such as buying guides, tutorials, and educational blogs all help establish that authority. Google has even confirmed that AI does not require specialized optimization. By sticking to Google’s E-E-A-T (which stands for Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) framework and consistently producing high-quality, informational content, you can strengthen your brand’s authority in organic rankings and boost your visibility in AI-generated search results.
2. User Experience and On-Site Engagement
Guides, how-to articles, FAQs, and other educational resources all help answer questions and provide context that builds buyer confidence. When users find your content genuinely helpful, they’re more likely to explore related pages on your site and return for future needs. This increased engagement sends positive behavioral signals to search engines, such as lower bounce rates and longer session durations, which can indirectly influence ranking position, as uncovered during the discovery of Navboost in Google’s antitrust trial.
But for ecommerce, the benefits extend beyond SEO. A shopper who arrives for advice and leaves with answers is more likely to trust your brand and remember your name, which could eventually lead to a purchase. This means that your informational content can create lasting relationships, develop long-term revenue streams, and most importantly, establish trust, both for the customer and the AI platforms that are using your website as a reference.
3. Content for AI and Humans Alike
In today’s search environment, your content needs to serve two audiences simultaneously: the human visitors who read it directly, and the AI systems that may cite or recommend it. For humans, content with plenty of depth and clarity helps keep users engaged once they land on your site. The addition of visual elements, like videos, images, and graphs, provides a great user experience and extends the likelihood that humans will read your content to the end. On the other hand, Google’s AI Overviews pull information from multiple trusted sources to create comprehensive answers. So, if your content is well-structured and factually accurate, it’s more likely to be used as a source.
The easiest way to appear in AI overviews is to write for people first, while using easy-to-digest formatting, schema markup, and structured headings that make your content easy for AI to dissect. By crafting helpful, concise content that meets both human and machine needs, you maximize your chances of being discovered through an AI summary or a search result.
Moving Forward as an Ecommerce Brand
The evolution of Google’s search results from a list of links to AI-powered overviews has fundamentally changed how ecommerce brands compete for visibility. While zero-click searches and AI summaries can feel like a threat, the reality is that the brands that adapt will eventually thrive. Informational content remains a cornerstone of ecommerce SEO, not just for driving traffic, but also for building lasting authority. By ensuring that your brand is trusted by both search engines and AI systems, you will all but guarantee visibility for your products and services.
