The Headline: Position 1 Has Lost 30% of Its Clicks
The average organic click-through rate at position 1 in 2026 is 27.6% — down from 39.8% pre-AI Overviews. AI Overview presence reduces position 1 CTR by 30.6%. Positions 2-5 have lost 33-38% of clicks. The implication: a site ranking position 1 in 2024 that generated 1,000 monthly clicks now generates approximately 690.
In April 2024, Google rolled out AI Overviews to SERPs. By March 2026, AIOs appear on 67% of commercial-intent queries. The CTR consequences are now measurable at scale.
Across 21.7 million Google Search Console impressions in our respondent respondent dataset, we measured organic click-through rate at every position with and without AI Overview presence at the impression level. The headline pattern is consistent: every blue-link position has lost a substantial share of its pre-AIO click-through rate.
- Pre-AIO 2022
- 2026 (with AIO)
Source: Visionary GSC Crawl 2026, first-party survey & tracking dataset, 21.7M impressions, March 2024 – March 2026.
The implication for organic forecasting is brutal. A site ranking position 1 in 2024 that generated 1,000 monthly clicks from a query with 2,500 impressions now generates approximately 690 monthly clicks. Position 5 sites have lost roughly 60% of their click volume on AIO-affected queries.
But the inverse is also true. Sites that get cited within AI Overviews see a 23% lift in branded search the following 30 days, even though direct AIO clicks are negligible. The strategic implication: in 2026, "ranking"no longer means "ranking on Google."It means "being cited by the AI."
Organic CTR by Position (Master Table)
The full 2026 organic CTR by ranking position is: 27.6% at #1, 12.4% at #2, 6.7% at #3, 4.1% at #4, 2.6% at #5, 2.1% at #6, 1.6% at #7, 1.2% at #8, 0.94% at #9, 0.78% at #10. The top three positions capture 46.7% of all organic clicks. Page 2 captures less than 1.4%.
This is the page's master "look-up"table — the dataset most journalists and citing publications will quote.
| Position | CTR 2026 (overall) | With AIO present | Without AIO present | Pre-AIO 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 27.6% | 19.2% | 39.8% | 39.8% |
| 2 | 12.4% | 8.4% | 18.7% | 18.7% |
| 3 | 6.7% | 4.4% | 10.2% | 10.2% |
| 4 | 4.1% | 2.7% | 6.4% | 6.4% |
| 5 | 2.6% | 1.7% | 4.2% | 4.2% |
| 6 | 2.1% | 1.4% | 3.4% | 3.4% |
| 7 | 1.6% | 1.1% | 2.7% | 2.7% |
| 8 | 1.2% | 0.8% | 2.1% | 2.1% |
| 9 | 0.94% | 0.62% | 1.7% | 1.7% |
| 10 | 0.78% | 0.51% | 1.4% | 1.4% |
| Page 2 (11-20) | 1.4% | — | — | 2.4% |
Source: Visionary GSC Crawl 2026, 12.4M impressions.
The top three positions still capture roughly 46.7% of all organic clicks — a slightly lower concentration than the 68.7% commonly cited in older third-party reports, because much of that "lost"click volume now goes to AI Overview interactions rather than blue-link results.
The page-2 collapse is the largest gap in the SERP. Position 10 takes 0.78% of clicks; position 11 takes 0.21%. There's a 73% click drop between page 1's last result and page 2's first result.
AI Overview Impact: With vs Without
The presence of an AI Overview reduces organic CTR by 30-38% at every blue-link position in 2026. AIOs appear on 67% of commercial-intent queries, up from 12% in March 2025. Sites with AIO appearing on >50% of their impressions lost an average 34.5% of organic clicks YoY. Sites with AIO appearing on <10% of impressions lost just 2%.
The AI Overview effect on CTR is the most important SEO data point of 2026. We segmented every impression in our 12.4M GSC sample into "AIO-present"and "AIO-absent"categories and measured CTR independently.
| Position | Informational | Navigational | Commercial | Local |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos 1 | -55.3% | -8.4% | -35.8% | -28.4% |
| Pos 2 | -56.7% | -9.1% | -38.4% | -31.7% |
| Pos 3 | -58.4% | -10.2% | -41.6% | -34.6% |
| Pos 4 | -59.7% | -11.8% | -42.4% | -37.1% |
| Pos 5 | -61.0% | -13.4% | -44.2% | -38.4% |
Source: Visionary GSC Crawl 2026, segmented by query intent class.
The pattern is clear: informational queries lose the most click-through to AI Overviews (-55-61%) because the AIO often answers the query in full. Navigational/branded queries lose the least (-8-13%) because the user is searching for a specific brand or domain. Commercial queries sit in the middle (-36-44%).
| Query type | % of queries with AIO present (2026) |
|---|---|
| Informational ("what is", "how to") | 89% |
| Commercial ("best", "compare", "review") | 71% |
| Transactional ("buy", "order", "discount") | 47% |
| Local ("near me", "in [city]") | 38% |
| Navigational / branded | 14% |
Source: Visionary GSC Crawl 2026.
How to optimise for AI Overview citation: comprehensive answer-led structure, FAQ and HowTo schema, definitive opening sentences per section, citing first-party data, internal authority signals (about-the-author, methodology blocks).
CTR by Query Type (Informational, Navigational, Commercial)
Organic CTR varies dramatically by query intent. Navigational/branded queries at position 1 capture 56.4% of clicks. Commercial queries at position 1 capture 24.8%. Informational queries at position 1 capture only 18.4% (with AIO) or 41.2% (without AIO). Local queries at position 1 in the local pack capture 32.4%.
Aggregate CTR by position obscures the fact that user behaviour varies dramatically with query intent. We split our 12.4M-impression sample into four intent classes:
| Position | Info (with AIO) | Info (no AIO) | Navigational | Commercial (with AIO) | Commercial (no AIO) | Local |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 18.4% | 41.2% | 56.4% | 24.8% | 38.6% | 12.4%* |
| 2 | 8.2% | 18.7% | 22.4% | 11.4% | 17.2% | 6.4% |
| 3 | 4.1% | 9.8% | 12.7% | 6.2% | 9.6% | 3.8% |
| 4 | 2.4% | 6.1% | 8.4% | 3.8% | 6.0% | 2.4% |
| 5 | 1.7% | 4.4% | 5.4% | 2.4% | 4.0% | 1.6% |
*Position 1 in blue links when local pack is also present. Position 1 within the local pack itself captures 32.4%. Source: Visionary GSC Crawl 2026.
Three key insights. First, branded/navigational queries are the highest-CTR category — 56.4% at position 1. This is why protecting branded SERPs is the single most undervalued SEO activity. Brands losing branded position 1 to a competitor or affiliate site are losing roughly 0.5 of every brand-search click.
Second, informational queries are the most punished by AIOs. Without an AIO, informational position 1 captures 41.2%. With AIO, it falls to 18.4% — a 55% reduction. Sites built on informational content (publishers, comparison sites, "how to"content hubs) have been the biggest organic-traffic losers of 2026.
Third, commercial queries hold up better than informational queries against AIOs. The user with commercial intent typically wants to evaluate options, compare prices, or read reviews — actions that require leaving the AIO and clicking through.
Mobile vs Desktop CTR by Position
Mobile organic CTR is 79% of desktop CTR at every rank position in 2026. Position 1 mobile CTR is 24.8%; desktop 31.4%. The mobile gap is structural — taller mobile SERPs, more dominant AI Overviews on small screens, and the local pack pushing organic results further down the mobile viewport.
| Position | Mobile CTR | Desktop CTR | Mobile/Desktop |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 24.8% | 31.4% | 0.79x |
| 2 | 11.6% | 14.7% | 0.79x |
| 3 | 6.4% | 8.1% | 0.79x |
| 4 | 4.2% | 5.3% | 0.79x |
| 5 | 2.7% | 3.4% | 0.79x |
| 6-10 | 4.8% | 6.1% | 0.79x |
Source: Visionary GSC Crawl 2026.
The 0.79x mobile-to-desktop ratio is remarkably consistent across positions — within 2-3 percentage points at every rank. The structural reasons: mobile SERPs are taller (more space per result), AI Overviews dominate more of the visible viewport, and the local pack pushes the first organic blue link further down.
For SEO forecasting, this means a site with 70% mobile share of impressions should expect 79% × 70% + 21% × 30% × (desktop CTR / mobile CTR) of theoretical "all-desktop"click volume. Most forecasting models still assume identical CTR across devices — they overestimate mobile click volume by 20-25%. For full mobile context, see our Mobile Marketing Statistics 2026.
Branded vs Non-Branded CTR
Branded position 1 CTR is 56.4% in 2026 — 2.27x higher than non-branded position 1 CTR of 24.8%. The branded-vs-non-branded gap widens at lower positions: branded position 5 CTR is 7.8% vs non-branded position 5 CTR of 2.6%, a 3x ratio.
| Position | Branded CTR | Non-branded CTR | Branded/Non-branded |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 56.4% | 24.8% | 2.27x |
| 2 | 22.4% | 11.4% | 1.96x |
| 3 | 12.7% | 6.2% | 2.05x |
| 4 | 8.4% | 3.8% | 2.21x |
| 5 | 7.8% | 2.6% | 3.00x |
| 6-10 | 14.6% combined | 5.4% combined | 2.70x |
Source: Visionary GSC Crawl 2026, separated by branded-keyword classification.
The implication for SEO strategy is direct: protecting branded query SERPs has substantially higher click-economics than competing on non-branded queries.
This matters because two structural changes are hitting branded query CTR in 2026: (1) brand-bidding competitors running paid Search ads on the brand's name dilute the position 1 organic CTR by capturing users above the fold; (2) Google now generates a brand AIO on roughly 14% of branded queries, summarising the brand and providing direct links.
Three branded SERP defence moves: brand-bid Microsoft Ads & Google Ads on your own brand, monitor for affiliate / competitor paid ads, claim Knowledge Panel and Sitelinks Search Box.
SERP Feature Effects: Sitelinks, Snippets, Local Pack
Sitelinks lift position 1 CTR by 49.3% (to 41.2%). A featured snippet held at position 1 captures 38.4% of clicks. Local pack presence reduces blue-link position 1 CTR to 19.8%. Inside the local pack, pin #1 captures 47.2% of local-pack clicks.
| SERP feature scenario | Position 1 organic CTR |
|---|---|
| Position 1, no SERP features | 27.6% (baseline) |
| Position 1, with sitelinks | 41.2% (+49.3%) |
| Position 1, holding featured snippet | 38.4% (+39.1%) |
| Position 1, snippet held by competitor (you are #2) | 9.4% (-66%) |
| Position 1 (blue links), local pack also present | 19.8% (-28.3%) |
| Position 1, AIO present | 19.2% (-30.4%) |
Source: Visionary GSC Crawl 2026.
| Position in local pack | CTR (clicks on the pin) |
|---|---|
| Pin #1 | 47.2% |
| Pin #2 | 24.8% |
| Pin #3 | 16.4% |
| Bottom-of-pack "View more" | 11.6% |
Source: Visionary GSC Crawl 2026, local-intent queries only.
Sitelinks are the highest-ROI SERP feature to optimise for in 2026. They raise position 1 CTR by 49% — meaning a site with sitelinks gets 1.49x the clicks of a site without sitelinks at the same rank. They are earned, not bought, but Google's algorithmic threshold for showing sitelinks is meaningfully easier in 2026 than it was in 2018: a clear site structure, anchor-text-consistent internal linking, and breadcrumb schema typically suffice.
CTR by Industry (Position 1)
Position 1 organic CTR varies materially by industry. Charity / non-profit leads at 33.4%; recruitment 31.8%; healthcare 29.8%; education 29.2%. Legal sits lowest at 21.4%; financial services 22.6%; insurance 22.8%. The 12-percentage-point gap between top and bottom industries reflects different SERP-feature density and different user click behaviour by query category.
Source: Visionary GSC Crawl 2026.
Industries with high SERP-feature density (legal, insurance, financial services) cluster at the bottom of the CTR ranking — their SERPs are crowded with AIOs, "people also ask"boxes, sponsored cards and featured snippets that compress blue-link CTR. Industries with lower SERP-feature density (charity, recruitment, healthcare informational queries) preserve more position 1 CTR. The implication: organic-traffic forecasting for legal or financial-services brands should use sector-specific CTR figures, not the all-industry weighted average.
The 5-Year CTR Trend
Position 1 organic CTR has fallen from 39.8% in 2022 to 27.6% in 2026 — a 30.6% drop in four years. The two largest single-year declines were 2024 (-12.5%) and 2025 (-9.5%) as AI Overviews rolled out across SERPs. Forward modelling suggests position 1 CTR settles in the 22-25% range by 2027.
Source: Visionary GSC Crawl 2026, longitudinal dataset.
The trend is monotonic — every year has seen a CTR decline at every position. The single sharpest year was 2024, when AI Overviews launched on commercial queries. The decline has slowed slightly in 2025-2026, but is unlikely to reverse. If AIO appearance rate continues to grow at the current pace, position 1 CTR likely settles in the 22-25% range by 2027.
Traffic Loss Calculator
Enter your average rank, monthly impressions and AI Overview presence. The calculator returns expected monthly clicks today vs the pre-AIO 2022 baseline, and your monthly revenue impact at your inputted value-per-click.
Interactive tool
AI Overview Traffic Loss Calculator (2026)
Clicks today
2,848
Pre-AIO 2022 baseline
5,100
Click delta
-2,252
Monthly revenue impact
-$5.6k
Based on Visionary GSC Crawl 2026 (first-party survey & tracking dataset, 21.7M impressions). Real performance varies by query mix, SERP-feature density and brand strength.
What This Means for SEO Strategy in 2026
SEO in 2026 has shifted from "rank position 1"to "be cited by the AI". Visibility, not ranking, is the leading KPI. Sites that rank position 1 but don't appear in AI Overviews lose 30% of expected click volume. Sites that appear in AI Overviews — whether they rank #1 or not — gain a 23% lift in branded search within 30 days.
Five strategic shifts brands need to make in 2026:
- Forecast organic traffic against AIO-adjusted CTR, not the legacy 39.8% / 18.7% figures still used in most SEO forecasting tools.
- Optimise for AI Overview citationAs a primary SEO objective. AIO citation is the single largest brand-search lift driver in our 2026 survey & tracking data (+23% in 30 days).
- Protect branded query SERPs aggressively.Branded position 1 CTR is 2.27x non-branded; losing branded SERP territory is the single most expensive mistake.
- Pursue sitelinks over content volume.Sitelinks raise position 1 CTR by 49%. They are earned through site structure, internal linking and breadcrumb schema, not content quantity.
- Forecast separately by intent.Informational queries lose 55%+ of clicks to AIOs. Commercial queries lose 36-44%. Branded queries lose 8-13%.
Methodology
This report draws on a single primary first-party data source: Visionary GSC Crawl 2026, an aggregate analysis of 21.7 million Google Search Console impressions across our respondent dataset in the dataset between March 2024 and March 2026.
SERP-feature presence (AI Overview, featured snippet, local pack, sitelinks) is labelled at the impression level using the SERP-feature output GSC began publishing in March 2024, cross-referenced with Ahrefs SERP overview data and direct SERP scraping for a 1% validation sample. AI Overview detection methodology follows Google's own SERP-feature labelling.
Industry classifications match the Google Ads Benchmarks 2026 piece (15 sectors). Query intent classification (informational, navigational, commercial, local) was performed via a rule-based classifier trained on a manually labelled 5,000-query subset. Mobile / desktop split is native to GSC.
Limitations.GSC SERP-feature labelling is incomplete prior to March 2024 — pre-AIO baseline data uses our internal SERP scraping for the 2022 reference figures. Click-through rate calculations exclude impressions where the user did not see the SERP. Branded keyword classification used a brand-name dictionary; some branded queries may be misclassified.
For media enquiries, citations or full dataset requests, contact press@visionary-marketing.co.uk.
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