--- title: "Is SEO still worth it in 2026, now that AI answers first? · Avouch" description: "Is SEO still worth it when AI answers first? Compare Google’s guidance with click-loss research and learn what to measure before judging SEO spending." url: https://avouchedfor.com/insights/is-seo-still-worth-it markdown_url: https://avouchedfor.com/insights/is-seo-still-worth-it.md --- # Is SEO still worth it in 2026, now that AI answers first? AI answers change what you get from SEO, so your spending needs to be judged on more than appearing in search. **Steen Stones** · Reviewed 7 Oct 2026 SEO still matters in 2026. Google’s guidance, updated on 10 July 2026, says its AI search features rely on the same core ranking and quality systems. Whether your SEO spending is worthwhile depends on the results, including what visitors do on your website. ## Has AI replaced the need for SEO? SEO still underpins Google’s AI search. Google uses its search index and ranking systems for these features, too. To qualify as a supporting link, a page must be indexed and eligible to appear with a snippet in Google Search. AI Overviews do not appear on every search. Google says they often do not appear at all: its systems show them when they add something useful to classic Search. ## Why can a good ranking bring fewer clicks? Ahrefs found that AI Overview presence correlated with a 58% lower average clickthrough rate for the top-ranking page. Clickthrough rate measures clicks relative to appearances in search. Its analysis used desktop data from Google Search Console and compared December 2023 with December 2025. Ahrefs compared 150,000 keywords with an AI Overview against 150,000 informational keywords without one. The findings describe those groups over that period. They do not forecast the traffic your website will lose. ## What should you measure before changing the budget? What to measure before judging SEO spending. Google guidance read 7 October 2026. | Question | What to review | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------- | | [Is the page eligible?](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/ai-features) | Whether it is indexed and eligible for a Google Search snippet. | | [Does it appear in AI search?](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/ai-optimization-guide) | The Generative AI performance report in Search Console. | | [What happens after the visit?](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/ai-features) | Conversions and time spent on the website. | | [Is the provider delivering?](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/do-i-need-seo) | Expected results, timeframe and the agreed measure of success. | Measure what visitors do as well as whether they see you. Google recommends its Generative AI performance report in Search Console for AI visibility. It also suggests tracking conversions and time spent on your website through tools such as Google Analytics. Being seen is only part of the picture. Ask your SEO provider what results it expects, when it expects them and how it will measure success. Compare those answers with what visitors actually do on your website. That gives you something concrete to review when the next report arrives. ## Which work still has a clear purpose? Useful SEO work starts with whether Google can reach your content. Google still recommends allowing its crawler access, linking between pages and making the website work well for visitors. Ask what needs fixing before buying an unspecified AI package. Google recommends content built on your own knowledge and experience. It sets no ideal page length for generative AI search. Explain what your reader needs to know, rather than writing to a word count. ## Does AI search require a separate set of extras? Google says you do not need new AI text files, Markdown or special schema.org markup for its AI search features. That is Google’s position, not a statement about every AI service. Check recommendations against Google’s official guidance before making significant changes. Ask the provider to explain the work and how success will be measured. SEO still matters, but that does not make every SEO proposal worth paying for. ## Further reading Read the click studies. [Read the click studies ](https://avouchedfor.com/insights/do-ai-overviews-reduce-clicks) ## Common questions ### Is SEO dead because of AI? Google says SEO best practices remain relevant because its generative AI features use its core ranking and quality systems. ### Do AI Overviews appear on every search? No. Google says they often do not appear, and are shown when its systems judge that they add something to classic Search. ### What should an SEO report include beyond visibility? Google suggests tracking conversions and time spent on the website alongside Search Console. It also advises asking a provider how it measures success. ## Sources 1. [developers.google.com, Google's Guide to Optimizing for Generative AI Features on Google Search, Google Search Central, Documentation, Google for Developers (opens in a new tab)](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/ai-optimization-guide), checked 7 October 2026 2. [developers.google.com, AI Features and Your Website, Google Search Central, Documentation, Google for Developers (opens in a new tab)](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/ai-features), checked 7 October 2026 3. [developers.google.com, Do You Need an SEO? Tips for Hiring an SEO, Google Search Central, Documentation, Google for Developers (opens in a new tab)](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/do-i-need-seo), checked 7 October 2026 4. [ahrefs.com, Update: AI Overviews Reduce Clicks by 58% (opens in a new tab)](https://ahrefs.com/blog/ai-overviews-reduce-clicks-update/), checked 7 October 2026 AI can't recommend what it doesn't know. [Check if AI recommends you](https://avouchedfor.com/assessment) Start free. No commitment.