AI Overviews are rewriting your brand search results
“AI Overviews are killing my non-brand traffic.
But at least they’ll never touch my brand traffic.”
Wrong!
In September 2026, Ahrefs found AI Overviews in 73% of US results for searches containing a popular brand name.
“Fine. But my website will still appear above the AI answer.”
Wrong again.
In a separate sample of 100 major brands, 63 exact brand-name searches triggered an AI Overview.
Of those, 76% appeared in position one.
Your website will rank first organically for your brand exact query, and still sit below an AI-generated answer.
“No problem. At least the AI answer will cite me and link to my website.”
Not necessarily.
That YouTube video could be from your own channel. Or it could be someone else’s product review.
That LinkedIn post could be your announcement.
Or, likely, somebody else’s opinion.
In other words, people can search for your brand and get someone else’s version of your story.
Brands are losing control over their most valuable asset, their own brand. At least on search engines, at least on non-paid placements.
On one hand it’s clear brands will have to invest more in advertising, above and below the line. Even in brand search advertising.
Google is investing billions in AI, they need ROI somehow.
On the other hand, good brand governance and extreme consistency across non-paid channels is becoming a must. So whatever story other people tell about you, you make sure it can only be one.
