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By Categories: MusingsComments Off on Beyond the AI Overview: Why SEOs Are Building New Projects in Niches the Bots Can’t Swallow

The “zero-click” shock

When Google rolled out AI Overviews to U.S. users in May 2024, organic CTRs for many informational queries fell by 18 – 70 %.[1]
A Search Engine Land log-file study pegged the average drop on non-branded keywords at 24 %,[2]
while MailOnline reported a 56 % slump on affected terms.[3]
With “Generative Engine Optimisation” (GEO) still immature,[4]
many SEOs are hedging their bets by owning vertical sites where AI summaries are rare or policy-restricted.

Where AI struggles to summarise (for now)

  • Regulatory / Age gating (adult, cannabis, Rx)
    Google throttles or omits AI answers that could violate YMYL or Safe-Search policies.[5]
  • Paywalls & logged-in experiences
    LLMs can’t ingest gated data in real time, so Google defers to the source site.
  • Rapidly changing, hyper-local inventory
    Menus, stock or pricing go stale quickly; AI risks giving bad info.
  • Liability-heavy advice (medical, legal, financial)
    Overviews appear with heavy disclaimers—or are suppressed altogether—pushing users to trusted brands.

Verticals SEOs are investing in now

  • OnlyFans & adult-creator directories
    Why AI summaries stay thin: Age-restricted content; Safe-Search keeps AI cautious.
    Example sites:
    Find a Peach[6],
    OnlyFinder, SubSeeker, FansMetric.
  • Online pharmacy & tele-health
    Why AI summaries stay thin: Prescriptions and FDA rules force Google to keep AI advice minimal.
    Example sites: Capsule, GoodRx, Hims / Hers.
  • Cannabis dispensary maps & marketplaces
    Why AI summaries stay thin: Federal illegality in the U.S.; menus change hourly.
    Example sites: Weedmaps, Leafly, Dutchie.
  • Specialist medical subsites
    Why AI summaries stay thin: Clinician oversight and nuanced data that AI can’t fake.
    Example sites: ModernFertility, Mindbloom.
  • Hyper-local service marketplaces
    Why AI summaries stay thin: Real-time availability and pricing vary by ZIP.
    Example sites: Thumbtack, TaskRabbit.
  • Live event & ticketing platforms
    Why AI summaries stay thin: Seat inventory changes by the minute; copyright/licensing hurdles.
    Example sites: DICE, Songkick.
  • Niche B2B directories
    Why AI summaries stay thin: Specs and pricing locked behind signup walls.
    Example sites: Thomasnet, Indie Hackers Tools.

What the new playbook looks like

  1. Own proprietary or gated data – inventory, ratings or subscription-only content that AI can’t crawl freely.
  2. Lean into regulatory moats – compliance costs deter generic AI answers.
  3. Design for transactions – booking engines, quote forms and tele-consults keep users on-site.
  4. Capture “link-as-citation” value – Overviews still need sources; invest in primary data to earn those links.
  5. Think community first – forums and reviews generate fresh, long-tail content that outpaces the AI cache.

Takeaways for SEOs

Google’s AI layer isn’t the death of search, but it does shift the battlefield.If your sites answer simple, fact-based queries, expect shrinking clicks.If you can own data Google is reluctant or unable to summarise, you can ride the next wave while competitors fight over a vanishing slice of blue-link traffic.


  1. ^ Wired: “With AI Mode, Google Search Is About to Get Even Chattier” (May 2025)
  2. ^ Search Engine Land: “Google AI Overviews hurt click-through rates” (Apr 2025)
  3. ^ Press Gazette: “Google AI Overviews leads to dramatic reduction in CTR for MailOnline” (May 2025)
  4. ^ Search Engine Land: “What is Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO)?” (Aug 2024)
  5. ^ SE Ranking research: “AI Overviews and YMYL Topics” (Sept 2024)
  6. ^ Find a Peach: North America directory page (June 2025)