The Traffic Problem We’re All Facing

Let me show you some real data from our Google Search Console. Over the past three months, compared to last year:

• Organic clicks: Up 4.5%
• Impressions: Up 270%
• The reality: Way more visibility, barely more traffic

Why? AI Overviews are answering users’ questions directly on Google’s platform. When someone searches for our “Ultimate Local SEO Guide” – content that took months to create – they get their answers from Google’s AI summary and never visit our site.

Enter Google’s “Web Guide” Experiment

Google has just launched “Web Guide” in Search Labs – an experimental AI-organized search results page that may redirect traffic back to websites.

Here’s what’s different:

• Websites appear prominently first instead of being buried under AI Overviews
• AI-generated content is broken up with more website links throughout
• High-authority sites get priority placement in organized sections

I tested everything, from local business queries to complex topics (such as planning to hike Mount Kilimanjaro with my wife in September), and the results are intriguing.

What This Means for the Micro SEO Approach

If Google prioritizes high-authority websites that provide genuine value, sites following our human-driven, AI-assisted methodology should be perfectly positioned. We’ve been preparing for exactly this kind of shift.

The Web Guide experiment seems designed to:

1. Send more traffic to deserving websites
2. Provide a better user experience than pure AI summaries
3. Address publisher complaints about traffic theft

The Reality Check

Here’s my honest take: I’m cautiously optimistic, but this is still Google. If Web Guide goes live, expect ads to appear everywhere, including the top, middle, sidebar, and more. The question isn’t whether Google will monetize this (they will), but whether meaningful traffic will actually flow back to websites.

This could be Google’s response to mounting pressure from publishers, or another way to appear helpful while maintaining control over its platform.

What You Should Do Right Now

Whether Web Guide launches or not, the writing’s on the wall:

1. Focus on building genuine authority in your niche
2. Create comprehensive, expert-level content that deserves to be featured
3. Optimize for both traditional rankings and AI citations
4. Track your visibility in AI Overviews using tools like SE Ranking

Keep Testing With Me

I’ll continue to monitor this experiment and report back on my findings. In the meantime, check your own Search Console data – are you seeing the same impression/click disconnect?

Have an SEO question the BSM team can answer in a future tip? Notice interesting changes in your search visibility? Let me know by responding to this email!

Have a great weekend!

Cheers,

Chris

P.S. – This reinforces everything we’ve been saying about preparing for the future of search. It’s not about gaming algorithms anymore – it’s about proving you deserve to be featured when AI systems organize the web’s information.