Hook: “Why did Google stop sending us patients?”

Your office manager isn’t being dramatic. Since spring 2025, more than 13 % of all Google queries now display an AI-generated answer—“AI Overviews”—before any organic link appears. In health-related searches that share has grown 20 % in just three months, putting clinics, pharmacies, and even candidate websites squarely in Google’s new “answer engine.” (semrush.com)

1. Understand the New Zero-Click Reality

More than 58 % of searches already end without a click because the answer is right on the results page. AI Overviews intensify that habit by summarizing multiple sources and showing “Next steps” only if the model deems it useful. (wordstream.com)
Translation: rankings alone no longer guarantee traffic. Visibility means being named inside the AI box (often with your favicon and a direct link).

2. What Triggers an AI Overview?

  • Informational questions (“What is intermittent fasting?”)
  • Clarifications & comparisons (“Tylenol vs. Motrin dosage”)
  • Early-stage political queries (“How does ranked-choice voting work?”)

Google is deploying the feature first in Science, Health, People & Society, and Law/Government—exactly the arenas our clients operate in. (semrush.com)

Five Practical Tactics for Clinics, CEOs & Campaigns

 | # | Move | Why it Works | Quick How-To
| 1 | Embed rich Schema on every service page | Google’s AI parses structured data faster than prose. | Use MedicalBusiness, Service, and FAQ markup. Include CPT codes, practitioner credentials, and location data.
| 2 | Publish “Answer Hubs” | Short, Q-and-A style articles mirror the way AI Overviews summarise. | For each top patient query, write 350 words, cite peer-reviewed sources, and finish with a one-sentence takeaway.
| 3 | Own the visuals & video | AI models often pull thumbnails and “from the web” videos into the Overview carousel. Unique media can’t be paraphrased. | Record 60-sec explainer reels (vertical) for procedures; add alt text: “Dr Smith demonstrates carpal-tunnel test.”
| 4 | Earn third-party citations | AI trusts diverse, authoritative references. | Pitch local news, medical associations, .gov health portals, and conference journals for backlinks mentioning your practice name.
| 5 | Track & tweak weekly | Google Search Console is adding an “AI Mode” filter so you can see impressions from generative answers. (searchengineland.com) | Export the data every Friday; flag queries where impressions rise but clicks drop, then strengthen on-page expertise (authorship bios, inline citations).

What About Politicians & Advocacy Sites?

Campaign messages are increasingly summarized in AI Overviews. A recent publisher study showed some outlets losing 50 %+ traffic as Google answers before users click. (nypost.com)
Recommendation: add policy one-pagers with clear definitions, cite original legislative PDFs, and sign each page with the candidate’s credentials to reinforce authority.

Frequently Asked (New) Questions

Q1. Can I block AI Overviews from quoting me?
 Yes—via nosnippet meta tags—but you’ll disappear from the answer box and organic snippets. Better approach: ensure accuracy and credited links. (en.wikipedia.org)

Q2. Does paid search bypass the Overview?
 Ads can appear inside AI Mode, but placement is experimental and not yet controllable. Organic authority remains the cheapest path to inclusion.

Executive Action Plan (15 Minutes)

  1. Run a spot check: Google three high-value queries (e.g., “hipaa telehealth rules 2025”). Note if an Overview appears, and whether your site is cited.
  2. Prioritize pages: Any service/topic pivotal to revenue but missing from Overviews goes to the top of your content queue.
  3. Schedule a DepraLab audit: We’ll map every query where your brand should be the answer and deliver a gap-fix roadmap.

Need help yesterday? Click “Get Free Assessment” in the header and let DepraLab make you the trusted voice inside Google’s answers.