Short answer: No, but it has split in two. In our test of 10 Google searches, the 5 searches from people ready to buy still showed local map listings first, and 4 of them had no AI Overview at all. All 5 question searches opened with an AI Overview. Classic SEO still wins customers who are ready to buy. For questions, the goal shifts from getting the click to getting quoted.
Why people say SEO is dead
Because clicks are falling on searches where Google shows an AI answer. When an AI Overview appears, the top result gets about 58% fewer clicks, according to Ahrefs. Seer Interactive found that on searches with an AI Overview, sites not named in it saw their click rate fall 67% over 2025.
A search that ends without anyone clicking a result is called a zero-click search. But the Ahrefs and Seer figures only cover searches where an AI Overview appears. For a small business, the question is whether Google shows one on the searches your customers make.
What we tested
On 29 September 2026 we ran 10 Google searches in the US and recorded what appeared at the top of the first page. Five were buying searches, run as if from the city named. Five were questions a customer might ask before buying.
| Search | Type | AI Overview? | What came first |
|---|---|---|---|
| emergency plumber denver | Buying | No | Map listings of local plumbers |
| family lawyer austin | Buying | No | Map listings of local firms |
| hvac repair columbus ohio | Buying | Yes, below the map | Map listings of local companies |
| med spa charlotte | Buying | No | Map listings of local med spas |
| dentist accepting new patients denver | Buying | No | Map listings of local practices |
| how often should a furnace be serviced | Question | Yes | AI Overview |
| how long does a dental implant take | Question | Yes | AI Overview |
| how much does a divorce lawyer cost | Question | Yes | AI Overview |
| is botox safe | Question | Yes | AI Overview |
| why is my water heater making noise | Question | Yes | AI Overview |
What we found
1. Buying searches still look like classic Google
All five buying searches opened with map listings of local businesses, with their star ratings and review counts. Only one showed an AI Overview, and it sat below the map. That matches Seer's larger study, where buying searches got an AI Overview less than 5% of the time.
2. Question searches start with an AI answer
All five question searches opened with an AI Overview. Seer found the same pattern at scale: question-style searches triggered an AI Overview 86% of the time. Fewer people click through on these, because the answer is already on the page.
3. The AI answers quote small businesses
This is what "SEO is dead" headlines leave out. For "how often should a furnace be serviced", all five sources in Google's AI answer were heating and cooling companies' own articles. For "how long does a dental implant take", five of the six sources were dental practices. In both cases, Google quoted businesses that answer customer questions on their own websites.
What this means for your business
SEO now has two jobs, and they need different work:
- Win the buying searches. This is still classic local SEO: a complete Google Business Profile, a steady flow of genuine reviews, and a page for each service and area you cover. These searches still send customers who are ready to call.
- Get quoted on the question searches. Write clear answers to the questions customers ask you, with the answer in the first sentence or two. Seer found brands named in an AI Overview get roughly twice the clicks of brands left out.
- Get named by AI assistants. ChatGPT picks businesses from directories, lists and reviews on other sites. See what we found when we tested 6 searches.
So, is SEO dead?
No. It's the foundation both jobs stand on: a site search engines and AI tools can read, pages that answer real questions, and a reputation other websites confirm. What's changed is that ranking on its own isn't the whole job any more. GEO vs SEO explains how the two fit together.
See how your business shows up in both
Our free AI visibility check tests whether search engines and AI tools can read your website, then emails you a report on what ChatGPT and Google's AI say when asked for a business like yours.
Frequently asked questions
Is SEO dead now that AI answers questions?
No. In our test of 10 Google searches, buying searches such as "emergency plumber denver" still showed local map listings first, and 4 of the 5 had no AI Overview. Google's AI answers mostly appear on question searches.
What is replacing SEO?
Nothing is replacing it outright. Generative engine optimization (GEO) adds work on top: making your business easy for AI answers to quote and recommend. Most of the groundwork is the same.
Is SEO still worth it in 2026?
Yes, especially for local businesses. Searches from people ready to buy still show map listings and websites, and in our test Google's AI answers quoted ordinary articles on business websites.
Can ChatGPT do SEO for me?
It can help you draft pages and answers to common questions. It can't earn the reviews, listings and mentions on other websites that decide who gets recommended, and anything it writes needs checking for accuracy.
What is a zero-click search?
A search that ends without the person clicking any result, because the answer was already on the results page. AI Overviews make this more common on question searches.