Google Discover Dominate New Traffic, But In A Negative Way

More people now find news through Google Discover than search. Also, traditional click-through rates continue to decline as AI changes how we read online and SEO.

Google Discover overtakes Google Search

What is Google Discover? 

Unlike traditional Google Search, where you have to type in what you’re looking for, Google Discover works without you having to search. It predicts the content you might like by looking at your past searches, app activity, location and other online behavior.

What has happened? 

Google Discover has recently overtaken Google Search as the top traffic source for many news and media websites. By mid-2025, two-thirds of Google referrals to 2,000 news sites came from Google Discover, as Google Search declined. This shift started accelerating in late 2024, right after Google rolled out its AI Overviews in over 100 countries.

Google Discover works quite differently from Search. This makes it popular on smartphones and more engaging, with click-through rates around 8%, compared to 2% or less from Search. 

Why can Google Discover overtake Google Search? 

Google Discover has overtaken Google Search and caused traditional click-through rates decline mainly because:

Google now offers AI-powered features in Search:

Like AI Overviews and AI Mode, these features give users direct answers right on the search results page. People get what they need without clicking further to visit websites. This means fewer clicks to publishers from Search, which lowers CTR for traditional search results.

Google Discover works differently by showing a personalized feed of content on smartphones

It recommends articles and videos based on individual interests and browsing history, keeping users engaged and encourages more clicks because the suggested content fits their preferences.

Google’s algorithms favor content that creates quick engagement in Discover.

The platform prefers fresh, visually appealing and easy-to-consume content, like lifestyle topics or trending news. In contrast, traditional news and serious reporting don’t fit as well with Discover’s style. Because of this, publishers often adapt headlines and content to fit Discover’s preferences, attracting more traffic there while Search traffic declines.

How does this change affect Gold Coast publishers? 

The rise of Google Discover over Search affects publishers, SEO and marketing agencies in many ways: 

• Publishers now depend more on Discover’s personalized feed, which makes traffic harder to predict and revenue less stable.
• SEO must shift from keywords to topics, entities and fresh, engaging content that fits user interests.
• Marketing needs mobile-friendly, fast-loading content that grabs attention, like news, lifestyle pieces, videos and evergreen stories.

Besides, relying too much on Discover is risky, since one algorithm change can quickly cut traffic. That’s why it’s important to build direct audiences through newsletters, social media and other channels.

As Google Discover reshapes how people find news, the key is to stay flexible, create engaging content and build audiences you can rely on. Follow and contact BRANDCOM, your trusted Google SEO Gold Coast, we help you adapt to these changes and grow with confidence!