Organic Search Fell 13.2% in US and 24.4% in France Over Two Years, But It's Not All AI
VeryWellVersed · x · 2026-10-26
A new analysis of Similarweb data (10k domains, US + France, 3 years) shows organic search traffic fell 13.2% in the US and 24.4% in France over two years — but AI Overviews aren't the sole cause. Paid search grew strongly (+21.0% US / +17.3% France), and losses concentrate in publishing (-41.5% US / -42.5% France). Google's aggressive updates also suppress rankings, sometimes recoverably. Conclusion: AI is reducing clicks, but SEO isn't dead — don't conflate AI erosion with other factors.
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