Google text Ad click share rises sharply in some verticals

An analysis of Similarweb data conducted by SEO consultant Aleyda Solis revealed a significant increase in the click share for Google text ads across certain search advertising verticals. According to the findings, text ads gained an additional 7 to 13 percentage points of click share in the market between January 2025 and January 2026. Key findings from the research The analysis covered 16,000 search queries in the U.S., including verticals such as audio equipment, jeans, online games, and greeting cards. Over this period, text ads demonstrated a significant increase in click share compared to traditional organic results. In the audio equipment vertical (top 5,000 U.S. queries), organic click share dropped from 73% to 50%, while text ads grew from 3% to 16%. The projected share for paid results reached 36%, double the previous year's figure. A similar trend was observed in the jeans vertical, where organic click share fell from 73% to 56%, and paid results increased from 18% to 34%. Text ads also began to capture more clicks in the online games vertical, where their share grew from 3% to 13%, despite this category historically having little to no advertising. In the case of greeting cards, organic results still dominated (dropping from 88% to 75%), but text ads nearly doubled their share, increasing significantly. The impact of AI Overviews on clicks The analysis also included measurements of AI Overviews (artificial intelligence features in the search results page), which were observed across all four verticals. For example, in the audio equipment vertical, AIO presence grew from 2.28% to 32.76%, and in online games, it rose from 0.38% to 29.80%. However, it is important to note that this metric tracked only the presence of AIO on the page, not the number of clicks or their impact on organic results. Text Ads as the primary factor behind organic click decline Solis noted that her initial hypothesis was that both text ads and organic SERP elements could be key contributors to the decline in organic clicks. The research confirmed this assumption—text ads became the primary factor influencing the decrease in organic clicks across all verticals, increasing their share by 7–13 percentage points. Expanding Google’s Ad space Data from various sources align with the trend of increased clicks on text ads. According to Tinuiti’s Q4 2025 benchmark report, Google text ad clicks reached their highest level in the past 19 quarters, growing 9% year-over-year. Overall, Google search ad spend also rose by 13% in this quarter. Google reported record revenues of $102.3 billion in Q3 2025, signaling an increase in commercial intent queries that create additional ad inventory. Why this matters for marketers Despite growing attention to AI Overviews, which might be the primary cause of declining organic clicks, the data from this research suggests that text ads are an important factor that marketers should focus on when analyzing traffic changes. The rising click share for text ads means that marketers should not only evaluate changes in organic results but also pay attention to changes in the composition of the search results page (SERP). What to do next? Given that the click share for text ads is increasing, marketers should track changes in the SERP composition within their industry. It is crucial to use tools that measure click distribution, rather than just monitoring rankings. Tracking changes in the SERP composition will help better understand the reasons for organic traffic decline and adapt strategies for achieving better results in search advertising. It’s also worth noting that Google is likely not only expanding the number of ad placements but is also encouraging advertisers to bid more aggressively, which is increasing competition in ad categories. Read this article in Ukrainian.