Ask Arlo just got smarter: Track ads in Google AI Overviews as they emerge

After months of speculation, Google has begun testing ads within AI Overview results. Adthena detected the first instances across our 25,000 SERP monitoring dataset, just 13 ad placements representing 0.052% frequency, but marking a watershed moment for search marketers.

These early placements mirror traditional Google text ads with blue headlines, descriptions, and brand URLs, but with a critical addition: thumbnail hero images positioned directly beneath the AIO summary. We’ve seen ads appear across education, consumer electronics, retail, telecom, and health categories, exclusively on desktop in the US so far.

While Google announced plans to introduce ads to AIOs back in May, this is the first confirmation of ads actually appearing in the wild. The rollout is clearly experimental, but the implications are massive.

Our analysis shows that AIOs could drive paid search click-through rates down by 8-12 percentage points a 20-40% relative decline, as AI-generated answers consume more SERP real estate. When ads begin appearing within those same AI results, the entire competitive landscape transforms.

Our Enterprise customers ask Adthena these questions every day, backed by our real-time data:

• Which brands are appearing in AIO ads, and which aren’t?
• How often are ads being served in AIOs for my key terms?
• What impact will this have on my campaign performance and budget allocation?
• How should I adjust my bidding strategy as this auction matures?

Ask Arlo recently made headlines by sweeping the UK Search Awards 2025 with three major wins: Best Software Innovation, Best PPC Management Software Suite, and Best Search Software Tool. Judges praised Arlo’s ability to deliver real-time actionable insights and democratize sophisticated search intelligence for all marketers.

Now, you don’t have to wait for answers. Ask Arlo provides instant access to Google AIO data, helping you track visibility, understand competitive dynamics, and prepare for the next evolution of paid search.

Simply ask: “Show insights on AI Overviews” and Arlo delivers comprehensive analysis tailored to your account.

What you’ll discover

When you query Arlo about AIOs, you’ll unlock a complete picture of how this new SERP feature is affecting your competitive landscape:

• Frequency analysis by query type: Understand which of your keywords are most exposed to AIOs.
• Brand vs. non-brand exposure: See the stark difference between how AIOs treat direct brand searches versus broader category terms. 
• Daily trend tracking: Monitor how AIO frequency is evolving over time. 
• Location-specific insights: For accounts with local view enabled, discover dramatic geographic variations in AIO presence. 
• Position intelligence: See exactly where your ads appear relative to AIOs, are you predominantly above or below? Are competitors positioned better? This competitive positioning data reveals whether you’re winning or losing visibility as AIOs expand. 
• Impression-weighted accuracy: Unlike simple frequency counts, Arlo weights by actual impression volume, so you see the true business impact rather than just raw percentages across all terms equally.
• Intent-based segmentation: Understand how AIOs affect different query types, investigational, transactional, navigational, or problem-solving searches, so you can adjust bids and messaging accordingly.

Visualizations that drive decisions

The new interactive charts in Arlo go beyond raw numbers to reveal strategic opportunities:

Frequency vs. Intent Heatmap: Instantly identify which keyword groups face the highest AIO exposure at scale. High-frequency, high-impression quadrants require immediate attention.

Competitive Position Bubble Chart: See at a glance whether you’re above or below the AIO relative to competitors. Green bubbles in the lower half signal winning positions; red bubbles at the top indicate urgent optimization needs.

Daily Trend Lines by Group: Track how different keyword segments respond to Google’s AIO rollout. Brand terms, competitor terms, and category terms often show completely different trajectories.

Location Breakdown: Compare AIO frequency across cities and regions to understand geographic risk and opportunity.

Search Term Performance Table: Drill into individual keywords to see exact frequency, impression volumes, competitor counts, and your position relative to the AIOs.

As ads enter AIOs, a new set of questions emerge, and Adthena is uniquely positioned to provide answers. With over 12 years of search intelligence data and patented Whole Market View™ technology, powered by robust learning models from our Data Science team, we’re tracking ad frequency, competitive visibility, and ROI impact as AI-driven search evolves. Our models analyze the entire SERP, including impressions, CTR, and CPC, with Local View providing granular geographic insights across cities and regions.

Enterprise brands are already leveraging Adthena’s AIO visibility data to measure CTR shifts and budget impact. Now, with Arlo’s AIO insights, you can stay ahead of this transformation with real-time intelligence delivered through simple, conversational prompts.

Want to explore how AIOs are impacting your paid search performance? Discover where your brand appears, understand competitive dynamics, and prepare your PPC strategy for the next phase of search, before your competitors do.

Want to learn more about Ask Arlo? Get in touch with one of our search consultants to discover how Arlo transforms competitive intelligence into actionable insights.