If you’ve checked your Search Console AI Overviews position lately, the number probably looks great. That’s the problem. Search Console gives every link inside an AI Overview the position of the AI Overview block itself. A healthy average can hide weak visibility and falling clicks. Relevant Audience
In this guide, I’ll explain how block flattening works and how I spot its effects in real data. I’ll also show which outcomes to report instead of position.
What Is Block Flattening in Search Console?
Dan Taylor of 10 Spurs coined the term “block flattening.” Search Console treats an AI Overview as one block on the results page. A page cited fifth in an Overview at the top of the results reports as position one. Anicca
What John Mueller Confirmed
Mueller said position for these features is hard to track in a useful way. Google counts them as a block, and the Gen-AI performance report doesn’t separate them out. He didn’t announce a replacement metric or a release date. Search Engine Watch
A Simple Example
Imagine an AI Overview sits at the top of the results and cites five sites. The first and fifth citations look identical in the report. Your “position 1.2” may simply mean your link appeared somewhere in that box. Relevant Audience
What Flattening Does Not Cover
- AI Mode works differently. Google describes AI Mode separately, using normal search-result positioning rules. Search Engine Watch
- Hidden links don’t count yet. Links behind a “Show More” toggle don’t count as an impression until someone clicks to expand the section. Search Engine Journal
- The report is relatively new. Google introduced its generative AI performance reports on June 3 and completed the worldwide rollout on August 31. Search Engine Watch
Why Search Console AI Overviews Position Can Mislead You
Average position was never perfect. It’s a mean across very different queries. Block flattening adds another layer of distortion.
The result is a common trap. Rankings look stable, impressions look fine, and clicks quietly slide. Most people read that as a ranking problem. In my experience, it usually isn’t.
What I Saw in My Own Search Console Data
I noticed a widening gap between impressions and clicks. Clicks flattened, yet impressions and average position stayed fairly stable. The pattern suggested users were getting answers directly in search instead of clicking through.
One informational query made it clear. The page held a top-3 average position, yet clicks were well below what that position should deliver. A live search showed why: the AI-generated answer sat above the traditional results and seemed to absorb the clicks.
One caution: I can’t prove cause and effect from Search Console alone. Seasonality, classic ranking changes, and AI Mode can all move clicks too. Treat this as a strong pattern, not proof.
On-Page SEO Package
SEO Title (57 characters): Search Console AI Overviews Position: Why It’s Misleading
Meta Description (158 characters): Your Search Console AI Overviews position may look great while clicks fall. Learn how block flattening works and which outcomes to track instead.
URL Slug: /search-console-ai-overviews-position
Primary keyword: Search Console AI Overviews position
Secondary keywords: block flattening, Search Console average position, AI Overview reporting, Search Console generative AI report, AI Overview citations, track AI Overview visibility
Internal links (add 3 from your site):
- Your post on AI visibility tracking or AI Mode monitoring (anchor: “AI visibility”)
- Your guide to reading Search Console performance data (anchor: “Search Console Performance report”)
- Your post on creating original, first-hand content (anchor: “original insights”)
External references (standard do-follow links):
Google’s Search Console Help documentation on AI feature positions (add the link yourself, since I didn’t verify the exact URL)
Search Engine Journal’s report on block flattening: https://www.searchenginejournal.com/search-console-uses-block-flattening-for-aios-forget-position-focus-on-outcomes/589582/
Search Engine Watch’s coverage of Mueller’s comments: https://searchenginewatch.com/google-says-search-console-cant-show-your-position-inside-ai-overviews/
How to Find Affected Queries (My Process)
- Open Search Console → Performance → Search results.
- Compare a recent period with the previous period.
- Look for queries where clicks dropped while impressions and average position stayed stable.
- Open those queries one by one and check which pages receive the impressions.
- Search the same queries manually and note whether an AI Overview appears.
There’s one extra step worth adding. Split your query reporting by whether an AI Overview appeared. Several rank trackers can flag this, and a single average across both groups hides two trends moving in opposite directions. Anicca
What I Did Next: Make the Page Worth the Click
Once I confirmed an AI Overview was the likely cause, I stopped chasing position. Instead, I made each page more useful than a generic answer.
- Added original insights and first-hand information.
- Included clearer, more concrete examples.
- Answered the main question directly near the top.
- Kept monitoring the same queries in Search Console.
If a summary can answer the question, your page needs something a summary can’t: experience, specifics, and a reason to visit.
Position vs. Outcomes: What to Track Instead
| Old habit | Better approach |
| Watching average position | Checking whether you’re cited at all |
| Reading a click drop as lost rankings | Comparing position, impressions, and CTR together |
| One average across all queries | Splitting queries with and without an AI Overview |
| Reporting rankings to clients | Reporting qualified traffic, leads, and conversions |
The advice from the original report is to treat AI visibility as a yes-or-no question, and to trust visits, inquiries, and conversions over position numbers. Search Engine Journal
Common Mistake: Assuming Fewer Clicks Means Lost Rankings
This is the biggest error I see. Fewer clicks don’t automatically mean you lost rankings. Position and click-through rate are different things.
Before you panic, check whether impressions and rankings are stable. If they are, AI Overviews may be taking more of the result space. That calls for a content response, not a ranking fix.
What to Report to Your Boss or Client
I’d focus on these outcomes:
- Clicks
- Qualified organic traffic
- Conversions and leads
- CTR
- Visibility in AI answers
Then tell a simple story. Is the brand still being discovered? Is that visibility bringing valuable visits or leads? How are those outcomes changing over time?
FAQs About Search Console AI Overviews Position
Does Search Console show where my link sits inside an AI Overview?
No. Every link inside the same Overview receives the same position.
Should I ignore average position completely?
No. Keep it as context, but don’t use it as your main success metric for AI features.
Is this the same for AI Mode?
Not exactly. Google says AI Mode uses normal position rules, so it behaves differently from AI Overviews.
What should I track instead?
Track citations, clicks, qualified traffic, conversions, and CTR.
Conclusion: Stop Trusting the Search Console AI Overviews Position
Block flattening means your Search Console AI Overviews position can look excellent while real visibility is weak. Compare impressions, clicks, and CTR together. Split queries by whether an AI Overview appears. Then improve the page with original, first-hand content. Finally, report outcomes, not position.
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