The Crocodile Mouth Effect of SEO

by: About Accuracast

Jul 29, 2025

Min Read < 1 minute

Welcome to the AI Search Era

If you feel like you’re getting more visibility but less website traffic, it’s not your imagination. The ‘Crocodile Mouth Effect’ is widening and devouring your organic clicks.

As Google rolls out AI Overviews and AI-first search experiences, an increasing number of users are finding answers without ever clicking on a link. While your brand may still show up, users aren’t reaching your site.

What is the ‘Crocodile Mouth Effect’ or ‘Great Decoupling’?

Impressions are shooting upward, but clicks are diving. That widening gap is what is being called the Crocodile Mouth, a visual metaphor for the effect as zero-click searches become more frequent.

If users get what they need from an AI summary, why would they click?

How can you adapt?

Visibility is the new currency in search. Even without clicks, being featured in AI Overviews means your brand gets exposure during key phases of the customer journey.

Learn more about the impact of this phenomenon and how to optimise your brand’s AI coverage in our full article.

Learn SEO Strategies for the era of Zero-Click SEO

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