If the same URL appears in both a Google AI Overview and the classic 10 blue links, Google Search Console counts it as a single impression, not two.
That clarification comes directly from Google’s John Mueller.
**The background. **Mark Williams-Cook, director at SEO agency Candour and founder of AlsoAsked, shared it publicly on LinkedIn after a discussion sparked by Jamie Indigo. The question emerged as SEOs try to understand how AI Overviews affect visibility metrics when a page appears multiple times on the same results page.
- Williams-Cook initially assumed the URL might generate two impressions. That assumption was based on how older SERP features, such as tweet boxes, were historically counted.…
If the same URL appears in both a Google AI Overview and the classic 10 blue links, Google Search Console counts it as a single impression, not two.
That clarification comes directly from Google’s John Mueller.
**The background. **Mark Williams-Cook, director at SEO agency Candour and founder of AlsoAsked, shared it publicly on LinkedIn after a discussion sparked by Jamie Indigo. The question emerged as SEOs try to understand how AI Overviews affect visibility metrics when a page appears multiple times on the same results page.
- Williams-Cook initially assumed the URL might generate two impressions. That assumption was based on how older SERP features, such as tweet boxes, were historically counted.
- Testing the scenario would be difficult, but Mueller ultimately confirmed that Search Console consolidates those appearances.
What’s happening. Google treats an AI Overview as a single position in the search results. All links within that Overview share the same position, and standard impression rules apply.
- When a URL appears more than once in the same search experience — whether inside an AI Overview or in traditional organic listings — Search Console doesn’t count those appearances as separate impressions for the same query.
Why this happens. Google defines an impression as a user seeing, or potentially seeing, a link in the current set of results.
- Multiple appearances of the same URL on one results page are aggregated rather than counted individually.
- This approach is consistent with how Google handles impressions for other SERP features, such as knowledge panels.
- Scrolling away and back, or encountering the same URL in multiple elements on the page, does not generate additional impressions.
Why we care. Many SEOs are struggling to interpret performance in this AI-driven era of search. It helps to know that appearing in both AI Overviews and traditional listings will not increase impression counts. Even so, showing up in an AI Overview and as a blue link on the same SERP still matters. It boosts brand visibility and reinforces authority and credibility with Google users.
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About the Author
Danny Goodwin is Editorial Director of Search Engine Land & Search Marketing Expo - SMX. He joined Search Engine Land in 2022 as Senior Editor. In addition to reporting on the latest search marketing news, he manages Search Engine Land’s SME (Subject Matter Expert) program. He also helps program U.S. SMX events.
Goodwin has been editing and writing about the latest developments and trends in search and digital marketing since 2007. He previously was Executive Editor of Search Engine Journal (from 2017 to 2022), managing editor of Momentology (from 2014-2016) and editor of Search Engine Watch (from 2007 to 2014). He has spoken at many major search conferences and virtual events, and has been sourced for his expertise by a wide range of publications and podcasts.