Ever feel like your blog or website is getting more visibility but somehow… fewer clicks? You are not imagining it. That weird graph you see in Search Console, where impressions keep going up but clicks keep falling, is not just a fluke. That’s AI Overviews (AIOs) at work.
These fancy new boxes at the top of search results often serve up quick answers (your answers) and never send people your way. And yes, that includes people searching for “best tennis drills for kids” or “how to start a tennis academy.”
It’s frustrating. You do the work, Google serves it up, and then just… keeps the click.
So, what can tennis content creators, coaches, academy managers, and ecommerce site owners do?
Let’s break it down.
1. Change Your Keyword Targeting Strategy
You don’t want to fight the AI Overviews head-on with informational queries. You’ll lose. Instead, shift your focus to keywords that the AI boxes aren’t swallowing yet.
Go for mid- to bottom-of-funnel keywords
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Instead of: “how to hold a tennis racket”
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Try: “best grip for improving backhand topspin”
People searching that are deeper in the journey—and more likely to click.
Niche down to long-tail queries
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“tennis programs for homeschooled kids near Austin”
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“should I switch to a 16×19 string pattern for more spin?”
These are the gaps AI often misses because the intent is specific.
Use SEO Tools to Find What AI Misses, Then Fill the Gap
AI Overviews are great at spitting out generic summaries, but they’re still terrible at nuance, local details, personal experience, and answering questions that do not have a one-size-fits-all answer.
That’s where tools like Clearscope, Surfer SEO, and Frase come in.
These platforms analyze top-performing content in your niche and show you:
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What topics and subtopics Google expects to see on a page
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Where competitors fall short (i.e., missing sections, weak answers, low content depth)
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What questions real users are asking that have not been addressed well (or at all)
So if AI Overviews are gobbling up traffic for generic searches like “how to warm up for tennis”, you can dig deeper and find underserved questions like:
These long-tail, hyper-specific topics are less likely to be swallowed by AI boxes—and more likely to attract clicks from readers looking for real insight.
When you spot these gaps, own them. Create content that answers the exact question better than anyone else, and make it personal, experience-based, or location-specific where possible. That’s content Google and AI cannot fake… and your readers will thank you for it.
2. Create Content AI Cannot Summarize (Yet)
If your site looks like every other tennis site with recycled tips, you’re feeding the machine. It will summarize your content and call it a day. So give it something it can’t eat.
Make interactive or custom tools
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A tennis racket selector quiz
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A court cost calculator for new tennis clubs
These won’t be summarized because they require actual interaction.
Write practical, step-by-step content
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“How to host a UTR tournament at your facility”
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“7-day plan to re-engage inactive tennis clients”
AI loves a quick answer. But when your post walks someone through a real process, they will click.
Publish original research
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Survey your clients or players
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Share trends from your own business
For example: “We found that players age 40+ prefer cardio tennis over traditional drills by a 3:1 margin.”
Google cannot (yet) summarize what only you know.
3. Optimize for AI Overviews Instead of Ignoring Them
You can try to beat AI, or you can start writing with it in mind.
Lead with clear, structured answers
Just like in school: answer the question in the first sentence.
This helps you get cited in AIOs—even if you do not get the click, your brand still earns visibility.
Get your brand mentioned elsewhere
AI loves context. Google seems to reward brands that are mentioned consistently across the web.
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Guest post on other tennis blogs
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Get cited in local press or industry news
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Work on your PR and link building
Monitor your mentions in AI boxes
Use tools like Peec AI to check if your blog, shop, or tennis academy is being cited in the AIO summary.
If you are cited and getting decent click-throughs—lean into it. Create more on that topic, reinforce it with internal linking, and give Google even more reasons to keep referencing you.
4. If You Are a Blogger or Content Creator: This Is Your Wake-Up Call
Do not keep spending hours on tennis blog content that’s built to be scraped by AI.
Instead:
AI is not killing content, it is filtering it harder than ever. To win now, your content has to be irreplaceable.
Conclusion
If you are seeing rising impressions and falling clicks on your tennis content, AI Overviews are likely the reason. But this is not the time to panic—it is time to pivot.
Whether you are promoting tennis camps, reviewing gear, or building a blog about life on the court, you need to be smarter with your strategy. The brands and creators who adjust now will come out ahead when others are still wondering why traffic dropped off a cliff.
Need help pivoting your content strategy to work with AI, not against it?
Let Resourcely Marketing help you build content that performs – whether AI summarizes it or not.
Schedule a free 15-min consult and let’s talk SEO, content, and your next move.
