#search-traffic

#search-traffic

Answer engines like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity are replacing traditional search traffic with direct answers, depriving publishers of the revenue they would generate from attracting those visitors to their websites. The shift mirrors the decoupling that occurred with Google News two decades ago, when aggregators began to sever the direct publisher-reader relationship, reshaping the economics of digital media, according to Felix Danczak, head of AI and growth at the venture capital firm Pembroke VCT.

News companies face a substantial threat from AI summaries replacing search results, leading to up to 80% fewer clickthroughs as users find information directly without clicking through.

In the past, we've seen more meaningful impact from Google core updates,

AI Mode represents a significant shift in how users engage with Google, potentially limiting traffic to publishers while enhancing Google's control over search results.