How is the search landscape changing?
For me the biggest take is that the biggest impact on search traffic at the moment is not ChatGPT Search, but Google's AI Search Overview (SGE). This is a new feature that Google is testing to help users find information more quickly.
Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT and Google's Gemini are shifting search behavior. Users turn more and more to AI chatbots for direct answers, rather than sifting through traditional search results. For instance, a survey found 27% of US respondents use AI tools instead of search engines, while 13% do so in the UK. Source
TechRadar survey on AI usage in US and UK.
In the Netherlands, ChatGPT's user base exploded, leading to a 12-15% decrease in visits to .com and .nl websites for users who actively use ChatGPT. Source
SIDN research on ChatGPT usage in the Netherlands.
Traditional search remains strong despite AI advancements. Google's search volumes continue to be robust, with desktop visits increasing 1.4% year-over-year. Google maintains overwhelming dominance with 290x more users than leading AI search engines like Perplexity as of May 2024. While AI search options are growing in popularity, they haven't yet made a significant dent in traditional search behavior. Source
SparkToro data on Google vs. AI search engine usage and market trends.
The trend: search engines are evolving into "answer engines," requiring SEO strategies to adapt.
Less clicks, more AI answers
"Zero-click searches" (ending without a click to an external site) are rising. By 2024, nearly 60% of Google searches ended without a click. Source
Search Engine Land's 2024 zero-click search study.
Google's Search Generative Experience (SGE) trials show noticeable impacts on user clicking behavior. AI overviews at the top of results push organic links down. Google reported a slight increase in desktop search activity but a considerable drop in mobile searches when AI overviews launched, suggesting mobile users are less inclined to click further. Source
Google's data on search activity changes with SGE.
CTR drops most significantly for informational searches, as AI provides direct answers. Transactional and navigational searches are less affected, but even commercial queries see AI summaries. Some studies show organic traffic drops of up to -64% when SGE is present. Source
Vertical Leap analysis of SGE impact on traffic.
Search Traffic Trends in the Age of AI
Only about 36% of Google searches result in a click to the "open web." Source
SparkToro's analysis of search click-through rates.
Publishers and informational content sites are among the hardest hit. In the Netherlands, heavy ChatGPT users reduced website visits in 2023. Source
SIDN research on ChatGPT usage in the Netherlands.
Gartner predicts a 25% drop in search volume by 2026 and a 50% drop by 2028 due to AI. Source
Gartner predictions on search volume decline.
Google's AI Search Overviews & Effect on SEO
Google's SGE fundamentally changes the search results page. AI overviews appear at the top, reducing the visibility of organic results. Featured Snippets and Knowledge Panels have less prominence when an AI overview is present.
Ranking in AI results is a new challenge. Google's SGE uses a different system, so ranking high in traditional SEO doesn't guarantee inclusion in AI answers. Google's AI box typically shows 3 to 5 source links. Source
Search Engine Journal data study on SGE traffic impact.
What can you do?
Focus on Unique Value & Depth: Provide something AI cannot easily summarize, like multimedia or proprietary data.
Diversify Traffic Sources: Explore Bing's AI search, YouTube, social media, newsletters, and direct traffic.
Optimize for Authority and Trust (E-E-A-T): Build site authority with well-researched content and quality backlinks. Source
The Publisher Desk best practices for AI search.
Monitor Search Generative Experience availability in Search Labs and sign up as soon as you have access
Improve User Experience and Conversion: Make the most of the traffic you get with a fast, mobile-friendly site and clear CTAs.
Use Structured Data Markup: Implement schema markup to help search engines understand your content. Source
AI GPT Journal on AI Overviews and structured data.
Anticipate Questions & Provide Direct Answers: Shape content in a Q&A style. Source
AI GPT Journal on AI Overviews and content structure.
Optimize for Long-Tail and Niche Queries: Target specific queries where users need more detail. Source
The Publisher Desk best practices for AI search.
Maximize Visibility in AI Citations: Track which pages are cited and optimize them. Source
iPullRank guide on AI Overviews (SGE).
Looking forward
AI-driven search will reshape SEO and digital marketing. We may see fewer routine "lookup" searches on traditional engines. The role of SEO will evolve to influencing AI-delivered answers.
"Answer Engine Optimization" will become crucial. Marketers might track how often their brand is cited by AI. Semantic SEO – optimizing for entities and facts – will rise. API-based SEO and inclusion in AI assistant ecosystems will be important.
SEO professionals will focus more on content strategy and quality. SEO will increasingly overlap with UX. Collaboration with data teams to monitor AI usage of content will be needed.
The user journey will have multiple touchpoints across AI and traditional search. Businesses must ensure consistent presence across these touchpoints. SEO, content marketing, and product marketing will intertwine more than ever.
The future of SEO in an AI-driven world is about adapting to decreased organic traffic while seizing new opportunities. Professionals must pivot to optimizing for visibility within AI answers, doubling down on content quality, and innovating ways to engage users.
Sources: Recent studies and industry data from 2023–2024 have informed this analysis, including SparkToro's zero-click search research, Search Engine Land and TechRadar reports on AI usage and CTR impacts, Netherlands-specific research by SIDN/GfK on ChatGPT user behavior, and expert insights on adapting SEO for AI from SEO blogs and surveys.