Has AI killed SEO?
AI hasn’t killed SEO. It’s transformed it. With the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT and Google’s SGE, users are getting summarised answers without having to click through to any websites. As a result, traffic and CTRs are falling and zero-click searches are rising.
What does this mean? We’re no longer focused on metrics about traffic and clicks. Instead, we have to focus on authority and visibility. We must become the source AI chooses when answering user queries. This means focusing on original, high-quality content, structuring it for AI, building brand mentions over backlinks and maximising post-click engagement.
For years, we’ve measured online success in clicks. Rankings led to traffic, traffic led to leads, and leads led to paying customers. There was a clear pathway to sales.
But now with the rise of generative AI – think ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Perplexity AI and Microsoft Copilot – it seems like the SEO game is changing.
When someone searches ‘How do I fix a leaking tap?’ or ‘Best coaches in Brisbane’, they’re no longer receiving a list of links to help them answer their own question.
Instead, they’re getting a full, AI-generated answer. It’s summarised, synthesised and neatly served up without the user even needing to leave the page. And many of them don’t.
So if nobody is clicking through to your website, is there any value in SEO anymore? What’s the point of SEO if I’m not getting any traffic?
What’s going on with AI and SEO?
Let’s start by talking about what’s really going on. With the introduction of AI-generated overviews on search pages, users are getting the information they want served up in a fast-food style format. And that means they have far less motivation to click through to individual websites.
Users tend to favour these short answer summaries, often perceiving them as more authoritative and relevant than standard organic listings. And yet the information is often wrong… The BBC found that 51% of all AI answers to questions about the news had ‘significant’ issues.
Regardless of the limitations (errors and hallucinations), when we’re presented with such an easily digestible serving of data, we’re satisfied. So we simply don’t have the motivation (or the time) to go any further for more information. In fact, 80% of search users rely on AI summaries at least 40% of the time. And a huge 60% of searches now end without the user clicking beyond the search page.
Even Google’s own Search Generative Experience (SGE) is prioritising AI-written summaries above traditional search results.
What does this mean for you and your website?
- Organic traffic will drop. Some experts are estimating by as much as 30%.
- Click-through rates (CTR) will drop. Again experts are predicting a 60% decrease in average CTR. Already studies show organic CTR has dropped from 1.41% to 0.64% in queries where AI-generated answers are given.
- Zero-click searches will rise. By the end of 2024, nearly 60% of Google searches ended without a click. And this number is growing.
Now I know this may all sound a bit scary when you’ve spent years and loads of resources optimising every blog post, headline and image alt tag for SEO with the goal of driving traffic. But as I always like to say… don’t panic. You’re doing almost everything right already.
The goalpost has moved – from traffic to awareness
It would be crazy for us not to admit that the goalpost has moved. We just can’t worry about the same metrics anymore.
Traffic for example. In the past, it would set off alarm bells when your website traffic would fall. But the truth is we are now in the world of AI and your traffic will fall. Let me repeat that. Your traffic will fall. Everyone’s traffic will fall. It probably has already.
But the fact of the matter is, it just doesn’t matter. Everyone is in the same boat. All we need to do now is adapt our mindset. Instead of focusing on traffic, we need to focus on how to become the authority that will be cited in AI-generated responses and search results.
While this may not lead to traffic to your site, it does lead to brand awareness, visibility and credibility. And that is the new goalpost. Today, we need to shift our focus from raw CTR and traffic to broader visibility metrics like impression, shares, brand awareness and post-click engagement. (And don’t forget about basic marketing tactics like an email list!)
How to adapt to AI SEO
So, how do you become the authority in your space? How do you compete in this new age of SEO?
Well, if you’re already doing good quality SEO work, creating content that delivers value, that responds to the real issues that your target clients and customers have and that is authoritative and innovative (i.e., you’re not just scraping content from elsewhere) then you’re already doing all the right things. But here are steps to take:
1. Create in-depth, value-adding content.
Be a thinker in your space. Don’t just reiterate what anyone else is saying. Say something new and fresh. And say it often Lead the way. That makes you an authority. And AI likes authority.
2. Use AI-friendly content techniques.
Your content should be structured in a way that allows AI to easily pull it into their own summaries. This means clear headers, concise explanations, article summaries or indices and schema mark up all of which is more user-friendly to AI tools.
3. Leverage-user generated content.
AI loves content that reflects real-world conversations, experiences and interactions. Encourage and showcase user-generated content like reviews, testimonials, forum discussions, studies, surveys, Q&As, success stories, case studies and even customer-submitted tips.
These not only boost your credibility, but also increases the diversity and relevance of your website. AI tools and Google both are more likely to trust content that includes diverse, human perspectives.
4. Target multi-format SEO.
Optimise for image search, featured snippets and the ‘people also ask’ results. Give quick summaries and useful indexes at the top of your content pages. These are elements of content that AI tools frequently use in their own results.
5. Seek brand mentions over backlinks.
In the AI era it’s becoming increasingly obvious that brand recognition and authority matter more than raw link value. While backlinks still hold value (*she concedes unwillingly*), brand mentions are the real power in appearing in AI results. This is where your name or brand is referenced (either with or without a hyperlink).
Focus on PR, podcasts, guest interviews and media appearances where your band is named. These mentions build your online footprint in a way that feels natural to your clients and to AI. So it’s less about gaming the algorithm and more about becoming known as the authority in your niche.
6. Prioritise post-click engagement
Now is the time to make every visit count. Users who click through to your website are already warm. They’re likely more informed from their AI summary, and they know a little bit about who you are and what you offer. They’re closer to taking action.
Once someone lands on your site, your goals it to keep them there. Focus on:
- User experience. Fast load times, intuitive navigation and mobile responsiveness.
- Internal linking. Guide users to deeper, related content.
- Calls-to-action. Use clear, value-driven CTAs (think ‘Book a call’ rather than ‘Learn more’).
- Interactive elements. Add calculators, diagnostics, videos etc that encourage deeper interaction and provides value to your user.
7. Diversify your marketing
SEO matters. But you need to reach your targets. So strengthen your direct marketing practices. Send out your newsletters, engage on social media, share your value on podcasts and in the media and make your sales calls (if you’re in that kind of business). Building a multi-channel strategy is the key to long-term success.
Huge benefits are on the cards
- Build brand awareness at scale: When your site isfeatured in an AIs answer, the potential benefits are huge.
For example, a user may ask, ‘Who are the best architects for bushfire-prone homes in Sydney?’ AI might respond with, ‘Firms like Ironbark Architecture specialise in sustainable, fire-safe design…’ That is incredible exposure. You’re in the shortlist.
Even if the user doesn’t click immediately, your business name is in the running when they do decide to take action. If your business is named in AI’s answer, you’ve earned awareness, trust and authority. - Better quality leads: While you might receive less web traffic overall, the quality of the clicks you do get are likely to be better. These leads will probably be further along the buying journey.
AI is skilled at answering questions, but it can’t complete tasks like booking appointments, presenting portfolios or handling nuanced service offerings. So when users genuinely need something from you – maybe a quote, consultation, coaching appointment, product comparison, visual example or to make the purchase – they have to click through. - Motivation to do better: Be part of the answer. Generative AI doesn’t create facts (except when it hallucinates!); it only pulls from the content it’s been trained on or can access. This new phase of AI and SEO is a great reminder to all of us to prioritise publishing original, credible, helpful content. Those who don’t, will fall through the cracks.
The future of SEO is AI SEO
The goal of your content is no longer to simply attract attention. Now you need to ensure it’s good enough to be chosen when AI gives its answer. Focusing on good quality, trustworthy content and positioning your site as a credible source is the way forward.
It’s an exciting new phase for both AI and SEO. And with just a few tweaks, your own business can take advantage of all the new opportunities this new era has to offer.
