August M
A major shift in how people find information online is forcing companies to rethink their digital strategies.
Traditional website traffic is falling, and businesses are now competing for visibility inside AI-generated answers.
Traffic drop
Companies like HubSpot have seen a sharp decline in visitors as search habits evolve, BBC reports.
The firm lost around 140 million website visits in a year, reflecting broader changes across the internet.
Users are increasingly relying on AI tools for direct answers, while search engines now display AI summaries that reduce the need to click through.
“The click-through rate for searches that have AI overviews is about 60% to 70% lower,” said HubSpot’s chief marketing officer Kipp Bodnar.
New strategy
To adapt, businesses are focusing on “answer engine optimisation” (AEO), a method designed to make content more visible in AI responses.
This approach complements traditional search engine optimisation but targets tools powered by large language models.
“We’ve been able to use answer engine optimisation to increase the conversion rate and quality of the people who are coming to us,” Bodnar said.
Changing content
Companies are also reworking how information is presented online.
Instead of long, detailed pages, content is being broken into smaller, clearer sections that AI systems can easily extract.
Search behaviour itself is shifting, with users now asking longer, more detailed questions compared to traditional keyword searches.
Fight for visibility
Other firms are also adjusting to the new landscape.
Spice Kitchen is building in-depth content to establish authority, while MKM Building Supplies is restructuring pages to make them easier for AI systems to interpret.
“We are seeing fewer people come to the site because they’re getting the answers from an AI model,” said MKM’s digital director Andy Pickup.
Future of search
Businesses are increasingly trying to ensure their content is cited directly in AI-generated responses.
“It’s a seismic shift in user preference of what app [customers] use,” Pickup said.
Experts say adapting to this new environment will be essential, as AI becomes a dominant gateway between companies and customers.
Sources: BBC
