Does Google AI Mode Hurt Website Traffic?

If you’ve looked deeply into an AI Overview response in Google, you’ve seen the option to “Dive deeper in AI Mode.”

AI Mode is Google’s conversational AI interface that enables you to learn more about the topics you search. It enables you to ask questions and, as the call to action says, dive in deeper on a topic.

But is it hurting website traffic?

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Does Google AI Mode hurt website traffic?

Yes and no.

AI search, overall, has been hurting organic website traffic. The reality is that many people look at AI Overviews, get an answer, and move on without clicking to a page. So it can feel like, with the addition of AI Mode, even less traffic will go to your site, hurting your overall website traffic.

A recent study found that 93% of AI Mode searches end with zero clicks. Users were spending about 49 seconds in AI Mode. This behavior indicates that they’re finding information quickly and moving on.

But, a different small study found that 69% of AI Mode users visited a website after using the experience. They weren’t reading information in AI Mode and leaving — they were visiting websites to get information directly from them.

Not only that, but they were visiting multiple businesses’ websites. 89% of people in this survey clicked on more than one website in AI Mode.

So, in general, there is definitely a loss of traffic from AI Mode. But, that doesn’t necessarily mean there’s a loss of high-value clicks. The loss of traffic may remain around pages that target the earlier stages of the buyer’s journey, which means queries focusing closer to the middle or bottom of the funnel can still drive traffic.

What industries are impacted the most from AI Mode?

Industries that rely on top of the funnel clicks are most impacted by AI Mode, similar to AI Overviews.

Publishers and news media websites experience the biggest impacts from AI Mode. Since AI Mode can summarize articles for them, there isn’t as much of a need to click to those websites. As a result, AI Mode hurts traffic for those companies.

Some other industries that are seeing bigger impacts include:

• Education-based industries
• Tech-based sites
• SaaS companies
• Ecommerce (for informational pages, not product pages)

Pretty much any information-based business will see greater impacts from AI Mode.

Industries like plumbers, HVAC, lawyers, and dentists see less impact because the searches are more localized, and people still opt to visit their website to ensure they’re choosing the right provider.

What can I do if AI Mode is hurting my website traffic?

If you feel like AI Mode is hurting your website traffic, here’s what you can do:

1. Build up your bottom of the funnel content

If AI Mode is hurting your traffic, focus on building up your bottom of the funnel (BOFU) content. Many BOFU queries don’t see AI Overviews (or see them rarely), which means you can still earn valuable clicks and traffic.

For your existing BOFU content, make sure you refresh it and verify it has the latest information on it.

Need to fill in gaps? Conduct an audit of your BOFU content to find opportunities where you can build up your bottom of funnel content to reach more searchers.

2. Focus on brand visibility and mentions

Even if AI Mode is hurting website traffic, you don’t have to throw in the towel. Instead, focus on building up your visibility and mentions across the web, so you can still get value out of AI searches.

Building your brand visibility is crucial because it leads to leads and traffic down the line. The more people are exposed to your brand, the more likely they are to remember it when they’re ready to convert.

You can build your visibility and mentions by:

• Getting your brand mentions on third-party websites
• Guest posting on industry websites
• Create citeable and mentionable content
• E muito mais!

3. Lock down your branded searches

In tandem with building brand mentions and visibility, make sure you lock down your branded searches. Any search terms that include your company’s name or products are important to track and optimize for to ensure you’re appearing right at the top.

Here’s why.

When people conduct searches through AI Mode, they’re gathering tons of information, some of that about your brand. They’re continually getting exposed to your brand and seeing you as an option.

So, by the time they’re ready to make a decision, they already know who you are.

So what do they do? Search for you directly.

That’s why it’s so important to ensure you own your branded searches and have them locked down. So, when people search for your directly, you’re ensuring they see you first.

Here’s how you can own branded searches:

• Make sure you’re targeting related branded keywords
• Optimize your local business profile
• Create dedicated landing pages for branded queries
• Ensure your brand name is in headings, descriptions, and other valuable on-page places
• Use schema markup to enhance brand signals

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