Searching is no longer limited to a list of blue links on a search engine results page. The progression of how we will digitally discover the information we want is being developed by artificial intelligence and generative models that, at times, may provide an answer to questions, suggestions, and wayfinding without the user ever visiting a site. Businesses and marketers are now entering a new era of visibility that at times, is being changed and rewritten.

Shifting From Search to Conversation

Generative AI tools like ChatGPT, DeepSeek and Perplexity are profoundly changing how people discover information on the Internet. Google launched AI Overviews, speeding up the process even further. AI powered overviews give users immediacy in instant answers and often eliminate the need to click through to external web pages. The traditional search-based ecosystem is moving toward a more conversational and predictive in nature.

The effects are evident across fields. Businesses that once relied heavily on top search rankings are finding that high positions no longer guarantee the same volume of traffic they did a few years ago.

Declining Organic Traffic and the Rise of Zero Click Behavior

The growth in zero click searching represents one of the most dramatic impacts of generative AI on search. Users increasingly get their answers directly in the search engine or AI platform without visiting a website.

In 2024, over half of Google searches left the search page without a click.

For AI Overviews, they can see the organic click through rates decrease over 30 percent for the top position.

Some publishers have lost as much as 50 percent of their organic traffic in two years.

These declines are not equally spread across various areas. Certainly, publishers in the healthcare, technology and education industries are facing some of the largest lost because their content tends to provide quick and definitive answers that can be easily summarized by AI.

A Growing Space for Generative Discovery

Although conventional search traffic is dropping off, AI driven discover traffic is sparely expanding. Generative AI has become an entry point for product recommendations, research and decision making. Emerging data shows that traffic being generated by these AI systems, while lesser in volume has higher intent and higher conversion intent. 

Retail, hospitality and e commerce have started to see some of this trajectory with month over month growth with AI driven traffic exceedingly over 30 percent in some cases. For marketers this presents a chance to make contact with users who are closer to a decision on their purchase decisions.

The Transformation of SEO: Beyond Keywords

Search engine optimization is not only about what keywords the page has optimized. Generative AI platforms are looking for content that has depth, context, and trust. These AI entities are evolving and so has the practice of determining how brands can be sourced as these generative AI platforms gain ground for Answer Engine Optimization.

Answer Engine Optimization is the practice of structured content in ways that AI systems can obtain the appropriate content and provide it in their generative responses. Rather than looking to earn the number one ranking on Google, brands are now looking simply to be the source behind that content.

To achieve this, marketers are focusing on:

Writing content that answers specific and conversational questions.

Incorporating long tail keywords aligned with user intent.

Strengthening expertise and credibility through well cited and original content.

Building authority signals that AI models recognize as trustworthy.

How Businesses Are Responding

Forward thinking companies are already investing resources into AI first content strategies. Some are even exploring specialized methods to track how often their brand is included in AI generated responses. Others have partnered with AI content networks in an attempt to ensure their expertise is factored into these new and evolving channels.

Large organizations have incorporated AI into their SEO workflows because they rely on AI to accelerate content creation, produce metadata, color-code keywords, and assess for gaps in search visibility. This adoption of AI allows teams to scale faster and devote less time to manual optimization while devoting more time to creative and strategic work.

Website builders and content platforms are also building in AI capabilities. For example, new tools that can automatically draft blog posts optimized for traditional search engines and AI based discovery.

Practical Steps for Adapting

Organizations that want to stay competitive in this evolving landscape should consider the following actions:

Invest in conversational content: Identify common user questions and create clear, concise answers that are easy for AI to retrieve.

Emphasize trust signals: Highlight expertise, credentials, and verifiable data to improve the chances of being cited by AI systems.

Track visibility beyond Google: Monitor how your content is represented on generative platforms like ChatGPT, Bard, and others.

Experiment with AI tools: Use AI to assist with content ideation, topic clustering, and performance analysis.

Diversify traffic sources: Strengthen your presence on social, video, and community platforms where users seek information outside traditional search.

Challenges Along the Way

The change will have its challenges although brands will have to weigh the advantages of new AI driven exposure with the disadvantage of possibly losing control of how their content is consumed. There is also the issue of less direct traffic to their website which can impact publisher advertising revenue and tracking data.

Also, the algorithms that generative AI is based upon are still developing. Attribution and fair representation remain areas for debate in the digital marketing space. As companies embrace these types of platforms, it’s important they stay nimble in their methods and re-evaluate their strategies continuously as the platforms develop.

Looking Ahead: A More Intelligent Discovery Era

Generative AI results in an alternate state of discovery, where the user is less likely to want to discover on multiple websites, and expects answers closely aligned with their intention. It is likely that brands will work to insert themselves into the conversation academically rather than chasing rankings in search.

The future will require the blending of traditional SEO tactics, with tactics not previously considered with algorithms that yield AI visibility. This will also entail a further understanding of how information moves across various platforms and how authority is derived in an AI-dominant engagement stage.

Businesses that adapt early, create social proof, and automate process where it adds value will have the greatest likelihood of thriving in an AI-influenced ecosystem. In the future of organic, discovery transactional mindset, it will not be about showing up first. It will be about being selected by the intelligence that is driving the journey.