Google’s introduction of AI-driven search features through Gemini means many users get their answers right on the search engine results page (SERP) instead of clicking through to sites. For example: When someone types “Why won’t my car start?” in the past they might click to a website that explains the troubleshooting. Now, thanks to AI overview or AI mode in search, Google often surfaces an answer checklist, so the user never leaves Google.
Some data: According to reports, search traffic to websites declined by up to 55% between April 2022 and April 2025 as Google’s AI summary features took off. For publishers who rely heavily on organic traffic from Google, this is a big deal.
People in marketing are already referring to this shift as “the end of clicks as we know it”. The logic: if Google gives the full answer, the click is redundant.
- Less need to click – With the answer embedded in search results, the incentive for the user to click through is lower. This means your site may rank #1 … but still get fewer actual visitors.
- Visibility shift – The SERP is increasingly dominated by AI panels, “featured answers”, and AI-overviews; your traditional listing may be buried or ignored.
- Lower CTR, even if rank stable – Even if you maintain ranking, your click-through rate (CTR) drops because the user’s journey ends earlier.
- Not just informational traffic – Initially this affected “how to” queries or simple fact-lookups, but increasingly also broader content markets: reviews, guides, news.
In short: Gemini’s role inside Search means websites are no longer the destination as often, they become part of the data-feeding network but don’t get the click.
- If you depend on organic search traffic, especially from Google, the shift means your business model is under threat.
- Publishers of broad-topic content—news, broad guides, general how-tos—are particularly exposed. As users don’t click, ad revenue and engagement drop.
- It wages a quiet war on the old SEO playbook: keywords + ranking = visits. Now you might rank but get hardly any visits.
- Even high-quality content may see diminishing returns, simply because user behavior is shifting.
- Dig deeper – Surface content that goes beyond basic answers. If Google/Gemini can summarise “what” easily, you need to cover the “why”, “how in edge cases”, “what people miss”, and “what’s next”.
- Focus on unique voice/insights – Something that generic AI cannot replicate easily: original data, case-studies, deep interviews, localised nuance.
- Embrace alternate channels – If search clicks decline, diversify: email lists, communities, social, video, podcasts. Don’t rely on search alone.
- Adapt your optimisation – There is a growing concept of “generative-engine optimisation” (GEO) rather than simply SEO, which means structuring content so it can be cited / surfaced by generative search.
- Improve engagement & conversion – With fewer clicks, each visitor matters more. So optimise for deeper engagement: lifetime value, subscriptions, high-intent actions.
- Track different metrics – Don’t just watch traffic drop and despair. Monitor conversion rate, click value, time on site, and whether you’re featured in AI panels (if that’s trackable).
- Experiment with content formats – Q&A, interactive tools, community forums – formats where the user has to engage beyond passive reading.
Yes — Google Gemini and similar AI features are eating into traditional website traffic. But rather than treating it purely as a crisis, consider it a wake-up call. The game is changing: fewer clicks may mean less traffic, but smarter content and channels can still win. If you lean into distinctive value, move beyond the “answer the question” model, and adapt your approach, you can come out ahead.
Think of it this way: traffic is no longer just about showing up at search and being clicked. It’s about being needed, valued, and engaged when the click does happen. The era of “rank high and sit back” is over.
