After monthsâeven yearsâof speculation about how AI will change the search experience, weâre finally starting to get the receipts.
The biggest one to date: Recent research from Pew Research Center found that just 8% of users who encounter Googleâs AI-powered overviews click through to traditional linksâhalf the rate of those who donât see AI summaries.
For news outlets and sites that rely on advertising revenue, thatâs a nightmare scenario. For B2B companies, however, traffic has always been a leading indicatorâthe real goal remains the same as it always has been: generating conversions (i.e., the number of people filling out your forms, downloading your articles, etc.).
Assuming that fewer visitors would translate to fewer conversions, I was braced for the worst during a recent audit of client sites. However, the data showed me that something much more interesting is happening instead.
The New Reality: Traffic Down, Conversions Steady
Across multiple client portfolios, weâre observing consistent patterns that reflect this broader industry transformation. Organic search traffic has declined substantially throughout 2025, with some sites experiencing drops of more than 50% compared to the previous year.
However, thereâs a surprising silver lining in this data: Conversion rates are holding remarkably steady. While form views and total website sessions have declined, the actual number of conversionsânew contacts, leads, and meaningful engagementsâremains largely consistent with previous years. In some cases, weâre even seeing conversion improvements, suggesting that the traffic that does make it through AI filters is more qualified and intent-driven.
Why This Matters for Your SEO Strategy
This trend indicates that Googleâs AI overviews are effectively pre-filtering search results, answering basic informational queries (aka âtop-of-funnelâ searches) directly and only sending users to websites when they need deeper, more specific information. This means the visitors who do click through are further along in their buyerâs journey and more likely to convert.
The implication is clear: The days of casting a wide net with top-of-funnel content to drive massive traffic volumes are numbered. Instead, businesses need to focus on creating content that serves users who have already moved past the basic awareness stage and are actively seeking solutions.
How Weâre Adapting
For some time, weâve been weighing our SEO approach, and considering a shift away from top-of-funnel content. However, while traffic to this content may be declining as Google or a generative AI platform simply serves up the answer the user needs, itâs important to note that this kind of content still matters for Googleâs knowledge graph. The search giant hasnât changed how it indexes or evaluates sites, so foundational SEO work remains crucial for establishing topical authority.
In simple terms, that means a widget manufacturer still has to convince Google that it knows everything there is to know about widgets before it will get a shot at ranking for a middle-of-the-funnel term like âwidget sizing calculator.â
While weâve always produced content for two audiencesâthe algorithm and the consumerâthat approach is evolving into a more strategic two-tier system: foundational content that builds topical authority with search engines, and targeted content that captures and converts the qualified traffic that makes it through AI filters.
This means prioritizing product comparisons, detailed tutorials, comprehensive whitepapers, case studies, testimonials, and demo content over basic informational articles. These content types serve users who are deeper in their research process and more likely to convert.
Perhaps most importantly, this data suggests that AI is actually helping us return to SEOâs original promise: connecting people with the information they truly need. Instead of optimizing for everyone, we can now focus on optimizing for someoneâthe qualified prospect whoâs ready to engage. Thatâs not just better for conversion rates; itâs better for business. |
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