AI is eating up Google search traffic really quickly. Google’s rolling out AI mode, and as people realize how good Gemini is, that’s going to take away even more traffic. While Google will be fine, if you rely on Google search traffic, you might not be.
The short answer: No, AI won’t kill SEO – but it’s forcing SEO to evolve rapidly. Early data shows websites experiencing 18-64% traffic drops when Google’s AI overviews appear for their target keywords. However, this doesn’t mean SEO is dying. It means the rules are changing, and those who adapt will find huge opportunities.
How AI is Already Impacting Google Search Traffic
The numbers don’t lie. Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) is already reducing organic traffic by providing AI-generated answers directly in search results. When users get what they need without clicking through to websites, traffic drops significantly.
But here’s what most people miss: Google’s goal has shifted. They’re no longer just trying to send visitors to the best webpage. Instead, Google now provides answers directly, using AI to synthesize information from multiple sources.
This creates an “AI tax” on pageviews that businesses dependent on Google traffic are already feeling. Estimates suggest AI answers could reduce overall organic traffic by 30-50%, depending on the industry.
Why Learning and Experimenting Daily is More Important Than Ever
The truth is no one knows exactly what this is going to look like. Even those of us who are already experimenting and learning every day still just have guesses about the best strategies moving forward.
But there will be best strategies. There will be huge opportunities.
As long as people are turning to algorithms for recommendations on what business to buy from, there are going to be things you can do to get recommended higher or lower in those algorithms.
The landscape won’t be static, and staying effective means staying curious. This requires making ongoing education and testing part of your routine. What works today might not work next year – and that’s okay.
The New Opportunities: Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)
Here’s where it gets exciting for marketers who adapt quickly. The next frontier is what experts call “Generative Engine Optimization” or “LLM SEO” – optimizing your content to be recommended by AI algorithms, not just ranked by traditional search.
Instead of fighting AI, you want to team up with it. The goal is to ensure AI assistants provide helpful, accurate information that reflects well on your brand when users ask relevant questions.
Consider this: when someone asks ChatGPT “What’s the best budget smartphone?”, the AI might respond with “According to sources like TechRadar and YourSite, the top pick is XYZ Phone.” Being one of those recommended sources is the new holy grail.
How to Increase Your “AI Visibility”
To grab these opportunities, you need to:
- Build your presence across trusted sources: Get mentioned on authoritative sites through digital PR and quality content
- Monitor AI outputs: Track how AI platforms answer questions in your domain – this is your new “AI reputation”
- Focus on comprehensive, well-researched content: Large language models train on vast amounts of web text, so your insights need to be part of that trusted content
Why Traditional SEO Isn’t Dead (Just Evolving)
If you or the SEO you’re paying is planning on continuing to do the same thing they’ve been doing for years, I think you’re in trouble.
But SEO itself isn’t dead. Google still dominates search with over 90% market share, and billions of searches happen every day. Core SEO principles remain relevant – Google’s algorithm still looks at page quality, relevance, links, and user engagement.
What’s changing is the definition of “winning.” It’s not just about getting the #1 blue link anymore. Success now means being featured in AI snippets, being the source for voice answers, and getting cited by large language models.
The First Principles Approach That Actually Works
If you’re a generalist who’s really obsessed with learning about these things and you have a first principles understanding of how algorithms work, I think this is a really exciting time to be a digital marketer and a small business owner.
A first principles approach means focusing on the fundamental truths: relevance, authority, and user experience. These core elements ensure your optimizations align with what search engines ultimately want – to satisfy users.
The Three Pillars Still Matter
Relevance: Does your content thoroughly answer the user’s question? AI algorithms are built to find and favor the most relevant content for any given query.
Authority: Are you becoming a trusted source in your niche? Brand mentions and reputation are becoming the new backlinks in some ways.
User Experience: If users hate your site, AI algorithms will notice too. Technical SEO is more important than ever because AI can only recommend what it can easily understand.
What Google Gemini Means for Your SEO Strategy
Google Gemini is Google’s next-generation AI model that will power more advanced search experiences. When it rolls out broadly, search will feel more like talking to a human assistant than typing keywords into a box.
The implications are significant:
- More conversational queries: Users will ask longer, natural language questions
- Multimodal search: People will search using images, voice, and text combined
- Even fewer clicks: Gemini’s comprehensive answers will reduce click-through rates further
But here’s the opportunity: Companies that prepare for fewer “top of funnel” visits but more qualified “bottom funnel” visits will win. When AI does send someone to your site, they’re further along in their decision process.
Resources to Stay Ahead of the Curve
If you’re just realizing you need to keep up with this stuff, I have two recommendations:
- Eli Schwartz’s “The Future of SEO” newsletter – A weekly Substack where Eli shares strategic, big-picture thinking about how search is changing
- r/MinMaxMarketing – A subreddit I started for marketers who want to treat marketing like gamers treat games: maximizing what works, minimizing what doesn’t
Other valuable resources include Aleyda Solis’s SEOFOMO Newsletter for weekly SEO news curation and industry communities focused on the latest AI developments.
The Bottom Line for Your Business
SEO isn’t dying – it’s transforming. The businesses that will thrive are those that:
- Embrace continuous learning instead of sticking to outdated tactics
- Focus on becoming trusted sources that AI algorithms want to cite
- Understand that quality over quantity matters more than ever
- Prepare for qualified traffic rather than just high-volume traffic
The search landscape is wider now, spanning chatbots, voice assistants, and AI-powered platforms. That means more surfaces to appear on for businesses that understand how to speak the AI’s language.
Ready to Adapt Your SEO Strategy for the AI Era?
The companies succeeding in this new landscape aren’t those avoiding AI – they’re the ones learning to work with it. At TJ Digital, we specialize in AI optimization that helps businesses show up where their customers are actually searching, whether that’s Google’s AI results, ChatGPT, or other AI-powered platforms.
If you’re ready to stop doing “the same thing you’ve been doing for years” and start building an AI-optimized presence that actually drives results, let’s talk about how we can help.