It's hard to overstate the impact Google has had on the modern world, particularly when it comes to digital marketing and search engine optimization. Google is still the reigning champion, netting around 8.5 billion daily searches globally. But how did we find that out? By Googling it, of course.
If you ask, "How many searches on Google per day?" a new tab with the title "AI Overview" will appear below your query. The exact text in this AI-generated bubble reads, "Google processes roughly 8.5 billion searches per day, or 5.9 million searches every minute. This is based on the average person conducting 3–4 searches per day."
So, if you just wanted the stat and nothing else, you could get it and move on with your day. However, the AI bubble also provides sources (e.g., SEO.ai and Semrush) for this information. This way, if you want to verify the data or get a backlink, you can still do it.
That said, the existence of this AI-generated search result is poised to become a game-changer. If you rely on search engine traffic (as most businesses and websites do), it's time for change.
The Current State of Google SEO (Now With AI)
Although the "AI Overview" section is new, the idea of answering questions on the search results page is not. The "Answer Box" debuted in 2014, aiming to provide quick answers to questions so users didn't have to click through to another page and scroll to find what they wanted. Still, if someone was desperate to know more, they could see the link to the original source.
In that way, AI-assisted search is barely a step above the answer box. However, it turns out that Google has been quietly utilizing AI in almost all of its products for a while now. According to the company, AI is used in Google elements like:
- Maps - AI helps provide real-time traffic updates so you're always one step ahead of the jam.
- Photos - Reverse image search has been around since 2011, but now it uses AI to detect what's in the image and provide more comprehensive results.
- YouTube - Google owns YouTube, and it uses AI to generate captions for all videos.
- Ads - Google Ads leverage the power of AI to target customers more precisely.
But what does all this mean? Well, the primary objective is to provide targeted, valuable information to each search user. However, the secondary, less obvious objective is to keep people on Google (or Google-owned products) for as long as possible. In some cases, even if you click on new pages, you'll still be on Google.
How Does Google AI Affect Web Traffic?
One of the more troubling developments of AI-powered search is the prevalence of "zero-click" searches. This means a user doesn't click on any link or go to any new page after submitting their query. While exact data on the number of these searches is kind of spotty (since Google doesn't share hard numbers), most estimates state that about 25 percent of all searches result in zero clicks.
However, there's another issue: some websites worry about fair use of content. Because Google's AI is generating a response from multiple sites, there's a concern that the search engine could provide proprietary information without permission. Basically, if users can get what they want for free, why bother visiting your site and boosting your traffic numbers?
Overall, AI-assisted search will likely reduce web traffic for most sites, especially those that share news and informative articles. Users may be able to bypass these sites completely, relying solely on Google's AI Overview to get the details they need.
Some argue that because the Overview provides backlinks, it could potentially increase traffic for the sites listed. In that case, getting into that top spot is even more vital than ever.
New SEO Tactics For 2024 and Beyond
No matter what, web traffic for virtually all websites will likely go down because of AI Overviews. However, the future isn't all doom and gloom, and you can take proactive steps to adapt to these changes. Some tactics include:
- Create Content for the Box - Pay attention to the types of queries that generate the most traffic for your site, and then create content that would work well for the AI Overview box. Many publishers have been writing for the Answer Box for years, and it can work well when done correctly.
- See Which Searches Get AI - Not all Google searches have an AI Overview. Start looking at your top performing keywords and see if they trigger AI-generated responses. This way, you can focus your attention on the ones that do and wait on the ones that don't.
- Expand Your Traffic Sources - While Google can be a main source of web traffic, it shouldn't be your only one. Focus on other sources like social media, email, and backlinking (writing content for another site so they link to yours).
The Bottom Line: Embrace AI, But Know Its Limitations
Since Google's AI search is still brand-new, it's hard to tell the long-term ramifications. However, now is the time to adapt and prepare for an AI-filled future. While you could scramble and try to do it all yourself, relying on professionals means you will save time and money in the long-term. AI will be part of the digital marketing landscape, and you want to use marketers who know how to make these programs work in your favor.
If you're worried about how Google search will impact your business, contact us. We can set up a marketing strategy to help keep your traffic intact.
