How will Generative AI Impact Website Rankings and Traffic?

The way we used to search has changed. And the credit goes to the entry of Generative AI (Artificial Intelligence) in the digital world.

Tools that can create human-like text, images, and code are no longer a futuristic concept; they are an active part of how search engines operate and how users find information. So, if you’re into Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) for driving website traffic, you now need to team up with Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO).

Here, we will understand the dual impact of Generative AI on website rankings and traffic, backed by the latest data, and outline a strategic roadmap to excel in this new era.

What is Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO)

Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) is the practice of optimising your content to be specifically cited, summarised, or referenced within the answers generated by AI models and generative search features like Google’s AI Overviews, ChatGPT, or Perplexity.

In SEO, we used to optimise content to achieve a high rank in SERPs, but in GEO, we focus on building trust and authority with our content to get cited in AI responses.

GEO is the evolution of SEO. In an AI-first world, success means being part of the answer, not just a link below it. This involves making your content highly digestible, authoritative (E-E-A-T-rich), and technically structured so that Large Language Models (LLMs) can easily process and trust the information.

Now that we know the basics, let’s move right into the details.

How AI Impacts Organic Traffic

Generative AI’s most visible impact comes through features like Google’s AI Overviews. This provides instant, AI-generated summaries at the top of the search results page (SERP). This convenience for the user presents a significant challenge for websites.

1. The Rise of “Zero-Click” Searches

The most immediate and concerning impact is the increase in “zero-click” searches. If an AI Overview perfectly answers a user’s query, why would they scroll down for traditional websites?

• Studies indicate that for informational queries, simple, fact-based searches AI Overviews can appear for as much as 47% of search results and may contribute to a significant drop in organic click-through rates (CTRs) for standard website listings.
• Some reports suggest that while Google has seen an increase in total daily searches due to AI Overviews, the organic traffic to many websites has decreased, with drops ranging from 18% to over 64% for certain types of content.
• Websites that previously relied on simple, high-volume informational content (like glossaries, simple definitions, or basic listicles) are the most vulnerable to a decline in traffic. The AI is simply doing the “information job” faster and more directly.

2. Authority Signals Matter More Than Ever

While AI Overviews summarise information, they still rely on authoritative, high-quality content from the web to generate their answers. Google’s emphasis on E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) is amplified in the age of generative AI.

• Generative AI Prioritises Trust: AI models prioritise citing sources that are already trusted by Google’s algorithms. This means building a strong foundation of credibility is important. Businesses must establish their online reputation if not been done already.
• The Opportunity: If your website is cited as a source in an AI Overview, often through a “link card”, you gain a powerful, highly visible position. Google even suggests these cards may generate higher click-through rates than traditional organic links.

What is the Best SEO Strategy to Succeed in the Generative AI Era

To maintain and even improve your website rankings and traffic, your SEO strategy must evolve. You’ll have to shift from simply optimising for keywords to optimising for the AI itself.

This involves a dual focus: creating human-centric, high-value content and ensuring its technical structure is AI-friendly.

1. Focus on E-E-A-T and Human-Centric Content

The biggest weakness of generative AI is its inability to replicate genuine human experience, original thought, or proprietary data. Your content strategy should lean into this.

• Original Research and Unique Insights: Create content that AI models cannot simply rehash. This includes original research, expert interviews, and first-hand, experiential reviews. By publishing new data, you become the primary source that the AI must cite.
• Depth and Complexity: Shift your focus from basic, shallow content to long-form, in-depth articles (often 1200+ words) that address nuanced, multi-faceted queries. AI excels at summarisation but struggles with deep analysis. Providing a comprehensive, end-to-end guide on a complex topic offers value that the AI Overview is unlikely to fully satisfy.
• Target Transactional Queries: While informational query traffic may decrease, the traffic from users with high purchase intent (transactional queries, like “best budget laptop for graphic design”) is still highly valuable. Focus on middle- and bottom-of-funnel content where users are closer to making a decision.

2. Technical and Structural Optimisation for AI

Generative AI relies on well-structured data to pull its summaries. Optimising your website’s technical elements is essential for being recognised and cited.

• Schema Markup and Structured Data: Use schema markup (like FAQPage or HowTo) to label the different elements of your content. This helps AI models interpret your content more effectively, increasing the chances of your site being featured in AI Overviews or rich snippets.
• Clear, Digestible Formatting: Make your content easy to scan for both humans and AI. Use concise headings (H2, H3), clear bullet points, and numbered lists to create “snippet-worthy” formatting. The AI often uses these structures to build its own quick answers.
• Mobile-First and Speed: Technical performance matters. A website that loads quickly and offers a flawless mobile-friendly experience is favoured by search algorithms, which is a foundational requirement for AI-driven search.

Measuring Success with AI Visibility Tools

In this new SEO era, traditional rank tracking (e.g., being position #3) doesn’t tell the whole story. You need to know when your content is being cited within an AI Overview or a response from an LLM chatbot like ChatGPT.

This is where an AI visibility tool becomes an essential part of your SEO toolkit. These platforms track your brand mentions and content citations across various AI-powered search engines and large language models (LLMs).

• The Function: An AI visibility tool helps you measure your mentions in AI-generated answers, providing data on which platforms are citing you, the context of the citation, and even the sentiment (positive or negative) of the mention.
• The Value: By tracking this AI search visibility, you can connect your Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) efforts directly to real-world performance. You can see if your new E-E-A-T-rich articles are actually winning citations in AI Overviews, allowing you to adjust your strategy based on data.

Geo-Friendly SEO in the Age of AI

The impact of Generative AI is global, but its application remains highly localised. As search engines and AI models prioritise user intent, location-specific relevance will only grow.

Focus on Local AI Search

For businesses with a physical presence, maintaining an updated and optimised Business Profile online is important.

AI Overviews often include local map packs and business information for queries with local intent (e.g., “best pizza near me”). Ensure your Name, Address, and Phone number (NAP) are consistent across all online directories to maintain local authority.

Voice Search and Conversational Language

AI has accelerated the trend toward voice search. People use more natural, conversational language when asking an AI or voice assistant a question.

Optimise your content for long-tail keywords that are phrased as full, natural questions, such as “How do I start a podcast from home?” rather than just “podcast start guide.” This conversational fluency helps AI models select your content as a perfect match.

To Conclude

The shift to generative AI search never meant that SEO is dead. It’s just an advancement. While AI Overviews may absorb some organic traffic, the ultimate winners will be those who adapt their strategy to become the indispensable source that the AI chooses to cite.

By prioritising high-E-E-A-T content, technical SEO, and using AI visibility tools to track their performance, you can successfully handle the complexities of this new digital frontier and establish your brand’s authority for years to come.