Have you ever checked an AI Overview response in Google? If yes, you might have also noticed the option “Dive deeper in AI mode”. AI mode of Google allows you to explore the topics you search for and dig deeper. You can ask questions to get relevant answers. Now you might have a question: Is AI mode affecting website traffic? Let’s learn more about it.
Does Google AI Mode Affect Website Traffic?
Yes and no. AI search has been affecting organic website traffic. The real reason behind it is that many people get the answer to their question from AI Overviews, and they don’t scroll down to explore other websites. Therefore, it can feel like, with the introduction of AI mode, people don’t explore other websites, which significantly affects website traffic. According to a recent study, 93% of AI mode searches end without clicking any websites. Users spend time in AI mode, which clearly indicates that they are finding the exact information that they are looking for.
However, according to a different small study, around 69% of AI mode users moved to a website after using the experience. Instead of reading and leaving AI mode, they were visiting websites to get information directly from them. Not only that, but they were visiting more than one website. 89% of users in this survey visited more than one website in AI mode.
Therefore, in general, you can’t deny that there is a loss of traffic because of AI mode. However, this doesn’t mean there’s a loss of high-value clicks. The loss of traffic may happen when the pages target the earlier stages of the buyer’s journey, which means questions related to the middle or bottom of the funnel can still generate traffic to your website.
What to do to avoid losing website traffic due to AI mode?
- Create bottom-of-the-funnel content
If it seems like your website traffic is getting affected by AI mode, you need to create bottom-of-the-funnel (BOFU) content. Many BOFU queries don’t see AI Overviews, which means you can still drive traffic to your website. For current BOFU content, you need to update it and verify it has up-to-date information. If you think that you need to fill in gaps, you need to conduct an audit of your BOFU content so you can find where you can create your bottom-of-funnel content to gain organic website traffic. You can also seek help from Nimble Technocrats for SEO Services in Jalandhar, as we have SEO experts who can conduct a website audit to check if it meets the requirements to gain traffic.
- Pay attention to brand visibility and mentions
Even if AI mode is affecting your website traffic, you should focus on building up your brand visibility and mentions across the web; this way you can gain valuable traffic out of AI searches. It’s crucial to build your brand visibility because it helps you to generate traffic. The more people are aware of your brand, the more likely they are to remember your brand when they are ready to convert. You can opt for an effective strategy to build your brand visibility and mentions by:
- Getting your brand mentioned on reputable third-party websites.
- Guest posting on niche-based websites.
- Creating mentionable and citeable content.
With this strategy, it can increase the possibility of gaining organic website traffic.
- Strengthen your branded search visibility
You need to strengthen your branded search visibility when building brand mentions and visibility. Any query or phrase that includes your brand name or products is crucial to optimize for to ensure your website is appearing right at the top. Here’s why:
When people search for something through AI Mode, they collect tons of information, some of that may be about your company or brand. They continuously get information about your brand. At that moment, they may be ready to make a decision when they already know about your brand. Now, the question arises: what do they do? They search for your brand directly. This is the reason why it is so essential to ensure you own your branded searches. Therefore, when people search for your brand, you are ensuring they see your brand first. Here’s how you can get branded searches:
- It is important to ensure that you are using related branded keywords.
- Remember to optimize your local business profile.
- It would be worth creating a landing web page for your branded queries.
- Your brand name should be present in headings, descriptions, and other valuable on-page places.
- Keep in mind to use schema markup to improve brand signals.
To improve your brand visibility, you can also opt for digital marketing services. This way, you can have brand mentions on different platforms, which can also increase your brand visibility. Nimble Technocrats is the best digital marketing company in Jalandhar that can help you boost your online presence on different platforms using effective digital marketing strategies.
Conclusion
Now you know what factors can affect website traffic when it comes to AI mode. However, this doesn’t mean that you can never gain website traffic. We have mentioned a few ways to get website traffic organically. For more help, you can get in touch with Nimble Technocrats.