Source: Search Engine Journal
As ChatGPT expanded access, it began directly answering user queries instead of sending them to websites—a structural threat to the traffic-dependent economics of both search and content creation. Consumer attention is shifting from link-based discovery to conversational AI. Publishers and SEO-dependent businesses face shrinking referral pools regardless of ranking position. The 9% decline suggests search engine traffic is becoming a less reliable acquisition channel. Brands now face a choice: build direct relationships with LLMs or find new customer routes entirely.