There is no doubt that artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the landscape of online search. With the rise of AI-powered tools like ChatGPT and the ongoing AI-driven competition among major search engines like Google, Bing, and Baidu, concerns have emerged about the potential impact on website traffic.

Some in marketing speculate that AI-powered search engines producing more direct answers and fewer links, could potentially reduce traffic to numerous websites. But other experts stress that artificial intelligence will not destroy organic search traffic.

Here are five things to know.

1. AI search reduces links

AI-driven tools like Bing’s ChatGPT and Google’s Bard have the main focus of providing natural language responses rather than a list of links, CNBC reported So when a user asks the AI tool a question, AI attempts to answer in a paragraph or conversational manner. The downside, it gives no reference or link as to where the answer is derived from.

2. A tactical shift in search engine optimization

Answer Engine Optimization (AEO), a concept that aligns with the evolution of AI-driven search, involves optimizing a website to enhance its ranking on answer-focused platforms such as voice search, virtual assistants, and AI chat, Practical eCommerce reported. Instead of focusing on keywords or entities, websites optimized for AI chat tools like ChatGPT concentrate on addressing natural language questions.

3. Search results become better

AI-enabled search could actually significantly boost traffic to some websites. Since AI-powered search engines are focused on accuracy, this might actually increase organic traffic for websites with highly relevant content or those proficient in AEO strategies, The Rebooting reported.

4. Rise of new, specialized search engines

The popularity of ChatGPT has captured the market’s attention and has sparked interest in niche search engines. In the past, optimizing for major search engines like Google was sufficient for success. However, if AI-driven search engines proliferate, businesses may need to optimize for multiple channels to maintain visibility and traffic, according to Practical eCommerce.

5. Publisher concerns and legal considerations

Website publishers have expressed concerns that AI-powered search, particularly if it becomes the default way of presenting results, could reduce the number of visitors to their sites. Some publishers are also exploring ways to prevent AI firms from scraping their content for training AI models. This highlights the ongoing tension between technology companies and content creators regarding fair usage and compensation for content.

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