For decades, Google Search has been the digital heartbeat of the internet—connecting users to answers, brands to customers, and information to intent. But in 2025, we are witnessing a historic shift that has implications for every business that depends on being discovered online.
A recent article on a major financial news platform outlined a brewing disruption: the decline of traditional search as AI tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity AI reshape how people seek and find information. This trend is not just a tech curiosity. It could alter how your business gets found—or if it gets found at all.
Search Is Still Vital, But No Longer the Sole Gateway
While about 20% of traffic to top global websites still comes from search engines, that share is shrinking. Entire industries are seeing notable drops in search-driven traffic. For example, travel sites are down 20% year-over-year, e-commerce 9%, and media 17%. If your website relies on search visibility for leads or revenue, this is a wake-up call.
Why is this happening? AI-powered platforms like ChatGPT offer direct answers, bypassing the need for users to visit multiple sites. Google itself is leaning into this model with its AI-powered Search Generative Experience (SGE), summarizing answers at the top of result pages—often leaving fewer clicks for the actual source websites.
What This Means for Businesses and Marketers
As traditional search declines, businesses must adapt their strategies now to maintain visibility, traffic, and leads. Here’s what that looks like:
1. Diversify Your Traffic Sources
Don’t rely solely on SEO. Embrace email marketing, social media, influencer campaigns, video, and even partnerships with AI platforms. Build a mix that includes direct, referral, and owned traffic sources.
2. Create High-Value, Original Content
AI tools tend to summarize common or first-level content. That means in-depth, specific, experience-based, or proprietary content is more likely to get referenced or visited. Share expert tips, case studies, unique data, or client success stories.
3. Strengthen Direct Connections
Turn passive visitors into loyal audiences. Build your email list. Encourage subscriptions. Use CTAs to push for direct engagement like downloads, bookings, or signups.
4. Optimize for AI Discovery
Just as we optimized for Google, now we must consider how AI scrapes and summarizes content. Use clear, structured formatting, FAQs, and schema markup (a code in the form of structured data that communicates the meaning of your page, elements, and how users should see it to the search engines, in a language they understand). Make your content AI-friendly.
5. Monitor AI and Social Channels
See how your content shows up in AI summaries. Explore platforms like Perplexity or tools that scan ChatGPT citations. Don’t just watch rankings—watch mentions and visibility.
A New Era of Digital Strategy
The decline of Google as the default traffic driver doesn’t mean the end of online marketing—but it does signal a shift. Success in 2025 and beyond will come from owning your audience relationships, delivering truly valuable content, and adapting to the platforms that are now shaping how people learn, shop, and decide. Remember: The web isn’t dying. But it is changing. Adapt now to ensure your brand isn’t left behind.
Need help rethinking your marketing strategy for this new search landscape? We’re here to help. Give us a call.