AI Search Impact: Google Killing Publisher Traffic?

The Impact of Google's AI on News Publisher Traffic

A recent report by the Wall Street Journal indicates that Google’s AI Overviews, alongside other AI-driven technologies like chatbots, are significantly reducing traffic to news publishing websites.

Decline in Referral Traffic

The increasing ability of users to obtain answers directly from chatbots – often utilizing news content without explicit publisher consent – is diminishing the necessity to click on traditional Google search results. Consequently, the volume of referrals to news websites is experiencing a substantial decrease.

This reduction in traffic poses a critical challenge to the sustainability of high-quality journalism, as publishers rely on website visits to support their operations.

AI Overviews and AI Mode

Launched last year, Google’s AI Overviews, a tool designed to summarize search results, initially impacted traffic to websites offering vacation information, health advice, and product evaluations, as reported by the Journal.

However, AI Mode, Google’s direct competitor to ChatGPT, is anticipated to have an even more pronounced effect on publisher traffic.

AI Mode delivers responses in a conversational manner, typically including fewer links to external sources.

Traffic Decline at The New York Times

Data from Similarweb, as cited in the Wall Street Journal report, reveals a decline in organic search traffic to The New York Times’ desktop and mobile sites.

Specifically, the share of traffic originating from organic search decreased to 36.5% in April 2024, compared to 44% three years prior.

Google's Perspective

Google presents a contrasting narrative, asserting during its May developer conference that AI Overviews have actually increased overall search traffic.

However, this increase may not necessarily translate to benefits for news publishers.

Publisher Responses and New Business Models

Leading publishers, such as The Atlantic and The Washington Post, have emphasized the urgent need for the news industry to adapt its business models to mitigate the threat posed by AI.

Some publishers are exploring content-sharing agreements with AI companies to generate supplementary revenue streams.

Content Licensing Deals

The New York Times has recently established a licensing agreement with Amazon, granting the tech giant access to its editorial content for the purpose of training its AI platforms.

Furthermore, several publishers, including The Atlantic, have partnered with OpenAI.

Perplexity, an AI startup, intends to share advertising revenue with news publishers when its chatbot features their content in response to user inquiries.