Search for almost anything on Google today and there’s a good chance the first thing you see isn’t a list of websites. It’s an answer, written by AI.
More people are also skipping Google altogether and asking tools like ChatGPT or Gemini for recommendations. So it’s fair to ask: if AI is giving people the answer, is it still worth investing in SEO?
The short version is yes. But what you’re aiming for has changed.
The short answer
• AI answers mean fewer people click on websites for quick, simple questions.
• Searches from people who are ready to buy or book, like “plumber near me”, still lead to plenty of clicks.
• AI tools recommend businesses based on the same things good SEO builds: clear information, reviews and a trustworthy online presence.
The goal used to be ranking in a list of links. Now it’s being the business that gets recommended.
What’s changed
For years, searching Google meant scrolling through a list of links. Today, Google often writes a summary at the top of the page, pulling information from different websites into one answer.
• Google’s AI answers now appear at the top of many searches, especially questions.
• Google’s AI Mode lets people have a back-and-forth conversation instead of searching.
• AI assistants like ChatGPT and Gemini are becoming another place people ask for advice and recommendations.
What that’s done to clicks
When the answer sits right at the top of the page, fewer people need to click through to a website.
• A large study by Ahrefs found that when an AI answer appears, the top-ranking website gets 58% fewer clicks. A year earlier, the same study found a 34.5% drop.
• Other research has found that around two in three Google searches now end without anyone clicking a website.
Those numbers sound alarming, and they’re the reason you’ve probably heard someone say “SEO is dead”. But they don’t tell the whole story.
Why it’s not the whole story
Not every search is affected the same way
AI answers mostly replace quick questions, the kind where someone just wants a fact. When people are ready to act, they still click.
• Fewer clicks: “how long does grout take to dry?” or “what is a heat pump?” The answer is right there, so there’s no need to visit a website.
• Still clicked: “plumber near me”, “[your business name] reviews” or “book a bathroom renovation quote”. These people want to compare, check and contact a business.
• For most small and medium businesses, the second group is where enquiries come from. That’s exactly where SEO still pays off.
The drop is levelling off
• Research from search agency Seer Interactive found the fall in clicks slowed in early 2026, after a steep drop through 2025.
• The same research found that businesses mentioned in AI answers got more clicks than those that weren’t.
AI has to get its answers from somewhere
AI doesn’t make up its recommendations from nothing. It reads websites, reviews, business listings and other sources, then decides which businesses look most trustworthy and relevant. In other words, it relies on the same things SEO has always built.
What AI looks for when it recommends a business
Nobody outside Google or the AI companies knows exactly how their systems choose. But there’s a clear pattern in the businesses that get recommended:
• Clear information. Pages that explain exactly what you do, where you do it and who it’s for.
• Plenty of genuine reviews, recent and responded to.
• Consistent details everywhere: your name, address, phone number and services match across your website, Google and directories.
• Signs you’re the real deal: real people, real experience and real examples of your work.
• A website that works: fast, easy to use on a phone, and easy for Google to read.
What this means for your SEO
The goal has shifted. It’s no longer just about ranking high in a list. It’s about being the business that Google and AI tools trust enough to recommend, and the one people click when they’re ready to buy.
• Focus on enquiries, not traffic. Fewer visitors isn’t a problem if more of them become customers.
• Prioritise searches from people ready to act, like your services and the areas you cover.
• Treat your Google Business Profile and reviews as part of your SEO, not an afterthought.
• Write for people, not search engines. Clear, helpful answers are what both customers and AI are looking for.
1. Complete your Google Business Profile. Fill in every section: services, hours, service area and photos. Keep it up to date.
2. Keep reviews coming in. Ask happy customers regularly, and reply to every review, good or bad.
3. Use the same details everywhere. Check your website, Google, Facebook and any directories all match.
4. Answer real questions clearly. Create a page for each main service, and add a plain-English FAQ section that answers what customers actually ask you.
5. Show you’re the real deal. Add your team, your experience, photos of real work and examples of what you’ve done.
6. Get the basics right. Make sure your website loads quickly, works well on a phone, and has no broken pages.
How to tell if your SEO is working
With fewer clicks overall, website traffic on its own isn’t a reliable measure. Look at:
• Enquiries and calls from search, not just visits.
• Searches for your business name. More people searching for you by name is a good sign people know and trust you.
• Calls, direction requests and website clicks from your Google Business Profile.
• Whether AI tools mention you. Try asking ChatGPT or Google’s AI something like “Who’s a good [your service] near [your area]?” and see who comes up.
The bottom line
• SEO isn’t dead. It’s changing.
• Quick questions will keep getting answered by AI. Searches from people ready to buy still bring customers to websites.
• The businesses AI recommends are the ones with clear information, strong reviews and a trustworthy online presence. That’s what good SEO builds.
• Businesses that stop investing now risk being left out of both the search results and the AI answers.
How Ekko Media can help
We help businesses get found, whether customers are searching on Google or asking AI:
• An SEO check of your website, Google Business Profile and online presence, so you know what’s helping and what’s holding you back.
• Service and location pages that answer real customer questions clearly, for people and AI alike.
• Google Business Profile and review strategy, so you show up when people search nearby.
• Consistent business details across the places that matter.
• Reporting on enquiries from search, not just traffic, so you can see what SEO is actually delivering.
Common questions
Is SEO dead?
No. It’s changing. The way people search is evolving, but they still need to find businesses, and Google and AI tools still need trustworthy websites to recommend.
Do I need a special kind of SEO for AI?
Mostly, no. The same things that help you rank on Google help AI recommend you. The difference is that clear information, reviews and consistent details now matter even more.
