Bain & Company reveals that 80% of search engine users rely on AI summaries at least 40% of the time, forcing brands to rethink their marketing strategies or lose visibility.
A recent research from Bain & Company discusses the transformative impact of zero-click search and AI on the marketing landscape, suggesting that brands should reshape their strategies to ensure they remain visible and relevant in times when users don’t click links anymore.
The main report’s insights reveal that about 60% of traditional engine searches today end without the user progressing to another destination, while 80% of consumers completely rely on AI-written results for at least 40% of their searches. This shift to quicker automated search routines is reducing organic web traffic – when a brand site is found by users of unpaid search engines naturally, based on its relevance to search terms – by 15% to 25%.
The change in search patterns also means an upcoming revolution in marketing strategies. What has been efficient for many years is not enough to remain relevant today. Up till now, marketing executives have leveraged clickthrough traffic and SEO to be discovered. Organic traffic has been viewed as one of the most valuable types of web traffic, indicating that users are actively searching for related products, services, or information. Besides, it is the most cost-effective way to gain exposure.
However, today, the vast majority of consumers rely on AI-driven “zero-click” results provided by both generative AI summaries delivered by traditional search engines (for example, Google and Bing) and large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT or Perplexity.
Many users are now turning to large language models (LLMs) as an alternative to traditional search engines. Approximately 40% to 70% of LLM users rely on these platforms for queries earlier attributed to the likes of Google: to conduct research and summarize information (68%), stay informed about the latest news and weather (48%), and seek shopping recommendations (42%).
While users are getting immediate answers without needing to click through to websites, brands lose their share of high-value, non-branded searches where individuals look for information and feedback before deciding on a particular brand. Therefore, they should now focus on top-of-funnel content designed to attract and engage potential customers at the initial stage of their buyer journey and website optimization for voice and AI-based search. Besides, AI-powered search enables hyper-personalized user experiences, forcing marketers to deliver tailored content that resonates with individual users rather than generic content.
One of the main issues is the speed of transition to the new search models. It creates additional pressure for marketers to change their ways asap or be left behind. Some of the main tips for updating marketing strategies include tailoring content for semantic search with high-intent, long-tail keywords, incorporating video and interactive content to increase visibility in generative AI searches, tracking impressions and AI reach, and optimizing for influence and engagement rather than direct conversions.
