Search is changing — again. But this time, it’s not about keywords or algorithms. It’s about how humans ask questions, and how AI answers them.
Companies that monitor their analytics closely have spotted a new trend: visitors arriving after asking questions to AI assistants rather than typing queries into search engines.
While most businesses scramble to fix declining SEO metrics, other marketers recognize the opportunity ahead — and they’re taking steps to reach audiences by getting cited in AI chatbots and tools.
Here’s what you need to know about this shift (and what you can do to take advantage of it).
The current state of traffic sources
Users who once typed questions directly into Google now ask ChatGPT, Perplexity or Claude for answers. These AI platforms search the web, analyze multiple sources and deliver comprehensive summaries with citations pointing to original content.
Google has adapted to this shift, too. Their new “AI Overview” results (powered by Google Gemini, formerly known as Bard) now appear at the top of the SERPs, complete with citations to sources that provided the information. Users receive direct answers right there at the top of their search results — a fundamental change to how people discover content online.
If you monitor your referral sources, you’ve probably noticed a pattern in your web analytics — traffic from AI is growing month by month (ChatGPT, Perplexity and Gemini being heavy hitters as of this writing). What started as a trickle has become a noteworthy traffic stream that warrants attention.
This change is happening for several reasons:
- Users like receiving complete answers in seconds rather than sifting through multiple websites.
- The convenience of conversational interfaces appeals to people who want natural dialogue.
- AI responses synthesize information from multiple sources in one place.
- People seem to prefer natural question-answer formats over keyword-oriented searches.
Traditional search still matters, but AI platforms now play an increasingly significant role in how users find and consume online content.
Why many companies are missing out
Despite clear signals of change, most companies are failing in their response to declining SEO performance.
Many companies panic. Marketing teams notice search traffic dropping month after month. SEO strategies that worked reliably for years suddenly generate disappointing results. Teams feel pressure from leadership to explain and fix the problem immediately.
Leadership responds with misguided efforts. They double down on outdated SEO tactics — cranking out more keyword-heavy content, building additional backlinks or over-optimizing existing pages. These approaches may have worked in 2019, but now they fail to address the shift toward AI-driven discovery.
Other companies swing to the opposite extreme. They abandon content creation entirely, declaring SEO “dead” and redirecting resources exclusively toward demand generation activities.
Their content libraries sit neglected. Teams don’t optimize content for search, and they don’t adapt it for AI citations, either.
Budget constraints make the situation worse. According to recent research, 52.3% of B2B firms increased marketing budgets for 2025, but the median increase was only 5%. Companies prioritize short-term tactics over strategic content investments, with demand generation receiving the largest budget increases.
Marketing teams face the impossible task of pivoting strategies while resources shrink. Leaders often recognize the need to adapt but lack the budget authority or executive support to make necessary changes.
The result is declining traffic, wasted resources and a missed inflection point.
In short, it’s a marketing mess that fails to seize the first-mover advantage that is AI optimization (AIO).
So what is a marketing leader supposed to do? What we’re seeing here at Horizon Peak is a little bit of education goes a long way:
- Show senior executives the percentage of traffic coming from AI now versus a year ago.
- Help them understand how AI differs from traditional search.
How AI evaluates content (and why it matters)
AI platforms assess content differently than search engines do. While Google looks at domain authority, backlinks and keyword usage, AI systems prioritize readability, comprehensive answers and depth of information.
A high Flesch reading ease score — indicating clear, accessible writing — directly correlates with more AI citations.
Content that thoroughly answers specific questions gets priority over short, surface-level articles stuffed with keywords. AI systems reward in-depth exploration of laser-focused topics rather than superficial coverage of many related subjects.
The current window is a rare opportunity to secure prime digital real estate. Forward-thinking companies will appear regularly in AI responses and establish authority with new audiences.
The good news is that balancing SEO and AIO doesn’t require separate content strategies. Long-form, comprehensive articles naturally accommodate both approaches. Higher word counts provide space to incorporate keywords organically without compromising readability.
When you structure it thoughtfully, the same high-quality content can serve both discovery channels.
AI optimization marks a return to truly human-centric content development. For years, SEO requirements pushed marketers toward stilted, keyword-heavy writing that alienated real readers. AI platforms now reward the same content qualities that human audiences value — clear explanations, comprehensive information and genuine expertise. Hurrah!
The companies that succeed will focus on creating truly valuable resources for their audience rather than trying to game the algorithm. Quality content that genuinely helps readers will satisfy both human visitors and the AI platforms that are increasingly guiding people to your website.
AI is changing content discovery — are you ready?
The time for marketers to act has arrived.
Start by analyzing your traffic sources to identify any AI-referred visitors and track these metrics monthly. Examine your existing content with fresh eyes — evaluating readability, depth and comprehensiveness rather than keyword density or backlink profiles.
The most successful marketing strategies now recognize that optimizing solely for search engines no longer works. The future favors companies that create content for humans first, knowing that readers and AI systems value the same qualities — clarity, expertise and genuine value.
If you’re rethinking your content strategy in light of AI, we’re thinking about this too — and helping our clients write with both clarity and discoverability in mind.
Reach out to our team at Horizon Peak Consulting today and let’s create content that works for your human readers and AI platforms.
This was originally published on Peak Content. Be sure to check out our full library of articles cutting through the noise in B2B tech marketing — with clarity, trust, and nuance.