AI’s Impact on Search Traffic – and How Experts Can Stay Visible

The way people find information online is changing fast. AI-powered search engines and generative AI answers are reshaping user behavior – with big consequences for website traffic. Recent studies reveal that a majority of Google searches – 58.5% in the U.S. – now end without any click on a result​.

In other words, more than half of searchers get their answer directly from Google (often via featured snippets or AI-generated summaries) and never visit a website. Even when there is a click, it’s increasingly staying within Google’s ecosystem. Nearly 30% of all search clicks now go to Google’s own properties, like YouTube or Maps, while only about 36% of searches lead to a click on an external website​. This “zero-click” trend means fewer opportunities for organizations to capture visitors via traditional search.

AI-Powered Search Is Reshaping User Behavior

The rise of generative AI has accelerated these shifts. Tools like ChatGPT and Google’s new AI search features are teaching users to get direct answers without scrolling through the usual list of links. In fact, one in ten U.S. internet users now turns to generative AI first for online searches​. Surveys show 13 million people used AI as their primary search tool in 2023, and that number is projected to explode to over 90 million by 2027. Google itself is morphing from a classic search engine into more of an “answer engine”​ – exemplified by its new AI snapshot feature that generates a summary at the top of the search results. In Google’s experimental Search Generative Experience, an AI summary appears above the traditional links, pulling information from across the web to answer the query immediately​. The user sees a conversational answer (with source links cited unobtrusively), and often “there’s no need to click through to another explainer” if the AI has already satisfied their curiosity​.

For website owners, the implications are stark. If AI-driven results give users what they need, far fewer people will click through to actual websites. Early data backs this up – when Google’s AI “Overviews” are present, organic click-through rates plummet. One analysis found that on search queries where an AI overview appeared, the click-through rate on organic results dropped from 1.4% to just 0.6%, as the AI content dominated user attention​. And it’s not just Google: overall, traditional search engines have seen traffic declines in the wake of ChatGPT’s debut​, while AI-driven search tools gain ground. Clearly, AI is not a future prospect – it’s already redirecting how people seek information.




Search Traffic Is Declining – a Challenge for Expert Organizations

These trends pose a special challenge for expert-driven organizations like think tanks, universities, and research institutes. Many of these groups have long relied on Google search as a primary pipeline for audiences to discover their work. (It’s not uncommon for 60–70% of a think tank’s website traffic to come via search​ – in some cases even closer to 90%!) Typically, a general-interest reader might Google a hot policy topic, find the think tank’s explainer or study, and land on their site. Those evergreen explainers and blog posts have been the “hook” that brings in new readers, who hopefully stick around to explore deeper research or subscribe for updates.

Now, that search pipeline is at risk of drying up. If Google stops sending traffic to explainers because it’s answering questions with its own AI summary, those casual discovery visits could nosedive​.

Fewer journalists or curious citizens stumbling upon an institute’s research means fewer eyes on their findings. Recent media analysis warns that overall search engine traffic to news and media sites is already declining, and could drop by as much as 60% in coming years due to AI’s influence​. For think tanks and academic centers, losing even a fraction of that search exposure is a big blow to their public outreach.

There’s also the issue of competition in an AI-saturated content landscape. The web is now flooded with AI-generated articles and answers. Google has even updated its guidelines to explicitly allow high-quality AI-generated content. This has led to some worrying cases where thorough, human-crafted research gets overshadowed by a glut of AI-produced material. In one recent example, publishers reported seeing well-researched articles lose ranking to “500 word AI generated crap” with one site owner seeing half their traffic vanish overnight after Google’s algorithm changes​.

In short, the playing field for search visibility is getting tougher and more unpredictable. Quality alone isn’t always enough to win clicks when algorithms and AI snippets govern what users see.

From Search to Story: Getting Expert Insights into Public Discourse

So how can expert organizations adapt to ensure their insights still reach the public? One key strategy is to shift from passive discovery to active distribution. Instead of relying solely on the public to find your research via Google, it’s increasingly important to bring your research to the public through other channels – and one of the most impactful channels is via journalists and the media.

Why journalists? Journalists, editors, and media outlets serve as critical conduits between experts and the broader public. When a journalist covers a report or quotes an expert in a news story, that insight reaches potentially thousands or millions of readers, listeners, or viewers. Even as search referrals decline, people are still reading news, whether on media websites, through news apps, newsletters, or social feeds. Getting your organization’s expertise featured in those stories is an alternate route to visibility – one not solely dependent on search algorithms.

Moreover, in an era of information overload and AI-curated answers, trust and authority are more important than ever. Studies indicate that people remain skeptical of AI-only information, especially on critical topics like health, education, or policy​.

When the stakes are high, readers seek out trusted voices and authoritative sources. Think tanks, universities, and research institutes are those trusted voices – but only if their experts are heard. By building relationships with journalists, experts can inject factual, nuanced insight directly into public discourse, counteracting the noise of low-quality content. As one communications expert put it, when so much content is AI-driven, people will look to authoritative organizations and leaders for credible information – and to “break through that noise, you’ll need to have direct access” to those audiences​. In other words, get your voice into the story, not just on your own website.



Enter Rolli: Connecting Experts with Journalists in the AI Era

This is where Rolli (rolliapp.com) comes in as a game-changer for expert organizations. Rolli is an AI-powered platform that connects journalists and media producers with vetted experts from top organizations. Think of it as a matchmaking service between the people who have knowledge and the people who need knowledge for their stories. For research-driven organizations, Rolli provides a direct line to the media, ensuring your expertise doesn’t get lost in the shuffle of a Google search results page.

Here’s how Rolli can help:

  • Discovery despite search decline: Even if fewer people find your whitepaper through Google, reporters on Rolli can find you by searching for experts in your field. For example, a journalist working on a piece about climate policy can use Rolli to discover a professor or think tank analyst specializing in that topic. Your expert gets introduced at the very moment their insight is needed, rather than hoping a reporter stumbles on your site via search.

  • Real-time relevance: Rolli’s AI-driven search and alert tools let journalists pinpoint expert commentary quickly (10× faster newsgathering, by some measures). This means your organization can be tapped for quotes or explanations on breaking news while the news is still hot – capturing opportunities that a slow organic search discovery might miss.

  • Amplified reach: When your experts are quoted in news articles, interviews, or TV segments, you effectively piggyback on the media outlet’s audience. Your institute’s name and insights reach far wider than your own newsletter or website alone might. Rolli helps facilitate these connections at scale, so that declining organic traffic doesn’t equate to declining public impact.

  • Credibility and trust: Being featured as an expert source in reputable media reinforces your organization’s authority. It helps keep think tanks and universities as part of the public conversation, even as AI changes how that conversation is accessed. In short, Rolli helps you earn media coverage and trust, rather than relying only on search engine visibility.

Adapting to the New Reality – Time to Be Proactive

The bottom line: AI is transforming how people discover information. For expert organizations used to counting on Google, it’s a wake-up call to diversify how you reach your audience. Organic search traffic is no longer a given – but the flip side is that new tools and strategies can open different doors. By proactively connecting with journalists and getting your expertise into media coverage, you ensure that your voice continues to shape public discourse, despite the headwinds in search discovery.

Rolli offers a powerful solution to do exactly that. Instead of hoping your latest research brief climbs the search rankings, you can get your experts in front of journalists who are looking for insights right now. Your work deserves to be seen and heard, and Rolli helps make that happen by bridging the gap between academic/industry expertise and the storytellers in the press.

Don’t Let Your Expertise Get Lost – Take Action

In this new landscape, the organizations that thrive will be the ones that adapt. That means embracing tools like Rolli and strategies that put you directly in touch with the media and audiences that matter. If you represent a think tank, university, or research institute, now is the time to act. Don’t let AI-driven search changes quietly shrink your influence. Instead, ensure your expertise finds its way into headlines and conversations by building those journalist connections today.

Ready to boost your media visibility despite the shifting search tides? Learn more about Rolli and connect with our team (hello@rolliapp.com) to see how we can help your experts shine. In a world where algorithms may sideline great content, let’s make sure your organization’s knowledge reaches the world in the ways that count. 

Your next big impact might start with a single connection – and Rolli is here to make that connection happen.