Where did my visitors disappear to? Exploring how AI-driven search results are changing visitor behaviour

Learn the key differences between SEO and AEO — and how to make your content both searchable and speakable.

A 2025-ready guide from Misc Archive

when you log into Google Analytics, your heart full of hope, only to see your hard-won organic traffic chart looking flatter than a week-old pancake? You did all the right things: great content, solid SEO. Yet, the clicks are still dropping. It feels like your visitors have simply evaporated into the digital ether.

Where did they go? They didn't disappear—they just stopped clicking.

This isn't about a Google update; it's about a Google revolution. The old game was a race to the top link; the new game is a fight to be the answer, right there on the search results page. AI-driven features like Google’s SGE (AI Overviews), along with tools like ChatGPT, are summarising the internet for the user. If a search engine answers the query instantly and perfectly, why would anyone click through to your site? This is the new “zero-click” reality, and it’s why your traffic is quietly leaking.

Ignoring this shift is like shouting your best ideas into a canyon—you’ll get a great echo, but no actual customers. If you wait for the organic traffic to "bounce back", you'll find your competitors have already adapted, positioning themselves as the trusted source the AI cites. You don't just lose traffic; you lose authority, and that's a hole that gets harder to dig out of every day.

But here’s the good news: the visitors who do click through are now higher quality, armed with a better understanding of what they need. They are closer to the "buy" button. The secret is to stop fighting the AI and start working with it. This guide isn't about tricks; it's about strategy—a five-step roadmap to make your content AI-digestible and human-magnetic.

Five Ways to Turn AI Summaries into High-Quality Traffic

1. Shift from 'Keyword Focus' to 'Answer Authority'

The old way was to cram a keyword like "best project management software" into a headline. The new way is to be the ultimate, authoritative source on that entire topic. AI craves depth and unique expertise.

The Fix: Go deep. Instead of a surface-level listicle, create a comprehensive guide with case studies, original data, or unique perspectives. Structure your content logically with clear H2/H3 headings, turning your page into a "resource hub". AI systems look for content that is complete, making you the obvious choice to be referenced in their summary.

2. Optimise for AI Overviews with Clarity

AI Overviews love clean, structured data. They often pull from your content to create their own summary box. If your answer is buried in a wall of text, the AI will struggle to cite you.

The Fix: Use FAQ Schema and How-To Schema markup. Immediately answer common user questions in the first paragraph of a relevant section. Use numbered lists and concise bullet points. Think of your page as an open-book test for the AI—make the answers easy to find and quote. When you get cited in the AI summary, you become the implied authority.

3. Embrace Conversational, Long-Tail Queries

People don’t type "electric car cost". They ask their AI assistant, "Is it worth buying an electric car in the city right now?" The queries are longer, more natural, and full of intent.

The Fix: Use tools (or just your brain!) to find the follow-up questions your audience is asking. Write content that mimics human conversation, answering specific, niche questions. Content for "Which electric car has the best resale value after five years?" is far more valuable and less likely to be fully summarised than content for "What is an electric car?"

4. The E-E-A-T Principle is Your Golden Ticket

Google's emphasis on Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trust (E-E-A-T) is more critical than ever. AI models prioritise content from creators and sites that demonstrate real-world experience.

The Fix: Don’t just curate facts; share proof. Include author bios that highlight real credentials and experience. Reference unique studies, primary research, or proprietary data. If your content sounds like a person who has done the thing, the AI is more likely to trust it as a credible source over generic, rehashed text.

5. Diversify Your “Traffic Portfolio”

Relying solely on Google’s organic search is like putting all your marketing eggs in one rickety basket. If AI search gives you fewer clicks, you need other doors leading back to your house.

The Fix: Use the high-quality content you’re already creating for other platforms. Promote those in-depth guides in a weekly email newsletter. Cut the best points into short, engaging social media videos that link back to the full resource. Focus on channels you own (like email) or channels that build community (like LinkedIn/TikTok) to create direct traffic that AI can't absorb.

The search landscape is changing, and yes, it’s frustrating, but it also creates a massive opportunity for brands that focus on real value over cheap traffic hacks.

Stop chasing the old clicks. Start attracting the right clicks.

Let Misc Archive help you turn your authoritative content into stories that AI respects and high-intent visitors click.