Google’s dominance in search is waning, with AI language models (LLMs) gaining traction as referral traffic sources. A new study by Previsible reveals significant changes in search behavior, with Perplexity and ChatGPT emerging as alternatives to traditional search engines.
The analysis of over 30 websites shows that LLMs now command approximately 37% of LLM referral traffic, while CoPilot and Gemini follow with 12-14% each. The finance sector dominates LLM-driven traffic, accounting for 84% of all referrals analyzed.
Blog posts receive the majority of LLM referral traffic, followed by homepage visits and news content. However, product pages rarely surface in LLM results, suggesting the need for adjusted e-commerce strategies.
The study notes significant growth rates in ChatGPT referrals for the events industry (900% in the last 90 days) and e-commerce and finance sectors (400%+). If current trends continue, this could lead to AI traffic reaching up to 20% of total traffic within a year.
To stay ahead, businesses can use Previsible’s free Looker Studio dashboard to track website traffic from LLMs. This tool provides insights into organic sessions, total LLM sessions, and LLM traffic over time, helping websites identify areas for improvement and adjust their strategies accordingly.
Source: https://www.searchenginejournal.com/study-chatgpt-ai-tools-gain-ground-in-search-market/536137