If you’re wondering whether you still need a website now AI is on the scene, then the answer is probably yes. It’s almost like digital transformation is happening again, except this time around you need more than a digital brochure, you need something that will appeal to humans and AI-agents.
I don’t usually date my articles, but the landscape is moving so fast right now, so for your reference, this one was penned in January 2026.
Hey SEO, meet AEO & GEO?!
You may be hearing about Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO) or Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO), both snazzy acronyms that hang out with good old Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), which for the record, still matters.
The underlying bones of a ‘get found online’ strategy haven’t really changed that much: Make it easy for your content to be understood, reused, and trusted.
We’re still reliant on solid SEO foundations, dependable tech and foundational usability principles. AI is just another consideration you need to keep in mind when redesigning your website or creating new content. In practice, AEO and GEO are about making sure your content can be selected and cited by AI systems, not replacing SEO entirely.
Should I panic if fewer people are visiting my website because of AI?
You may have found that your website is losing traffic, and you may have come to the conclusion that lots of people are getting answers from AI now instead of your website. And in most cases, you’re absolutely right.
If you haven’t changed your site dramatically, your content is still ranking but visitor numbers are down, what should you do? My advice? 1. Don’t panic, there’s good news. 2. Get a strategy and work towards it.
FinTech company NerdWallet reported around 35% revenue growth in 2024 despite roughly a 20% decline in organic traffic: (https://cxl.com/blog/answer-engine-optimization-aeo-the-comprehensive-guide/)
Stack Overflow saw a noticeable drop in visits as developers increasingly turned to tools like ChatGPT for answers, yet still grew revenue by shifting its focus toward data licensing and enterprise products: (https://ppc.land/stack-overflow-traffic-collapses-as-ai-tools-reshape-how-developers-code/)
These aren’t isolated cases. They’re signs that how people find information is changing.[web:1][web:6][web:7] The good news is that in many cases, fewer visitors aren’t negatively affecting conversion rates—they’re improving them, because the people who do arrive are more ready to act.
These aren’t isolated cases. They’re signs that how people find information is changing. The good news is in most cases, fewer visitors isn’t negatively affecting conversion rates, it’s increasing them.
What’s changing now AEO/GEO are on the scene?
Your website used to sit right in the middle of discovery.
Someone searched, clicked a result and landed on your site. You had their attention.
That’s changing. More searches now end without a click because answers are being shown directly in search results or summarised elsewhere. Some estimates put this at around 60% of searches in 2025, up from roughly 58% the year before: https://thedigitalbloom.com/learn/2025-organic-traffic-crisis-analysis-report/
The good news is your website still matters. Good content still matters. What’s changed is the intent and state of mind of visitors when they get to your website. They are visiting at a different stage of their journey.
Millions of weekly users are now using AI to answer their questions (https://cxl.com/blog/answer-engine-optimization-aeo-the-comprehensive-guide-for-2025/) so it’s no surprise if your traffic is down. It just means fewer people arrive at the top of the funnel.
In short, you can expect fewer visitors, but more qualified ones, especially in information-heavy or B2B contexts where people arrive after doing significant research elsewhere.
Why traffic isn’t a worthy measure anymore
If your reporting still treats traffic as the main indicator of success, you’re going to feel like things are going backwards.
A page might influence dozens or hundreds of decisions without generating many visits. In analytics, that looks like failure. In reality, it might be doing exactly what it’s supposed to do.
What tends to matter more now:
- conversion rate
- value per visitor
- how quickly people move from first visit to decision
- brand searches for your organisation
If traffic drops but the people who arrive are more serious and convert more reliably, the business outcome can improve even as the dashboard looks worse.
What to look at in your analytics now
If you’re used to celebrating traffic growth and panicking at traffic drops, it’s time to look at different numbers.
In Google Analytics, check out:
Conversion rate trends – Go to Reports > Engagement > Conversions (or Events, depending on your setup). Look at the percentage of visitors who complete your key actions. Is this going up even as traffic goes down? That’s a good sign.
Value per session or user – If you’re tracking revenue or assigning values to goals, look at average order value or goal value per session. Fewer visitors spending more or converting at higher value is often better than high traffic with low returns.
Time to conversion – Under Reports > Engagement > Conversions, check how long it takes people to convert after first visit. If this is decreasing, people are arriving more ready to act.
Brand vs non-brand search – In Reports > Acquisition > Traffic acquisition, filter your organic search traffic to see how many people searched for your company name specifically vs generic terms. Growing brand searches while general traffic declines means you’re building recognition.
Behavior on key pages – Don’t just look at homepage traffic. Check your service pages, case study pages, and contact pages. Are people spending meaningful time there? Are they taking action?
Stop checking overall pageviews first. Start with conversion rate.
So what is your website for if most people don’t see it?
Most organisational websites are currently designed for people who arrive knowing very little and needing to be educated gently over time. This is going to have to change.
Today, your website usually needs to do three things:
- Be a credible source Content that is clear, structured, and credible enough to be referenced elsewhere, even if users never click through.
- Remove doubt quickly When someone does land, they’re often checking whether you’re legitimate, capable, and relevant.
- Make the next step obvious Fewer hoops. Less “nurture”. More clarity.
Should you redesign, or fix what you have?
Before you commit to a full redesign, assess what you’re working with.
You probably need a redesign if:
- Your site was built more than 5 years ago on outdated tech
- Navigation is built around your org chart, not user needs
- Key information (case studies, proof, contact) is buried
- The site is slow (4+ seconds to load)
- Mobile experience is poor
- Content is organised for browsing, not for decision-making
You might be able to improve what you have if:
- The site is technically sound and reasonably fast
- Structure is logical but content needs work
- You can surface important pages more prominently
- Forms and contact paths can be simplified
- Content can be rewritten to be clearer and more direct
Start with an audit. Look at your top landing pages. Are they answering the questions people arrive with? Are paths to conversion obvious? Is proof visible quickly?
Sometimes the answer is strategic updates and content work, not a full rebuild. But if your site fundamentally assumes people arrive knowing nothing and need extensive education, fixing that without structural changes is hard.
What to consider when redesigning a website in 2026
1. Content
Content that performs well now tends to:
Get to the point early Answer the question in the first paragraph. Then provide context, detail, and reasoning. This works for humans scanning and for AI extracting answers.
Use clear headings and lists Break content into scannable sections. Use descriptive headings that could stand alone. Lists make information easy to extract and reuse.
Separate conclusions from explanation State what something is or does before explaining how or why. “This tool tracks user behavior across your site” comes before “It works by placing a tracking pixel…”
Include FAQs strategically FAQs are gold for AEO when done well. Each question should be something people genuinely ask, and each answer should be complete enough to stand alone. Don’t use FAQs as a dumping ground for content you couldn’t fit elsewhere. Use them to address specific, common questions with direct answers.
Example of a weak FAQ: Q: What services do you offer? A: We offer a range of services to help businesses succeed online.
Example of a strong FAQ: Q: How long does a typical website redesign take? A: Most website redesigns take 12-16 weeks from kickoff to launch. Discovery and research take 2-3 weeks, design and prototyping take 4-6 weeks, development takes 4-6 weeks, and testing and refinement take 2 weeks.
The second answer is specific, reusable, and directly addresses what someone wants to know.
More guidance on AEO content practices: https://owdt.com/article/what-is-answer-engine-optimization/https://www.tryprofound.com/resources/articles/answer-engine-optimization-aeo-guide-for-marketers-2025
What about your existing content?
You’ve probably got years of blog posts, articles, and pages sitting on your site. What do you do with them?
Audit them first. Look at what’s getting traffic, what’s converting, and what’s just sitting there taking up space.
For content that still gets traffic:
- Update it if it’s outdated
- Rewrite it if it’s badly structured (long paragraphs, no headings, buried conclusions)
- Add clear headings, break up text, front-load answers
- Consider whether it can be turned into a strong FAQ
For content that’s genuinely useful but not getting traffic:
- Check if it answers real questions people ask
- If yes, rewrite it with better structure and clearer headings
- Make sure it’s linked from relevant pages
- If no, consider whether it’s worth keeping
For content that’s just SEO filler:
- Archive it or delete it
- Seriously, if it doesn’t help humans or establish credibility, it’s just noise
Don’t try to fix everything at once. Prioritize your most important pages and your highest-traffic content first.
2. Information architecture and navigation
The way people discover you online has changed.
The old way:
- Search for a topic
- Click a result
- Read an article
- Click around
- Come back later
- Eventually convert
The new way:
- Ask a question and get a summary
- Absorb the answer without clicking
- Search for specific organisations or providers
- Visit one or two sites to sanity-check
- Make a decision
Your site structure needs to reflect how people arrive now:
Assume knowledge Visitors often land already knowing what you do and why they might need it. Don’t make them wade through “About Us” and “What We Do” before they can find proof you’re credible.
Surface proof early Case studies, results, testimonials, client logos—these should be easy to find. Ideally visible on key landing pages, not buried three clicks deep.
Simplify paths to action If someone’s ready to talk, don’t make them hunt for contact information or fill out a 12-field form. Name, email, brief description of what they need. That’s often enough.
Rethink your navigation Traditional: About → Services → Resources → Case Studies → Blog → Contact
More useful now: Services → Case Studies → Contact (or Talk to Us)
People aren’t browsing. They’re evaluating. Make evaluation easy.
3. User experience priorities
Speed matters more than ever If your site takes 4+ seconds to load, fix that before worrying about anything else. People arriving from AI are comparing options quickly. Slow sites get eliminated immediately.
Remove friction Every popup, every auto-playing video, every modal asking for email addresses before they’ve read anything—these are barriers between you and someone ready to do business.
Make it scannable Large blocks of text without headings or breathing room don’t work for people in “compare and decide” mode. Break things up. Use subheadings. Make it easy to find the specific thing they’re looking for.
4. Technical foundations
You don’t need to rebuild your site, but some basics matter more than they used to:
Clean page structure Use proper HTML hierarchy. H1 for page title, H2 for main sections, H3 for subsections. This helps both humans and systems understand what matters.
Content visible in raw HTML If your site relies heavily on JavaScript to display core content, that’s worth revisiting. Many AI systems can’t or won’t execute JavaScript, so your content might be invisible to them. https://www.amsive.com/insights/seo/answer-engine-optimization-aeo-evolving-your-seo-strategy-in-the-age-of-ai-search/
Sensible use of schema Schema markup helps systems understand what your content is about. You don’t need to markup everything, but key content types matter: FAQs, How-Tos, Organizations, Products, Articles.
If you use WordPress, plugins like Yoast or RankMath can handle basic schema. If you have a developer, ask them about JSON-LD implementation.
Your brand might matter more than it used to
When AI tools decide which sources to cite or recommend, they favour established, recognized names. A few years ago, a well-optimized site from an unknown company could outrank household names. Google’s algorithm was the great leveller.
That’s changing. When ChatGPT or Google’s AI presents options, authority and recognition heavily influence the selection. An unknown business with perfect SEO will lose to a known firm with decent SEO in competitive spaces.
The chicken and the egg: visibility builds recognition, recognition increases visibility.
Humans choose familiar names: When presented with 3-5 AI-recommended options, people pick the one they’ve heard of.
Brand search bypasses the system: When someone searches specifically for your company name, they get you directly. No AI summary, no competitors alongside you.
Being known in your space, through speaking, writing, consistent presence, is becoming essential. It directly affects whether you show up at all.
Aside: If your brand identity was built for print and never translated to digital, fix that now. If your brand is generic or forgettable, that’s a strategic problem. A perfectly optimized website for a forgettable brand won’t get you far in an AI-mediated world.
How this is playing out varies by sector; here’s what I’m seeing across clients and industry reports (so far..)
Local businesses are relatively protected—when someone asks for “plumber near me” or “best coffee in [suburb],” location-based results still work. Keep your Google Business Profile current, gather reviews, and make location information clear.
Tourism and destination organizations sit in an interesting middle ground. People still search for travel inspiration and planning help, but they’re increasingly getting itinerary suggestions and destination comparisons from AI. Your content needs to be comprehensive and well-structured enough to be cited as the authoritative source, while your website becomes the place people land to verify details, check current information, and book. High-quality images, clear seasonal information, and practical details (opening hours, accessibility, pricing) matter more than ever.
Government and public sector face a specific challenge: information seekers are already getting basic answers from AI (“what are the opening hours for,” “how do I apply for,” “what forms do I need”). This is good—it reduces repetitive enquiries. But your website needs to be the authoritative source being cited, which means clear, up-to-date information in plain English. Complex processes still need your site for the actual transaction or application, so focus on making those paths as straightforward as possible.
Education and training providers are dealing with course seekers who ask AI for comparisons and recommendations (“best UX courses in Australia,” “online vs in-person learning”). Your site needs to clearly articulate what makes your programs different, show outcomes (graduate employment rates, industry partnerships), and make the enrollment process obvious. Generic marketing copy won’t cut it when someone’s comparing you against three other options in a single AI response.
Healthcare and professional services (medical, legal, financial) rely heavily on trust and credentials. People use AI for initial research (“symptoms of,” “when do I need a lawyer for”) but they’re looking for human expertise to actually help them. Your site needs to establish credibility fast—qualifications, experience, approach, and how to book. Long-form educational content still matters because people want to verify you know your stuff, but it needs to be genuinely useful, not SEO filler.
B2B and professional services face the biggest shift. Buyers arrive already informed about solutions and approaches. Volume content matters less than proof—case studies, clear methodologies, specific results.
E-commerce splits down the middle: commodity products (where price is the main factor) are under pressure because AI can show pricing without sending anyone to your site. Products requiring judgement, curation, or expertise remain more resilient, though purchasing may increasingly happen inside AI interfaces rather than on your own site.
Where to start if you’re feeling overwhelmed
You don’t need to fix everything at once. Here’s a practical way to think about priority:
This week:
- Check your conversion rate trend over the last 6 months
- Time how long it takes to find contact information on your site
- Look at your three most important service or product pages—do they immediately show proof and differentiation?
This month:
- Audit your top 10 landing pages for clarity and structure
- Review your contact form—can you cut it to 3-4 fields?
- Look at one piece of high-traffic content and rewrite it: clear headings, answer up front, lists not paragraphs
This quarter:
- Talk to your developer or agency about basic schema markup
- Create one genuinely comprehensive piece of content on a topic where you have real expertise
- Review your navigation—are you making people hunt for proof or next steps?
Within 6 months:
- Consider whether your site structure fundamentally reflects how people behave now
- Decide whether you need strategic updates or a proper redesign
- If redesigning, make sure discovery, decision-making, and conversion are front and center in the brief
Start with what’s quickest to change and has the biggest impact. Speed and clarity usually win over perfection.
To be frank..
There isn’t a neat playbook for this yet.
Even organisations often held up as examples describe the transition as messy and uncertain. Traffic recovery isn’t guaranteed because discovery itself has changed: https://searchengineland.com/nerdwallet-organic-search-visibility-challenges-447884
This isn’t something you fix with a plugin or a redesign alone.
In conclusion
Focus on what you can control.
Accept that some familiar metrics may decline while outcomes improve. It can be frustrating, especially in larger organisations, but it’s becoming increasingly normal.
The organisations adapting best aren’t chasing traffic for its own sake. They’re adjusting their sites and content to reflect how people behave in the new AI-world.
And yes, that takes some unlearning.