Why is my website traffic down?

If I had a penny for every time I've been asked this question in the last few months…  

It felt irresponsible not to answer the question more broadly. There are always brand-specific reasons that this can be attributed to, but there's also an important factor that won’t surprise you. It’s AI.  

But seeing the data and knowing you need to report on it is always a surprise, especially when you're still reporting the same old metrics. Sure, message pull through, share of voice, link clicks, and media coverage all still matter. But what about your brand’s perception by AI?

From global life sciences companies to those focused on energy efficiency, one thing is clear: the data has changed because the success metrics have changed.  

For one energy company we work with, who responded quickly to the recommendations in the Greenough Communications’ Marka+ AI Benchmark report last year, the result was remarkable: Between 20-45% improvements in the brand perception on AI platforms when it comes to company descriptions and differentiators against competitors.  

This is important because it is sitting next to a website traffic metric that is down and a press release link metric that is one-third of what it was in H1 2024. What’s next on our objectives is having the company served up in AI returns as the leading option when it comes to energy efficiency, solar and more. Marka+ AI is on the case and the CCO is motivated and ready to talk about what has changed and is equipped with answers about the budding success with AI to back them up.

However, before we do a full victory lap, there's still more work to be done, and what's happening continues to change daily. Just last week, Instagram expanded Google access to public posts to more regions. We're all navigating the same challenges and looking for the same workarounds to ensure the arrows in our dashboard stay green and point UP!  

For those looking at the down arrows and stressing about what they’ll say in the next measurement meeting, let’s take a step back and survey what’s happening.

So, why is my traffic down?

Here's the real reason: it's not just SEO algorithm shifts or "seasonal trends," it's the rise of AI-powered search and content summarization. Platforms like Google AI Mode, Perplexity, and ChatGPT Search are answering user queries right on the results page, pulling key insights, product info, and even reviews from brand websites without anyone needing to click through. AI-driven summaries scrape and condense your content, meaning users get what they want before they ever land on your site. That means fewer clicks, less owned traffic, and much harder attribution.  

Moreover, we’re seeing press release distribution as some of the most sourced references in AI returns according to this peer-reviewed study that analyzed over 500,000 corporate press releases from January 2022 to September 2024. The researchers found that up to 24% of corporate press release text appeared to be generated or modified by LLMs. Another report by Profound cited review sites like G2, Reddit, and, of course, Wikipedia as leading sources.

So, in other words, if press release distribution networks are now embedding AI-ready metadata and structured formats to boost visibility in generative AI platforms, and nearly a quarter of all corporate releases are now rewritten by LLMs, readers are not clicking on your release, they're consuming and getting all they need from AI.

Media outlets are getting in the game, too.

We can’t underestimate the traffic and ad performance impact of the following shifts in reporting.

• AI in Search & Discovery: Media outlets are optimizing content for AI-powered search to ensure their stories surface in AI summaries and voice assistants. For example, in April 2025, The Washington Post signed a strategic collaboration with OpenAI so that its journalism can be directly surfaced in ChatGPT search responses. Under this deal, ChatGPT shows summaries, quotes, and links to original Post articles in its answers, ensuring readers can discover and engage with the Post content via AI tools rather than traditional URLs.  

• TL;DR Mode On: According to Nieman Lab, in June 2025, major publishers like The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, and Yahoo News are deploying AI at the top of articles to generate bullet‑point summaries or “Key Points,” helping readers get to the point in seconds. Editors still oversee the output, ensuring accuracy and transparency…but the AI summaries have arrived, nonetheless. It’s hard to click the links in an article that readers aren’t fully reading.

• Automated Reporting Roll Call: AI is being used to write basic news stories (e.g., earnings reports, sports scores, weather updates) at speed and scale faster than any human newsroom. The most prominent example of this is the Associated Press. The AP announced a collaboration with Automated Insights and Zacks Investment Research to automatically publish over 3,000 corporate earnings stories per quarter, which is nearly a 10× increase compared to the past 300 manually produced pieces. Whoa. So, a brand’s news is now a commodity. It’s widely available and disconnected from a brand’s owned channels. Great.

• Content Personalization Moves from Retail to Media: News sites are now deploying AI algorithms to recommend stories tailored to each reader’s interests, behavior, and even location, maximizing engagement and time on site. The BBC’s new Growth, Innovation & AI department is targeted at engaging younger users on smartphones and TikTok-style platforms. This may drive longer session times, higher engagement, and repeat visits for the BBC, but brands will find less traffic going to their owned properties for deeper storytelling. They’re getting all they need inside the media app.

• Curiosity is No Longer Targeting the Cat: AI fact-checking and research has been around for some time, like Reuters partnership with Lynx Insights, but when you combine this shift – which single handedly reduced the “curious click” – with the ones above, discovery is becoming too targeted for traffic patterns to keep at the same pace.

• Deep Fakes Will Result in Big Trouble: We are also seeing some synthetic media where they are experimenting with AI-generated images, deepfake video for explainer content, and even chatbot-based “newsrooms” for user Q&A. Otherwise, TIME’s Person of the Year nod last year wouldn’t have felt so on the nose. However, this kind of discovery without a destination is also going to be a potshot at a brand's website traffic…and potentially credibility. Looking at you, Grok.

What should brands do now?

As you can see, AI is transforming how media is created and consumed, driving efficiency, speed, and reach, but it’s also changing how stories get discovered AND who gets credit for them. Right now, when thinking about your performance metrics, it’s time to diversify your focus to not just driving traffic but also driving meaningful engagement, wherever your audience is discovering you.

• Double down on high-value, unique content that goes beyond what AI can summarize.  

• Strengthen your brand everywhere. Consider diversifying your social channels, creating unique partnerships that still are a clear fit for your brand, producing engaging video content, hosting custom events, and exploring other opportunities. Think experiential since brand awareness and trust matter more than raw web sessions.  

• Make your website the “source of truth” with data, insights, and community value that AI tools can’t fully capture or replicate.

In the words of Natasha Bedingfield, the rest is still unwritten…

Watch this space!

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