The internet's 'traffic era' is coming to an end. The shift towards AI search summaries and chatbots is causing a massive decline in web traffic for news sites worldwide, according to a new report from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism.
Publishers are bracing themselves for a 43% drop in search engine referrals over the next three years. In fact, web traffic has already plummeted by a third globally last year alone, with lifestyle and celebrity content being disproportionately affected. On the other hand, current affairs and news outlets seem more protected from AI summaries.
Google's AI-powered search results are becoming increasingly prevalent, appearing at the top of 10% of search results in the US and rapidly spreading to other countries. ChatGPT referrals are on the rise, but they remain a relatively minor contributor compared to AI overviews.
The end of the 'traffic era' signals a significant shift for online publishers. Many are now embracing subscription models that give them direct relationships with their audiences, rather than relying solely on clicks and hits.
In response, media companies are investing in platforms like YouTube and TikTok, where short-form video content is booming. Journalists are being encouraged to adopt the content creator culture of these platforms, with three-quarters of media managers planning to train their staff to behave more like creators by 2026.
As a result, Downing Street is exploring ways to tap into social media, seeking to connect with Gen Z and bypass traditional media outlets. Influencers like Mother Pukka, Cameron Smith, and Abi Foster have already been given access to senior ministers, highlighting the growing importance of online personalities in shaping public discourse.
The implications are clear: AI search summaries and chatbots are changing the way we consume news, and publishers must adapt quickly to survive. As one expert noted, "Great storytelling – and a human touch – is going to be hard for AI to replicate."
Publishers are bracing themselves for a 43% drop in search engine referrals over the next three years. In fact, web traffic has already plummeted by a third globally last year alone, with lifestyle and celebrity content being disproportionately affected. On the other hand, current affairs and news outlets seem more protected from AI summaries.
Google's AI-powered search results are becoming increasingly prevalent, appearing at the top of 10% of search results in the US and rapidly spreading to other countries. ChatGPT referrals are on the rise, but they remain a relatively minor contributor compared to AI overviews.
The end of the 'traffic era' signals a significant shift for online publishers. Many are now embracing subscription models that give them direct relationships with their audiences, rather than relying solely on clicks and hits.
In response, media companies are investing in platforms like YouTube and TikTok, where short-form video content is booming. Journalists are being encouraged to adopt the content creator culture of these platforms, with three-quarters of media managers planning to train their staff to behave more like creators by 2026.
As a result, Downing Street is exploring ways to tap into social media, seeking to connect with Gen Z and bypass traditional media outlets. Influencers like Mother Pukka, Cameron Smith, and Abi Foster have already been given access to senior ministers, highlighting the growing importance of online personalities in shaping public discourse.
The implications are clear: AI search summaries and chatbots are changing the way we consume news, and publishers must adapt quickly to survive. As one expert noted, "Great storytelling – and a human touch – is going to be hard for AI to replicate."
they r already losin like 1/3 of their traffic lol its getting worse and they dont no what 2 do 
publishers gotta get smart and switch 2 them subscription models or get left behind 
but on a more serious note, i think its kinda cool that media co's r investin in youtube & tiktok now 
those platforms r all about short-form vids and they r blowin up rn 
anyway, lets see if these publishers can pull it off or if the AI search summaries r gonna kill em once and 4 all 
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. Short-form video content is where it's at right now, and if you can make a killer video, you'll be golden 
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. Like, who wants to watch some robot summarize news when you could have a real person telling you a story? 
It's gonna be interesting to see how this all plays out, but at least we'll have some cool new platforms to keep us entertained 
. I mean, have you seen the state of online news lately? It's all just clickbait and fluffy stuff. Nobody wants to sift through reams of info like they used to. Now, with AI search summaries and chatbots, people can get a quick rundown of what's going on without having to bother reading the whole article 
They're basically shaping public discourse now! It's wild how fast this is all happening. By 2026, media managers are going to be trained to behave like content creators? That's just around the corner 
. I mean, web traffic has already taken a massive hit last year and it's only gonna get worse. But at the same time, I think this shift towards AI search summaries and chatbots is kinda liberating for us consumers. We can finally have more tailored info on our feeds without all that noise from clickbait sites.
. We gotta support our local journalists and creators who are still doing it the old-fashioned way. Can't we find a way to coexist with AI and social media while preserving the heart and soul of news? 
. now we're seeing a shift in how people consume news and that's gonna be a game changer for publishers. they gotta start valuing those human connections more, you know? not just clicks and hits anymore. it's like, what does it mean to be seen and heard in this digital age 
. But you know what's not gonna die? Current affairs and news outlets. Those guys are like the last bastion of journalism 
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. I mean, I get it, AI search summaries are convenient and all that jazz... but come on! Can't we just have a simple human search result for once? 
. It's gonna be interesting to see how journalists adapt to this new landscape.
. Mother Pukka, Cameron Smith, and Abi Foster are already making waves... and now they're getting access to senior ministers? That's like a whole new level of weird 
. Either way, it's gonna be interesting to see how this all plays out.
This traffic era is literally coming to an end, and it's crazy to see how fast news sites are getting pwned by AI search summaries and chatbots. 43% drop in search engine referrals? That's huge! 
. It makes sense, tho. Who wants to read AI-generated gossip when you can get the real tea from a human journalist?
I've been seeing so many creators killin' the game on these platforms.
. But one thing's for sure - great storytelling with a human touch is what we need in this new AI-dominated world 
