One of the most disruptive forces we’ve encountered in recent years is generative AI, particularly in how it’s reshaping the way people access information online.
For years, businesses have relied on content marketing to attract clicks, driving potential customers to their websites and sales funnels.
But with the rise of AI-powered tools that can generate answers instantly, are those coveted clicks in jeopardy?
The Shift to Instant Information
In the past, if someone wanted to learn more about a product, service, or any topic, they’d typically perform a search and click through to blogs, articles, or company websites for detailed information.
These interactions were valuable—both for businesses generating leads and for consumers who found useful content.
Enter generative AI models like ChatGPT, Google’s Bard, and others.
These AI tools can now provide precise, concise answers directly within search engines or chat interfaces.
Instead of clicking on a blog post or a product page, users can get the information they need instantly without ever leaving the platform.
The result? The middleman—the website click—is increasingly bypassed.
Gartner predicts: “By 2026, traditional search engine volume will drop 25%, with search marketing losing market share to AI chatbots and other virtual agents.”
Why Content Clicks Are Declining
Generative AI pulls from a wealth of information to craft responses to user queries.
If a potential customer asks, “What are the benefits of using cloud ERP systems?” they no longer need to scroll through multiple search engine results and decide which link to click.
AI provides a comprehensive answer in seconds, pulling from the very content companies have worked hard to optimize.
For example:
A search for "best time management tips" may provide an entire list of strategies from multiple sources, giving users a curated response without ever needing to click through to a website.
A question about "how to install a ceiling fan" may be answered by AI in a detailed, step-by-step guide that’s compiled from various DIY websites, but the user never visits those sites.
This shift means that fewer people are clicking through to blogs, white papers, or landing pages.
The information is still getting to the user—but they’re not landing on your site, where your calls-to-action, lead forms, or further content could convert them into paying customers.
In short, AI is offering information for free—and users don’t need to click to get it.
The Implications for Marketing Content
For companies that rely heavily on content marketing, this trend may feel like a threat. After all, the traditional funnel—attract, engage, convert—heavily depends on driving traffic to your digital assets.
So, what can marketers do in this new reality?
1. Focus on Deeper, Expert-Level Content
While AI is great at delivering surface-level information, it struggles with niche expertise and deep industry insights. To stay relevant, businesses need to invest in creating highly specific, expert-driven content that AI can't easily replicate.
For example, instead of publishing generic “Top 10 ERP Tips” posts, a manufacturing ERP provider could create case studies showcasing complex implementation challenges that AI-generated content can’t address.
These insights offer deep value to niche audiences who need more than basic answers.
2. Prioritize Content That AI Can’t Deliver
AI pulls from existing content to generate answers, but it can’t create experiential, personalized, or highly creative material.
Content that tells stories, highlights customer case studies, or showcases innovative solutions can be an edge over AI.
For instance, consider a video series on customer success stories that dives into how a business has transformed using a specific product.
The personal touch and emotional engagement AI cannot replicate can still draw people to your site or social channels.
3. Leverage AI to Your Advantage
Instead of seeing AI as competition, embrace it.
Many AI tools can enhance your own content creation process, helping you create high-quality, SEO-optimized material faster.
You can also use AI to analyze data, refine targeting, and personalize marketing efforts more effectively.
For example, AI can help marketers generate blog post ideas, headlines, or even entire articles.
This allows companies to focus more on creative strategy while letting AI handle some of the content-heavy lifting.
4. Optimize for AI and Search Engines
Even if fewer people are clicking, your content still needs to rank well in search engines and appear in AI responses.
This requires a strategic approach to SEO, including crafting snippets and featured answers that provide value directly in the search result but encourage the user to learn more.
For example, in the SEO world, featured snippets have become the holy grail of search results.
Content structured to answer questions quickly and effectively can still draw a click-through, especially if it teases additional in-depth information that AI might not provide upfront.
Phrases like “Want more in-depth insights?” can drive AI users to click through to your site for additional content.
5. Create Interactive and Engaging Experiences
If basic informational content isn’t driving clicks, what will?
Interactive content like calculators, quizzes, and assessments can engage users and encourage them to visit your site for personalized results. AI can give generic answers, but interactive tools provide a tailored experience that people are more likely to engage with.
For example, instead of just listing “ways to improve cash flow,” a website could offer a cash flow health calculator where users input their own numbers and get personalized insights.
AI can’t offer this kind of interactivity and personal relevance yet, so such tools provide an extra incentive for users to visit your site.
Clicks Aren’t the Only Metric
I suggest that clicks are just one metric for measuring content marketing success.
As the digital landscape shifts, businesses will need to evolve how they measure engagement and conversions.
Instead of focusing solely on website visits, consider other key performance indicators (KPIs) like brand awareness, customer sentiment, social engagement, and direct inquiries.
It’s also worth noting that while generative AI may reduce clicks on certain types of content, it also creates opportunities.
People who are introduced to your brand via AI-generated answers may still seek you out later when they’re ready to engage more deeply, as long as you’ve established yourself as a credible source of information.
Conclusion: Navigating the New Marketing Reality
Yes, generative AI is impacting traditional content marketing strategies by decreasing clicks, but that doesn’t mean it’s the end of digital marketing as we know it.
By adapting to this new reality—creating high-value content, focusing on deep expertise, and embracing interactive experiences—businesses can continue to thrive.
Marketers will need to be more creative, adaptive, and strategic than ever before. While clicks may decline, the opportunity to build relationships, establish thought leadership, and drive business results will continue to evolve.
About the author:
Diane Saeger is the CEO of Marketeery, a full-service marketing agency that uses marketing science to convert prospects to customers for high-tech companies.
She leads a professional team that can deliver marketing strategies and content that persuade and convert visitors to customers with compelling words, designs, and SEO.
You can find Diane on LinkedIn.
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