Winners and Losers in the Post-Google World
With AI-powered answer engines gaining dominance, the old search paradigm is unraveling. By 2026, traditional search engine traffic is expected to decline by 25%, disrupting not just Google’s business model but also an entire ecosystem of companies reliant on search-driven traffic, advertising, and customer acquisition.
First-Order Effects: SEO Tools are Toast
As search declines, businesses tied to search-based discovery and traffic monetization face irrelevance unless they can adapt.
1. SEO and Analytics Tools
- SEMrush and Ahrefs: Once essential for keyword research and traffic analysis, these platforms must pivot toward "Answer Engine Optimization" (AEO), focusing on structured data markup and authority-based ranking rather than traditional keyword tracking.
- Moz: With traditional SEO metrics losing relevance, companies specializing in domain authority and backlink strategies must rethink their value propositions.
2. Website Infrastructure and CMS Providers
- WordPress Plugins (Yoast SEO): With generative AI reducing keyword-driven search intent, tools designed to optimize blog content for search engines may see declining demand.
- Web Hosting Companies (GoDaddy, Bluehost): As websites see declining traffic, hosting services will need to offer new value propositions beyond traditional website SEO.
3. Customer Support and Knowledge Bases
- Zendesk: AI-powered chatbots are now resolving customer queries instantly, reducing reliance on external knowledge bases.
- Intercom: AI agents are synthesizing responses from multiple documentation sources, minimizing the need for standalone FAQ and support ticketing solutions.
Second-Order Effects: Companies Losing the SEO War
AI-generated answers are replacing the need to click through to websites. As a result, companies built on SEO-dependent growth are experiencing traffic collapses, lead declines, and revenue erosion. Some of the hardest-hit industries include SaaS platforms, content publishers, and digital advertising firms.
1. SEO-Dependent SaaS Platforms
- ClickUp: Lost 50% of its organic search traffic in 2024 as AI-generated summaries provided direct answers to productivity-related queries.
- HubSpot: Inbound marketing tools may become obsolete as 72% of users now get answers directly from AI, bypassing traditional blog-based lead generation.
- ZoomInfo: With AI tools like Gemini synthesizing B2B contact data instantly, platforms dependent on search-driven lead discovery are losing relevance.
2. Content Monetization Platforms
- BuzzFeed: Once a digital media powerhouse, BuzzFeed's tutorial-driven ad impressions have shrunk by 42% in key verticals like health and finance due to AI content aggregation.
- The Motley Fool: Investment and stock analysis sites are being displaced as AI-generated market summaries eliminate the need for traditional analyst reports.
- Reddit and Quora: While user-generated content platforms previously thrived on search queries leading to discussions, AI-generated responses are cutting into their traffic and ad revenues.
3. Digital Advertising Networks
- Google Ads Users (Salesforce, Shopify, etc.): Companies using Google Ads are seeing diminishing returns. Salesforce experienced a 21.6% drop in lead quality due to AI-driven click reductions.
- Taboola/Outbrain: Native ad networks reliant on referrals from search traffic face existential threats as fewer users navigate beyond AI-generated answers.
Third-Order Effects: Broader Ecosystem Reconfigurations
Beyond immediate revenue losses, the rise of AI-powered search is reshaping how businesses approach digital visibility, content distribution, and customer acquisition.
1. The Rise of Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)
As AI-generated responses replace traditional search results, companies must optimize content to be referenced by AI models rather than ranking in search engines. This means:
- Structured data and schema markup will become critical to AI citation and visibility.
- Multimodal content (text, video, and authoritative sources) will gain preference in AI responses.
- Real-time updates will help mitigate AI hallucinations and ensure content is featured in response generation.
2. A Shift to Alternative Discovery Channels
With search traffic declining, companies must diversify how they reach customers:
- TikTok and Instagram are becoming product discovery engines for Gen Z and Millennials, forcing brands to shift from search-optimized blogs to short-form video content.
- Amazon Ads is expected to capture 25% of the search ad market by 2026 as more product searches start directly on e-commerce platforms.
- AI-driven marketplaces like Perplexity and Anthropic are emerging as new digital discovery hubs, presenting new content distribution challenges.
Winners and Losers in the AI Search Revolution
Category | Losers | Winners |
SEO-Dependent SaaS | ClickUp, HubSpot, ZoomInfo | Notion (integrated AI assistants) |
Content Platforms | BuzzFeed, The Motley Fool | TikTok, Perplexity AI |
Search-Adjacent SaaS | SEMrush, Moz, Zendesk | OpenAI, Anthropic (enterprise AI solutions) |
Ad Networks | Taboola, Outbrain | Amazon Ads, TikTok Shop |
Web Infrastructure | WordPress SEO plugins | AI-powered website builders |
What Businesses Should Do Next
1. Prioritize AI Citation and Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)
- Structure content for E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness).
- Implement schema markup and structured data strategies for AI ingestion.
- Shift from SEO blogging to AI-relevant authority-building (e.g., expert interviews, peer-reviewed sources).
2. Diversify Customer Acquisition Channels
- Invest in TikTok and Instagram for product discovery.
- Explore AI-powered marketplaces like Perplexity.
- Shift ad budgets toward Amazon Ads and direct B2B outreach.
3. Develop AI-Integrated Products
- Embed AI into customer support workflows (e.g., AI-generated FAQs).
- Build proprietary AI-enhanced search experiences for on-platform discovery.
- Automate lead generation via AI-driven tools.
A New Era of Digital Discovery
Businesses must rethink visibility, content strategy, and user acquisition. Companies clinging to outdated SEO-driven models risk obsolescence, while those embracing AI-native strategies, multimodal content, and alternative discovery channels stand to thrive.
The era of “Googling” is ending. The era of “ChatGPT-ing” has begun!