Search is shifting in ways that go beyond traditional rankings.
Answer engines like Google’s AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini are becoming part of everyday search journeys, changing how people search and what they trust.
Up to 38% of users now read AI-generated summaries, while 36% skip them for traditional results, per YouGov.
It’s still early days, and not everyone has shifted behavior – but usage is already high.
We may not be in full disruption mode, but we’re well past the novelty phase. And just as Blockbuster underestimated Netflix, many brands risk underestimating this shift.
The danger? Becoming invisible in the customer journey – and invisible in the moments that shape decisions.
Here’s what’s changing, why human behavior is driving it, and what your brand must do to stay visible.
The rise of answer engines: A shift in discovery
Traditional search engines show you results.
You would ask a question, and get 10 blue links, maybe a featured snippet, and then it would be on you to go find the answer.
Answer engines work differently.
They scan the web, synthesize information, and give you the answer, all in one go.
As users, we’re not just finding content anymore. We’re being told the answer.
UK users increasingly view these tools as “like having a knowledgeable friend” or “quicker than trawling pages of blog posts,” according to our Q2 2025 SearchPulse report.
The implications are huge:
Fewer pages, fewer clicks: That old SEO joke about Page 2 being the best place to hide a dead body has never been truer. With AI answers improving in quality and trust, users rarely need to look beyond the first results.
Consolidated sources: A query that used to send traffic to five sites now results in a single response, pulling from multiple sources, and you’re either cited or you’re not.
Dig deeper: How to evolve your organic approach for the rise of answer engines
The behavioral science view: Why people search differently now
This isn’t just a tech story. This is a human behavior story.
When interfaces change, behavior shifts. And right now, we’re seeing three major behavioral nudges reshape search.
Cognitive ease
When an answer appears directly, humans take the path of least resistance.
The effort to explore and evaluate multiple options drops dramatically, especially if the first answer feels credible.
Trust shortcuts
We’re anchored to the first plausible answer we see.
Known as the primacy effect, this bias means brands that are first in an AI-generated answer have a disproportionate share of influence, regardless of whether they ranked first in traditional search.
Audience trust is still fragile, though, and is something we will see develop over time.
Query shaping
We’re learning to be better “prompt engineers.”
Generative tools reward more detailed, nuanced questions, prompting users to type fuller, more contextual queries. This further changes the content formats that perform well.
Using a real-world analogy, it’s like we’re moving from browsing a library to asking a librarian who has the index in their head.
And as any behavioral scientist will tell you, when the path is easier and feels trustworthy, humans will follow this route.
The business risk of invisibility
Let’s be blunt: if your brand isn’t showing up in answer engines, you aren’t in the decision room.
Being left out of AI-generated summaries means:
You lose visibility, even if you’re ranking well in traditional search.
You’re replaced by competitors who have nailed contextual authority.
You miss the opportunity to shape the narrative in your space.
There are already case studies showing the impact.
Consider a high-profile case: MailOnline.
Even when ranking in Position 1, the click-through rate (CTR) dropped dramatically when AI Overviews appeared.
On desktop, CTR fell from ~13 % to under 5%.
On mobile, from ~20 % to 7%.
On one query, driving 6,000 clicks, AI Overviews reduced it to just 100. That’s not a hypothetical risk, it’s happening now.
If search is important in how customers find your business, and this isn’t on your business risk register and being talked about at board level, it should be.
A human-first strategy to stay visible
Some of the playbook remains the same, but how you apply it needs to change.
To earn a place in answer engines, content must be:
Contextual: It needs to answer multi-part, conversational questions.
Credible: Authority signals like data, third-party validation, and named authors are non-negotiable.
Conversational: Reflect the language of how people ask, not how we optimize.
These are the priorities that will help your brand stay visible in AI-driven search.
Authority signaling
Answer engines favor sources humans already trust.
Use stats, quotes, research, and expert commentary. Demonstrate that you’re the safe answer.
Narrative positioning
Own key ideas in your industry. Don’t just talk about your product, talk about the future of your space.
Be the voice the engine wants to quote. Digital PR has never been more important, but it is less about links and more about context and authority.
Question-first content
Structure content around natural questions. Tools like AlsoAsked and Google’s People Also Ask can help, but real user conversations are gold.
Trust triggers
Include reviews, testimonials, and real results, especially those hosted on third-party platforms.
Show the humans behind the brand
Personal brand matters. AI tools pick up on authorship, leadership visibility, and employee advocacy.
Who you are matters more than ever. The people behind the business need to be visible.
Dig deeper: From search to answer engines: How to optimize for the next era of discovery
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The importance of knowing your audience
We are on a change curve.
Right now, the use of answer engines sits firmly in the early adopter phase, but adoption is climbing.
Understanding who your audience is and where they are on that curve is key for brands deciding when and how to pivot their content strategies.
Our SearchPulse Q2 2025 report highlights two factors strongly influencing usage: age and vocation.
Why age matters
Younger audiences are clearly leading adoption.
The report says that digital-native users between 18 and 34 are significantly more likely to use answer engines regularly, with usage declining steadily among older demographics.
While the habit is still forming for many, for the younger age groups, it’s just part of how they get information now, which means if you’re trying to reach this audience, visibility in answer engines is already critical.
A person’s profession matters
It’s not just age – a person’s profession also influences adoption.
People in digital-first industries like tech, marketing, and media are adopting answer engines much faster than those in other sectors.
This isn’t surprising, since they’re more comfortable with new technology.
This adds another layer to audience segmentation, particularly for B2B marketers: it’s not just who they are but where they work that shapes how they search.
This is a key insight for B2B and B2C brands alike: profession can trump age in some cases.
A 45-year-old working in tech is likely more immersed in answer engines than a 25-year-old in hospitality.
Understanding the intersection of age and industry will help marketers prioritize where to invest now – and where to monitor for coming shifts.
What this means for your strategy
Segment your audience: Age, industry, and intent all matter. A one-size-fits-all approach to answer engine strategy will fail.
Tailor your timing: For some segments, the shift is already here. For others, it’s emerging. Your investment and messaging need to reflect that.
Plan for acceleration: Change is coming fast. By 2026, many of today’s late adopters will be mainstream users.
Knowing your audience is a competitive advantage.
Dig deeper: Search, answer, and assistive engine optimization: A 3-part approach
Measuring and monitoring: New KPIs for a new era
This shift isn’t just qualitative. You can (and must) measure it.
Traditional rankings won’t tell the full story.
New metrics to track
Citation frequency in AI responses.
Brand mentions in answer summaries.
Share of answer visibility vs. competitors.
Early tools are emerging, but they remain costly compared to traditional SEO monitoring – and still evolving.
My advice?
Start with low-commitment options as the landscape matures. You don’t want to be tied into a tool that doesn’t keep up with AI development.
AI search is driving zero-click behavior to new heights.
Only 6-8% of users click external links from AI Mode answers, per Semrush.
This means 92-94% of those queries result in no clicks at all.
As traffic data shifts, new metrics will be essential to justify and plan your digital strategy.
Making the business case
For businesses that rely on organic traffic, the cost of inaction could be severe.
This isn’t about chasing quick wins or short-term ROI. It’s about making a long-term shift in behavior a priority.
AI search isn’t slowing down. It’s accelerating and reshaping discovery.
Acting today still gives many the chance to outpace competitors, but it often has to be framed as an insurance policy for the future.
You may not have every data point, competitor benchmark, or ROI forecast, so the case for change rests on painting a clear vision for the future of discovery.
You’ll need to invest:
New tools for tracking and auditing.
Content development and reformatting to suit AI context needs.
Time spent mapping customer journeys that now include answer engines.
The ROI is worth it.
Early adopters will own key answer space.
Strong answer visibility = stronger trust = higher conversion over time.
You’re not just visible, you’re the voice of the answer.
Dig deeper: 12 new KPIs for the generative AI search era
From finding to trusting
Search is no longer just about being found. It’s about being trusted. And that trust is being built by tools that answer, not list.
The brands shaping the answers today will own the conversations tomorrow.
Now is the time to:
Audit your visibility in answer engines.
Adapt your content to human‑first, question‑led formats.
Rethink your metrics and budget. This is an additional investment, not a reallocation.
Bring this into your boardroom. This isn’t an SEO problem – it’s a business risk.
In the age of answers, invisibility is fatal. The time to secure your space – and your budget – is now, before someone else answers for you.