How does a 92-94% reduction in external clicks sound?
That’s the stark reality of Google’s AI Mode for informational queries, according to a brilliant new meta-analysis from Growth Memo. A huge hat tip to Kevin Indig and Amanda Johnson for synthesizing 10 different studies to give us a clear picture of what’s happening. If you’re in SEO, publishing, or marketing, this is need-to-know info.
The data is clear: informational clicks have all but vanished. Multiple studies confirm that 92-94% of AI Mode sessions for queries (like “what is…”) result in zero external clicks. Traffic decline for this top-of-funnel content is simply the new reality.
The only significant exception is shopping. Clicks aren’t dead everywhere. Clicks are now almost purely transactional, with high-intent shopping or booking queries producing click-out rates near 100%. Users research within the AI summary, then click out to buy.
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For now, user adoption is slow, but Google is pushing it hard. An iPullRank study showed only 2-5% of users tried AI Mode, with many bouncing after one use. It doesn’t have product-market fit … yet. But Google’s intent is clear. It’s also crucial to distinguish AI Mode from AI Overviews (AIOs). AIOs are inline “fact sheets,” whereas AI Mode is a separate, chat-based panel where users spend twice as much time and the AI pulls from significantly more sources (an average of 12.6 vs ~3 for AIOs).
So if the clicks are gone, what’s the point?
Branding.
The new KPI is brand influence. Studies show users spend significant time (60-100 seconds) reading the AI answers. In this new model, “visibility” replaces the click. Being cited, even without a click, builds brand recall, transfers authority, and influences future decisions. It’s a branding channel, not a traffic one.
The strategic implication is clear: we have to evolve our metrics. The goal is shifting from winning the click to winning the mention.
This research crystallises what many in the industry have been feeling: the ground is fundamentally shifting under our feet. While the data on vanishing informational clicks is stark, it doesn’t spell the end of SEO. Instead, it signals a dramatic raising of the stakes.
My advice to brands and publishers is that the fundamentals of good digital strategy: making great, original, authoritative, human-written content, don’t just apply anymore; they are the only things that will save you.
This new reality demands a ruthless focus on what AI cannot replicate. This means prioritising expert curation (“Best Of” lists, in-depth reviews), deep dives for complex long-tail queries, and purchase-intent content that requires genuine human “craft” and a unique editorial voice. An AI can summarise 10 products, but it can’t build a trusted opinion over years or actually try or use a product, restaurant or service physically (at least not yet).
The author Scott Purcell
This is why building a brand is the ultimate defence, which is good for any business. When clicks evaporate, trust is the only currency left. Publishers must double down on brand authority and loyalty. This authority is built not just through your own newsletters and channels, but by earning mentions and citations within other trusted, authoritative publications, especially those recognised for their human-led, expert-driven content. These are the very E-E-A-T (Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) signals AI models are trained to find, which in turn builds the preference that makes users actively select you as a trusted source.
This also means diversifying your traffic sources to lower dependency on any single platform. If Google is becoming a walled garden, it’s time to invest seriously in other channels: premium trusted publisher content, short-form video, native content, newsletters, social search on Tiktok and Youtube, podcasts, and building genuine community engagement through live events.
Finally, we have to change how we measure success. We must shift our KPIs from pure clicks to influence and visibility. Being cited in an AI answer, even without a click, is a massive branding win. It treats the SERP as a distribution layer that influences future direct visits. Start tracking your “AI Visibility” and monitoring how AI portrays your brand. The goal is no longer just to get traffic, but to convert the traffic you do get into an owned audience you can speak to directly.
A version of this column originally appeared as a Linkedin post. Scott Purcell is co-founder of Man of Many.
