But what if no one clicks anymore?

This is a cliché you’ve heard before: the internet is changing – as it has, in one way or another, since its inception. What makes this change different from previous, often invisible changes is that it now affects all of us in a tangible way: fewer and fewer internet users are actually visiting websites.

The reason, in short, is AI and the use of artificial intelligence for information retrieval. ChatGPT, Google’s AI Overview, and similar tools now provide direct answers without the user ever needing to leave the AI interface. For users, this is convenient and speeds up the search process. But what does this mean for companies trying to get their message across, showcase their products, or control the narrative of their brand?

In fact – do websites even matter anymore?

The short answer: Yes – but their role is changing radically.

We’ve long been taught that search engine optimization, good content creation, and user-friendly websites generate traffic that converts into customers. But now, a new reality is shaking up this model:

• LLMs (Large Language Models), like ChatGPT and Gemini, do extract information from websites, but rarely direct users to them.
• Google’s AI Overview provides answers right at the top of search results. Sources may be mentioned, but few users actually click them.
• Information is “compressed”: people no longer search for articles – they search for answers – quickly, concisely, and in context.

This shift is so fundamental that some experts are already calling it the beginning of a new era in online behavior: an AI-curated, AI-aggregated web – the so-called zero-click web.

Websites are not going away – but their role is evolving. Where websites were once built solely for people, they must now also serve machines – particularly AI.

Now is a good time to reconsider the purpose of your website. If basic surface-level information can be retrieved directly from AI responses, your site must offer some kind of value that language models cannot easily replicate. Generic, business-card-style sites may soon become irrelevant, meaning companies could lose one of the key communication channels they fully control.

As always, when something as fundamental as Google search and SEO changes, there are winners and losers. How can you take control in this new landscape and make sure you are among the winners? Start here:

• Make your website a go-to-source for AI
  Turn your site into a resource that answers questions, explains concepts, and serves as a reliable source – even in the eyes of AI. Websites don’t just need to attract human visitors anymore, they need to be included in AI answers. This requires:
• clear, reliable, and structured content
• technical soundness (e.g., schema markup)
• content that’s referenced (and linked) from elsewhere
• From Content Hub to Credible Source
  Create content that others want to quote, share, and reference. This increases your website’s “weight” in the eyes of AI. When AI tools cite sources, your company’s site can become the trusted destination that curious users eventually visit.
• From Web to a Web of Influence
  Build presence in the places AI gathers its data from: Wikipedia, Reddit, YouTube, social media, open databases, and more. But remember: only your own website remains a fully controllable, centralized source of truth. It’s still the best place to build trust, showcase references, and convert interest into action.