Will AI end the 'traffic era' for news sites?
What's the story
A recent report from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism has revealed that media companies are bracing for a major decline in web traffic over the next three years. The shift is largely attributed to AI summaries and chatbots, which are changing how consumers interact with online content. The study surveyed 280 media leaders across 51 countries and found that many fear search engine referrals could fall by as much as 43% in this period.
Traffic decline
AI's impact on news site traffic
The report highlights a global decline of one-third in search traffic to news sites over the past year. This trend is largely due to the rise of AI overviews and chatbots, as well as changes in search algorithms that have long been crucial for media companies. Google search has seen a 33% drop globally, according to data from Chartbeat covering more than 2,500 news sites.
Content impact
AI's influence on content categories
The decline in search traffic has hit lifestyle, celebrity, and travel content harder than current affairs and news outlets. This is because publications that do live reporting as well as current affairs are more insulated from AI summaries. In the US alone, Google's AI Overviews already appear at the top of around 10% of search results and are quickly expanding to other regions.
Referral growth
Role in media site referrals
While referrals to media websites from ChatGPT are on the rise, they are still considered "little more than a rounding error," by the report. Nic Newman, a senior research associate at the institute, said that this decline marks the end of an era for online publishers. He added that it remains unclear what will come next in this changing landscape.
Business transition
Publishers shift toward subscription models
The report also notes a shift away from relying solely on web traffic for hits. More companies are now adopting subscription models, allowing them to build direct relationships with their audience. This change indicates a growing recognition among media companies of the need to adapt their business strategies in response to changing consumer behavior and technological advancements.
Platform investment
Media companies invest in digital platforms
The Reuters Institute report also highlights a rush among media companies to invest in digital platforms like YouTube and TikTok. This comes as short-form video usage continues to grow. A majority of the media managers surveyed (75%) said they would be encouraging their staff to adopt creator-like behavior in 2026, with half planning partnerships with creators for content distribution.