AI visibility increases traffic and engagement
More traffic, more engagement
Why visibility in AI-generated answers pays off
AI recommendations often have an impact beyond the direct click. A Similarweb study shows that brands recommended by AI are 2.5 times more likely to receive a website visit than brands that were not recommended. 55.9 percent of AI-influenced visits come through search engines, while these users also engage much more deeply with the content on the websites they visit. This article shows what these findings mean for the customer journey, SEO, content, and performance measurement.
ChatGPT and other generative AI applications are changing the customer journey. People are increasingly using AI tools at an early stage to learn about products, services, and suitable providers. When brands are mentioned in the answers, their visibility increases and this can have a positive impact on how they are perceived.
Until now, it has been difficult to answer whether brand visibility in AI-generated answers also has a measurable effect on website performance.
A Similarweb study now provides an answer. The results show that AI visibility can have a positive effect on website visits and subsequent website usage. Companies recommended by AI therefore benefit not only from additional attention. The recommendation can also lead more users to visit the website and engage more deeply with the content offered there.
What does AI visibility mean?
We speak of AI visibility when a company, brand, product, or service appears in the response generated by an AI system. For example, a user might ask: Which digital agencies help companies implement a headless CMS? The AI then lists several providers and explains their services. For the companies mentioned, this creates a new touchpoint within the customer journey that can have an impact even without a direct click. Users may remember the company name, search for it later, and eventually visit the website.
AI recommendations increase the likelihood of a website visit
Similarweb examined the influence of AI recommendations on subsequent website visits. The key finding: brands recommended by AI were 2.5 times more likely to receive a website visit than brands that were not recommended. The results show a positive correlation between visibility in AI-generated answers and later website traffic, even when users do not immediately click on a link but visit the recommended brand at a later point in time. This is particularly relevant because a large share of these visits may not necessarily be identifiable as direct traffic from an AI application. Users can take in the recommendation and then continue their research through another channel. The impact of an AI recommendation therefore goes beyond directly measurable referral traffic. Even if web analytics show only a small number of direct visits from ChatGPT or other AI applications, the actual importance of AI visibility may be significantly greater.
Search bridges the gap between AI recommendations and website visits
According to Similarweb, 55.9 percent of website visits influenced by AI recommendations reach the respective website via search engines.
A possible customer journey could therefore look like this:
Question to an AI → recommendation of a company → later search for the company → visit to the website
In this case, AI creates the first point of contact with the brand. The search engine is then used to find further information or access the website of the recommended company.
In web analytics, this visit appears as search traffic. However, the previous contact via AI usually remains invisible in standard attribution models.
For companies, this is a positive development: AI visibility and traditional search engine optimization can complement each other. A recommendation in an AI-generated answer creates brand reach. A strong and convincing brand presence in the search results then guides the user to the website.
SEO therefore does not lose relevance through generative AI. Instead, an interplay emerges between AI recommendations, branded searches, and organic visibility.
AI-influenced users show higher engagement
Similarweb's findings are not limited to the number of website visits. User behavior on the website also differs. According to the study, visitors influenced by AI recommendations show roughly twice the level of engagement compared to other visitors.
This is understandable: users who visit a website after an AI recommendation have often already engaged with a specific topic. They are therefore pre-informed and are now looking for more detailed information.
On the website, they want to continue their research. For example, they check:
what services a company offers,
whether products meet their requirements,
what experience and expertise are available,
whether relevant references or use cases exist,
how the offering differs from competitors,
and how to get in touch.
AI recommendations can therefore help bring already interested users to the website. The decisive factor is then whether the information provided there confirms the user’s expectations, answers remaining questions, and reinforces the initial positive impression. This should also be taken into account in content strategy.
AI visibility creates additional customer touchpoints
Purchase and contact decisions rarely result from a single website visit. Users gather information across different platforms, compare offers, and return to a company through various channels. Generative AI adds another touchpoint to this customer journey. Similarweb’s findings show that a recommendation within an AI application should not be viewed in isolation. It can serve as the starting point for further interactions and generate additional demand. For marketing managers, this means that visibility in AI applications should not be evaluated solely based on directly measurable clicks. Changes in branded searches, organic traffic, and user engagement can also provide important indicators of the impact of AI recommendations, even if a direct connection is difficult to measure and prove.
Evaluate AI visibility alongside other key metrics
The positive impact of AI recommendations cannot always be identified through a single channel report. A cross-channel view is therefore recommended.
For example, companies can monitor how the following metrics develop:
direct visits from AI applications,
mentions in relevant AI-generated answers,
branded search queries,
organic website traffic,
page views and time on site,
returning visitors,
leads and other conversions.
It will not always be possible to clearly attribute every individual website visit. However, analyzing these different signals together can show whether increasing AI visibility correlates with higher demand and stronger user engagement.
Website and search results must confirm the recommendation
Visibility in AI-generated answers is an important first step. The user experience that follows ultimately determines whether that attention turns into deeper engagement or a conversion.
For example, when users search for a brand that was previously recommended by an AI, the search results should present a clear and consistent picture. Once they visit the website, the journey should reinforce the information they have already received while providing the next level of detail.
This includes, for example:
meaningful service pages,
clearly structured product information,
detailed answers to potential user questions,
concrete references and use cases,
clearly identifiable contacts,
and obvious ways to get in touch.
The better the content aligns with users' expectations, the more likely the higher engagement observed by Similarweb is to translate into a tangible conversion, such as a contact request.
Conclusion: AI visibility strengthens your entire digital presence
The findings from Similarweb show that visibility in generative AI applications offers benefits beyond increased brand awareness. Brands recommended by AI are searched for more frequently. A large share of these influenced users then reach the corresponding websites via search engines, where they engage more deeply with the available content. We help our clients systematically increase their visibility in AI applications. We analyze how companies and their services are represented in AI-generated answers, identify relevant optimization opportunities, and create high-quality content that addresses both users' information needs and the requirements of modern search engines and AI systems. Get in touch to find out how we can help.
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