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AI search sends little traffic, but citations still matter

Semrush says AI traffic rose 66% in 2025 but stayed below 0.15% of visits. Here’s how to track citations and improve visibility in ChatGPT and rivals.

Image: ZDNET

AI traffic grew 66% in 2025, according to Semrush, but it still made up less than 0.15% of total website visits. That gap is the core problem for publishers and site owners: users are increasingly getting answers inside ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google Gemini without ever clicking through to the source.

That does not mean traditional SEO is dead. The ZDNET piece argues that familiar signals such as backlinks, site authority, performance, and quality content still matter, but AI search systems weigh them differently. In many cases, tools favor content that answers a question clearly and immediately, even if it comes from a site without top-tier domain authority.

ZDNET notes that citations still have value because they can keep a brand visible even when they do not generate direct traffic. The outlet also disclosed that Ziff Davis, ZDNET’s parent company, filed an April 2025 lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging copyright infringement in the training and operation of its AI systems.

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How to check whether AI tools cite your site

The simplest method is manual: ask 10 to 15 questions in ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Google AI Mode that your content should rank for, then track which sites get cited and how often.

Other options mentioned by ZDNET include:

  • Free tools such as HubSpot’s AEO Grader for a quick snapshot
  • Google Analytics referral filtering for sources like chatgpt.com, perplexity.ai, and gemini.google.com
  • Paid platforms such as Semrush One and Otterly.AI, with entry plans starting at $29/month

Tactics that can improve AI citations

ZDNET cites a study from Princeton, Georgia Tech, and the Allen Institute for AI, presented at the 2024 KDD Conference. Testing nine visibility tactics across 10,000 search queries, the researchers reported gains of up to 40%.

The recommendations highlighted in the article include:

  • Check that robots.txt is not blocking crawlers such as GPTBot, OAI-SearchBot, PerplexityBot, ClaudeBot, and Google-Extended
  • Write sections that begin with a self-contained opening sentence before adding context
  • Use specific numbers and sources to strengthen credibility
  • Consider adding an llms.txt file at the root of your site, a low-cost experiment proposed by Answer.AI’s Jeremy Howard, though ZDNET notes it has not been corroborated by any major AI companies or AEO platforms
  • Build presence beyond your site on platforms such as YouTube and Reddit, since LLMs often draw from multiple sources

ZDNET’s bottom line is straightforward: the fundamentals of useful, informative content have not changed, but AI search rewards content that is easier for models to extract, verify, and cite.

Maya Lindqvist

Culture Editor

Maya explores gaming, streaming, and the internet as a place where people actually live. From deep-dives into creator economies to the anthropology of digital communities, she tracks platform drama and cultural shifts so you don't have to. She believes the best tech stories are fundamentally about human behavior.

via ZDNET

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