AI Search Clicks Favour Local Domains

A new report suggests that AI-driven search results are often sending users to local websites rather than global brands, particularly in markets outside the United States.

Digital marketing expert Aleyda Solis analysed around 87 million AI search visits across ten different markets, using data from Similarweb. Her findings show that a large share of clicks generated from AI-powered search results tend to go to locally relevant domains instead of major international platforms.

The research focused on what is described as the “click-producing layer” — the stage where users click on links or citations within AI-generated answers. Across more than 57,000 domain and market combinations, the data revealed that local sites often outperform or closely compete with global brands when it comes to attracting clicks.

This challenges the common assumption that large, well-known platforms will automatically dominate AI search visibility. Instead, the results suggest that relevance and local usefulness play a more important role than brand size alone.

Local relevance drives visibility

In many non-US markets, local platforms appear to have an advantage because they provide more specific or practical information. For example, regional ecommerce and travel sites often rank higher because they hold detailed data that AI systems rely on to generate accurate responses.

The findings indicate that AI search is not simply favouring the biggest brands, but rather those that can deliver the most useful and context-specific answers for a given location. This means that local infrastructure, such as transport data or regional product availability, can significantly influence which sites receive traffic.

Performance varies by industry

The report also highlights clear differences between sectors. In ecommerce, a small number of large platforms still dominate a significant share of clicks, with just a handful of sites accounting for around half of all traffic.

In contrast, the finance sector is less concentrated, with a wider range of domains sharing visibility. Meanwhile, travel is the most fragmented category, where clicks are spread across a large number of websites depending on the type of query and location.

This variation suggests that there is no single pattern across all industries. Instead, the distribution of AI search traffic depends heavily on the type of service being offered and how information is structured within each sector.

Growth is not consistent

Although overall AI search traffic is growing, the report shows that performance is uneven. While some domains are seeing strong increases in visibility, others are experiencing declines from month to month.

In several markets, a notable proportion of top-performing domains actually lost traffic over the same period. This indicates that rankings and visibility within AI search results are still highly fluid, with positions changing regularly rather than remaining stable.

The analysis also points out that short-term spikes in traffic can sometimes distort the overall picture. Sudden increases may not always reflect long-term trends, making it important to assess performance over time rather than relying on a single snapshot.

What this means for businesses

For brands operating across multiple countries, the findings suggest that competitors in AI search may differ from those seen in traditional SEO. A business that performs well globally may still struggle in certain regions if it lacks strong local relevance or data.

The key takeaway is that success in AI search is increasingly tied to the ability to provide structured, accurate, and location-specific information. This could include product availability, transport details, pricing, or other practical data that helps answer user queries effectively.

Businesses may need to rethink their strategy by focusing more on localised content and ensuring their data is accessible and useful for AI systems.

Looking ahead

The report highlights three important areas for brands to monitor: visibility within AI-generated answers, the ability to attract clicks from those answers, and control over customer relationships through their own domains.

As AI search continues to evolve, the balance between global and local players may shift further. Ongoing analysis will be needed to understand whether the current trend towards local domains remains consistent over time.

For now, the findings make it clear that being locally relevant is becoming just as important as being globally recognised in the age of AI-driven search.