Similarweb Finds 2.5x Traffic Lift from AI

New research from Similarweb suggests that when brands are recommended by AI tools such as ChatGPT, they are significantly more likely to receive visits to their websites in the days that follow. The findings indicate a clear link between AI-driven recommendations and increased user engagement through traditional search channels.

AI Recommendations and Rising Site Visits

According to the report, brands that appear in ChatGPT-generated suggestions are around 2.5 times more likely to attract a website visit within a seven-day period compared with those that are not recommended.

This suggests that AI tools may play an important role in shaping user behaviour, guiding people towards specific brands before they later confirm their interest through search engines.

How Users Arrive at Websites After AI Suggestions

The analysis tracked users who were exposed to brand recommendations in ChatGPT and then monitored whether they went on to visit those brands’ websites.

A key finding was that a large proportion of this traffic came through branded search queries. In fact, 55.9% of visits were driven by users searching directly for the brand name after seeing it recommended.

This pattern highlights how AI suggestions often act as an initial discovery point, which is then followed by a traditional search before users click through to a website.

Stronger Engagement From AI-Influenced Users

The report also found that users who arrived via an AI-influenced search journey tended to engage more deeply with websites.

On average, these visitors viewed around 12 pages per session and remained on-site for nearly 11.8 minutes. In comparison, users arriving through other channels viewed approximately 6.5 pages and spent about 5.6 minutes on site.

While these figures suggest a stronger level of engagement, the report makes clear that this represents correlation rather than direct causation.

The Role of Branded Search

One of the most notable insights from the data is the importance of branded search in the user journey.

Rather than clicking directly from AI tools, many users appear to re-search the brand in Google before visiting the website. This indicates that AI and search engines are working together within the discovery process rather than operating in isolation.

As a result, businesses may need to pay closer attention to how their brand appears in search results following AI-driven exposure.

Consistency Challenges in AI Recommendations

The findings also align with earlier research suggesting that AI-generated recommendations can vary significantly between identical search prompts.

This inconsistency makes it difficult for brands to rely solely on AI visibility as a stable source of traffic. Instead, exposure may fluctuate depending on how the AI system responds at any given time.

Why This Matters for SEO

The report reinforces the continued importance of SEO, particularly when it comes to branded search performance.

Even when AI tools influence discovery, users often still rely on search engines to validate and locate the official website.

This means that maintaining strong visibility for branded queries is essential, as it can determine whether users reach the intended website or instead end up on competitor pages, comparison sites or third-party listings.

Data Limitations and Future Research

It is important to note that the study is based on US desktop traffic only and focuses on sectors including finance, travel and beauty. Mobile behaviour and other industries were not included in the current dataset.

Similarweb has indicated that future research will expand into additional markets and platforms to provide a more complete view of how AI-driven discovery impacts user behaviour across devices and sectors.