What happens when no one clicks anymore | MarTech

"ChatGPT, Claude and Perplexity are giving users quick, direct answers without sending them to publisher sites. And if people stop clicking through, what happens to the ads, affiliate links and sponsorships that keep the web running? With Google and others doubling down on AI-driven results, the way people discover and engage with content is shifting fast. So what does that mean for marketers and publishers who've long relied on traffic and clicks? Let's break down what's happening now - and explore three ways this could play out next."

"AI's effect on the open web isn't hypothetical - it's already visible in the data. Google's advertising revenue continues to grow, reaching $348.15 billion in 2024, but the growth rate is slowing. Year-over-year gains fell to 13.9% between 2023 and 2024, down from 41.3% during the pandemic. Broader economic factors played a role, but the trend also reflects fewer clicks and Google's struggle to monetize AI-powered search features."

"Publishers are seeing even sharper declines. In September 2025, DMG Media reported an 89% drop in click-through rates, directly attributing it to AI Overviews as the cause. Zero-click searches now make up nearly 60% of Google's mobile queries and AI Overviews appear for roughly 30% of processed searches. Informational publishers are hit hardest, as their content is often summarized before users have a reason to visit their sites. The Guardian recently noted that sites previously ranked first can lose up to 79% of traffic when pushed below an AI Overview - a trend some outlets describe as a "traffic apocalypse.""

AI-driven search features deliver direct answers that reduce referrals to publisher sites, undermining ad, affiliate, and subscription revenue. Google's advertising revenue reached $348.15 billion in 2024, but growth slowed to 13.9% year-over-year, reflecting fewer clicks and challenges monetizing AI search features. Publishers report sharper declines: DMG Media recorded an 89% drop in click-through rates tied to AI Overviews. Zero-click searches account for nearly 60% of mobile queries and AI Overviews appear in roughly 30% of searches. Informational and paywalled publishers face acute traffic and subscription losses when content is summarized in search results.

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