Independent businesses: have your online sales been affected by the rise of AI?

"We'd like to find out more about how your business has been affected by changes to online searches amid the rise of AI. Independent businesses have traditionally relied on online advertising for increased visibility and sales, even if they are based on the high street. However, with the introduction of AI mode and AI Overview summaries on Google, and the proliferation of LLMs such as ChatGPT or Google Gemini, people are altering their search habits, which may affect the online visibility of small businesses."

"With this in mind, we want to find out if there have been any changes to organic traffic to your business site or online sales in recent months. Are customers still able to discover your company online? Have you found new opportunities or have there been significant challenges? How is your business innovating to get seen online? Are you changing strategy?"

"You can tell us by using the form below or by messaging us. Your responses, which can be anonymous, are secure as the form is encrypted and only the Guardian has access to your contributions. We will only use the data you provide us for the purpose of the feature and we will delete any personal data when we no longer require it for this purpose. For alternative ways to get in touch securely please see our tips guide."

The rise of AI search features and large language models is changing how people search and find products online. Independent businesses that traditionally rely on online advertising and high-street visibility may face reduced organic traffic and difficulty being discovered. Information is being collected about recent changes to organic website traffic, online sales, and customer ability to find companies. Businesses are invited to report whether they have found new opportunities, experienced challenges, or changed marketing and visibility strategies. Responses can be submitted via an encrypted form or messaging, may be anonymous, and will be used only for the stated purpose with personal data deleted when no longer needed.

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