Visits (traffic) – What does this value truly represent?

Website visitors were once one of the most reliable indicators of online marketing success. More visits, especially organic visits, traditionally meant that a site was ranking well and attracting potential new leads. However, today, “traffic” or what traffic represents has changed significantly. Below are three key reasons for the change;

  • Today, platforms like Google’s AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google’s AI Mode enable users to obtain detailed answers directly on the search page, often without needing to click through to a website. You’ve probably experienced this yourself in recent times, typing a question into Google and seeing an AI-generated summary right at the top (AI Overview) that gives you everything you need. That’s a classic example of a zero-click search, when users find what they’re looking for without leaving the search result page.
  • Also consider that tools like ChatGPT or Perplexity also have built-in search features, which users are increasingly using. These platforms, even if all of them are combined, will never surpass Google’s market share, but even if 10% of the users who used to search on Google are now using an AI platform as a search engine, it means that users who want to find out more can ask a follow-up question. This means users can complete their research, compare options, and discover service providers without needing to visit any websites. As a result, while traffic though has some relevance, it’s no longer the key measure of online success or visibility.
  • At the same time, online listings, profiles, and business directories, such as Google Business and Healthgrades, can outrank a website in search results. Then the listings attract their own visitors (who would otherwise go to the website), and when they’re properly set up and optimized, they can help convert those visitors into potential new leads for your practice. In some cases, even AI-generated responses draw information directly from the listings or profiles that the Ekwa teams built and optimized for you, and they are listed as a source instead of the website. So, when a user clicks one of those sources, the visit is attributed to that listing or profile, not to the website. What all of that means is that since Google Analytics can only track traffic that comes directly to your site, this report can only show visits to your website. While we would love to include stats from even these profiles and listings, it’s important to note that most of these third-party platforms do not offer standardized reports, which means that if we were to take a decision and gather data from even 50% of these external listings and profiles, it would take our teams more time to compile a month end report than implement marketing activities that can generate results in terms of ROI, not forgetting that some directories, listings, and profiles don’t provide any data at all. Thus, it’s nearly impossible to highlight their stats in your monthly reports.

Basically, the website alone is not the only source where a user can visit to learn more about you or your practice. In today’s world, users can learn more about you from within the search result page itself, from ChatGPT, or by visiting a profile or listing. The need to visit a website is far less, which ultimately means that using traffic as an indicator of growth has lost its significance.

So is website traffic irrelevant? Why report it? What possible value does it have today? Not at all, but focusing on the growing number of visitors and using website traffic as a growth indicator or a success factor in terms of online marketing is the wrong approach. Today, the limited traffic that is about getting traffic is far more intent-driven. In other words, users who take that extra step to visit your site are genuinely interested in you and your practice. They’re often at the stage of comparing service providers or are ready to make a final decision. This website should be optimized to convert as many visitors as it gets.

However, the larger picture is to make your practice visible across both traditional search and AI-driven platforms. Broader visibility may not always translate into higher website visit numbers (as highlighted above, the reason people visit a website to find out more about you is far less than it was in the past), however, broader visibility impacts what matters most: higher ROI.

Recommended further reading

  • In your month-end report, refer to the “Website Engagement” page to find out what people are doing once they reach your website.

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