Page views are dropping.
Not just a little — in some communities, it’s a 30–40% decrease in traffic to key content. And it’s not because the content is poor or the audience has disappeared. It’s because search behavior is evolving…fast.
From Clicks to Instant Answers
Let’s rewind for a second.
For years, search behavior was relatively consistent:
- A user types in a question
- Search engines display a list of links
- The user clicks into one or more results
- They browse until they find an answer
Communities, especially those focused on support, how-to content, and niche insights, have thrived under this model. Each click was a potential new visitor, a future super-user, or at the very least, a new data point in our engagement metrics.
But with the rise of AI tools like Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) and ChatGPT, this cycle is breaking.
These tools now summarize answers directly in the search result. Instead of clicking through to a page, users are getting what they need in one screen. Efficient for them. Invisible for us.
Visual Snapshot: The Traffic Cliff
We’re seeing real-world consequences:
30–40% decrease in community traffic — especially for support, how-to, and niche insights.
“Google used to reward websites with a visit for every 2 pages it crawled. That ratio remained the same for 10 years. Six months ago, it changed from 2 to 18 pages (9x less). AI is MUCH worse: 1 visit for every 1500 pages it crawls.”
— Paul Slack
This isn’t a minor shift. It’s systemic.
Content Without Credit
The shift has been subtle, but the impact is sharp:
- Community content is still being used - but not credited
- Answers are delivered - but the page views are missing
- Support load may drop - but engagement metrics can look alarming
“Community content is getting used... but not credited. ...and not visited.”
— Heather Wendt, Higher Logic
This affects how we measure value, justify investment, and demonstrate impact.
So, What Now?
If AI search is giving people what they need faster — great. But if it’s bypassing the communities we’ve built to foster connection and expertise — we need to evolve.
Here’s where we go next:
- Rethink your success metrics: Go beyond pageviews.
- Create interaction-driven experiences: Discussions, programs, journeys.
- Emphasize member-driven value: Stories, trust, connection.
- Explore AI-friendly attribution techniques: Markup, structured content, brand reinforcement.
Let’s Crowdsource the Future
Now it’s your turn:
- Are you seeing drops in traffic or engagement?
- Are your community members finding answers outside your community?
- How are you adapting?
Share your experiences in this discussion thread or reach out directly.
Check out the original LinkedIn post here