While many in publishing are seeing firsthand the benefits of AI tools for their day-to-day work, let’s not forget the even-bigger-picture benefits that AI is creating, particularly when it comes to what publishers consider the more-important bottom lines.
New research from Clutch found that AI search and chatbots, for instance, have positively impacted revenue for 6 in 10 SMBs, with brand visibility being the primary benefit of allowing AI crawlers for search.
“Consumers are increasingly encountering brands first through AI-generated content instead of traditional search engines,” writes Clutch’s Hannah Hicklen, referring to Semrush research that ChatGPT totaled more than 5.2 billion visits in July. “If your competitors are being featured in AI search results, but you are not, they become the first option customers see. Over time, that visibility translates into greater trust, brand awareness, and sales opportunities.”
The biggest AI-search benefits outside of revenue were an increase in leads (for 44%), website traffic (for 42%), inquiries (for 34%), and brand mentions (for 21%).
(Source: Clutch)
Some did see a negative impact — web traffic down for 21% and leads down for 15%, for instance — but as more attention is being paid, so too are attitudes about AI crawlers, which nearly three-quarters (73%) are planning on reconsidering their policy about in the coming year.
“This highlights the fact that many leaders remain undecided about how best to balance the risks and rewards of allowing crawlers access,” writes Hicklen. “The next 12 months are likely to be a testing ground, where companies experiment with different approaches to find the right balance between protection, discoverability, and revenue generation.”
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