For many businesses, their website is a shopfront. But losing 140 million visits in one year? That’s what happened to HubSpot, thanks to AI.

The company provides tools for sales, marketing and customer service to B2B firms. Like others, it's been hit by the shift from traditional search engines to AI-driven ones, which now offer quick answers without clicks. This means a 60% to 70% lower click-through rate on searches with AI overviews.

Enter answer engine optimisation (AEO), or generative engine optimisation (GEO). This involves crafting content in natural language that aligns with the questions people might ask, rather than just keywords. HubSpot now uses small chunks of content that can be easily extracted by AI tools. The motorhome rental example shows how deep and specific the content needs to be—covering everything from local animal sightings to holiday plans for families.

Companies like Spice Kitchen are rethinking their approach. Ann Lowe, head of PR at Spice Kitchen, explains they’re building a dedicated section of their site on the spice trade history, aiming to hit AI search bots and present themselves as experts.

The shift is clear: businesses must adapt or risk losing visibility. As digital director Andy Pickup at MKM Building Supplies notes, fewer people are visiting websites for answers when AI can provide them instantly. He’s working to ensure that when people do need expert help, they come to his stores instead of just checking off a list online.