In its latest report, Gartner, a technological research and consulting firm, forecasts a 25% decline in traditional search engine volume by 2026. This decline is attributed to the increasing prevalence of chatbots and virtual agents, posing challenges for search marketing.
Artificial intelligence (AI), particularly Generative AI (GenAI), is driving down the cost of content production significantly, affecting keyword strategy and website domain authority scoring, as outlined by Gartner.
“Organic and paid search remain critical channels for tech marketers aiming to achieve awareness and demand generation objectives,” said Alan Antin, VP Analyst at Gartner. “GenAI solutions are emerging as alternative answer engines, displacing user queries that were previously handled by traditional search engines.”
READ:
Gartner projects shipments of AI-enabled devices to reach 295 million units in 2024
Hyperautomation to drive low-code development market in 2023 — Gartner
Antin highlighted that these shifts will compel companies to reassess their marketing channel strategies as GenAI integration becomes more pervasive across all aspects of business operations.
AI authentication
Still, search engine algorithms will increasingly prioritize content quality to counterbalance the influx of AI-generated content, emphasizing the importance of content utility and quality for organic search success.
There will be a heightened emphasis on watermarking and other methods to authenticate high-value content. Global governmental regulations are already holding companies accountable, mandating the identification of AI-generated marketing content assets. This is anticipated to influence how search engines present digital content.
“Companies will need to focus on producing unique content useful to customers and prospective customers,” said Antin. “Content should continue to demonstrate search quality-rater elements such as expertise, experience, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness.”