Can AI traffic become a major channel for websites?
This case study says ‘Yes’.
When AI search tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity started shaping how people find answers, many industries were left wondering: Could we actually capture meaningful traffic from these platforms?
Research shows that consumers increasingly use generative AI tools to understand complex, high-consideration topics such as insurance, where clarity, comparisons, and explanations matter more than browsing multiple links.
For our insurance sector client, we decided to test it.
With strategic content and technical SEO optimisations designed specifically for AI discoverability, we unlocked steady, measurable growth in users, engagement, and conversion-driving actions.
The results..
AI Traffic Growth (Jan 1 – May 28, 2025):
- 1,815 total users from AI sources
- 287.9% growth from top AI source (chat.openai.com)
- 405.5% increase in tracked key events (engagement/conversion signals)
- Significant gains across all key landing pages
Early enterprise studies indicate that users arriving from AI-assisted search often show higher task completion and conversion intent, despite lower overall session volume, compared to traditional organic traffic.
The strategies
Here’s how we made the most of AI-generated traffic:
A. Updated Research Process
- Audience-first approach: Focused on customer pain points and unique selling propositions (USPs) before touching keyword research.
- Topic cluster development: Mapped out content gaps and built clusters on high-opportunity themes.
- Expanded competitor analysis: Included ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini responses, not just traditional competitors.
- Conversion priority: Prioritised bottom-funnel content that drives leads, not just traffic.
McKinsey notes that in regulated industries like insurance, customer-centric content aligned to real decision questions outperforms keyword-driven content, especially as AI systems prioritise usefulness over volume.
B. AI Readability Enhancements
- Key takeaways sections: Added concise summaries for better AI snippet extraction.
- FAQ integration: Implemented structured Q&A for common insurance questions.
- Inverted pyramid structure: Organised content “answer-first” for maximum clarity.
Google has confirmed that its AI-powered systems rely on clear structure, concise summaries, and well-formatted Q&A content to confidently surface pages in AI-generated results.
C. Technical SEO for AI
- Schema markup implementation: Deployed structured data on all product and service pages.
- Header structure fixes: Improved H1–H6 hierarchy for logical flow.
- Image optimisation: Added alt text to product and explainer images.
- Bot accessibility: Updated robots.txt to ensure AI crawlers can access important pages.
D. AI Traffic Monitoring
- Dedicated tracking setup: Monitored traffic specifically from AI tools.
- User behaviour analysis: Assessed conversion patterns from AI-originating users.
- Feedback loop: Used these insights to guide future content planning and adjustments.
AI platforms are no longer a side channel; they are a rising part of the search landscape. Industry forecasts suggest that AI-assisted search will increasingly act as a decision gateway rather than a referral engine, rewarding brands that design content for understanding and action, not just visibility.
By proactively adapting content, technical SEO, and tracking to fit the AI search ecosystem, our client didn’t just wait for traffic; they positioned themselves to capture it.
The result? A growing stream of qualified users who are finding their solutions directly through the next generation of search.
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