Understanding Organic Traffic Variations and AI Impact

In the B2B world, digital visibility has never served a single purpose. Unlike consumer e-commerce, where traffic volume and immediate conversion tend to dominate, a B2B company’s online presence fulfills several strategic functions at once: building sector and expertise authority, strengthening brand positioning, generating trust, triggering inbound inquiries, nurturing warm or hot leads, carrying a coherent corporate storytelling, and increasingly, supporting employer branding and talent recruitment. Organic traffic, in this context, is not an end in itself, but one indicator within a much broader visibility ecosystem.

Since 2024–2025, however, many B2B companies have observed a decline or stagnation in organic traffic — sometimes without any significant loss of ranking, and sometimes even alongside rising impressions. This phenomenon is often interpreted as a SEO failure or the result of increased competition. Yet available data points to a deeper structural shift.

According to SparkToro, more than 58% of searches in the United States now result in zero clicks. Ahrefs reports a drop of over 60% in click-through rate for position one on queries triggering AI Overviews. In Europe, early data from Spain shows CTR declines ranging from 30% to 50% on non-branded informational queries. These figures do not indicate a loss of user interest, but rather a change in how information is accessed and consumed.

At the same time, Google has profoundly reshaped the structure of its SERPs. High-volume informational queries are increasingly resolved directly by AI-generated summaries, while transactional and local queries remain conversion-oriented. In B2B, this shift is amplified by the rapid adoption of conversational AI tools. Where decision-makers once performed multiple Google searches to refine their thinking, they now mature their decisions through chatbots, consult sources without necessarily clicking, compare companies via synthesized answers, and reach out directly to those that inspire confidence. Visible traffic declines, but decision-making activity does not disappear.

In this environment, evaluating B2B visibility solely through the lens of organic traffic has become insufficient — and in some cases, misleading. A company may lose visits while simultaneously gaining perceived authority, sector credibility, or recognition among international decision-makers. Conversely, attempting to preserve traffic volume at all costs, without understanding these shifts, often leads to poor budgetary decisions: over-investment in opportunistic SEO, increased dependence on platforms, or fragmented marketing efforts.

The purpose of this article is therefore to address a question that has become critical in 2025: why is organic traffic declining in France, Spain, and the United States — and how should these variations be interpreted to make better budgetary trade-offs? By examining changes in user behavior, Google’s evolving architecture, and the emerging AI-driven visibility economy, this analysis aims to clarify what these signals truly mean for B2B companies — not to “recover traffic at any cost”, but to decide where and how to invest, in line with real business objectives.

Branding, storytelling and expertise authority: understanding B2B visibility in the age of Google AI

In B2B, visibility serves multiple objectives beyond lead generation

In B2B environments, digital visibility has never been limited to lead generation alone. A company’s website simultaneously supports expertise authority, brand positioning, trust-building and long-term credibility. These objectives typically unfold over 3 different time horizons: short-term visibility, mid-term lead maturation and long-term brand authority. According to LinkedIn B2B Institute data, more than 67% of B2B buyers consume content passively before any direct interaction, and Gartner estimates that a buying committee involves an average of 6 to 10 stakeholders. In this context, organic traffic is not a goal in itself, but one signal among many in a broader decision-making ecosystem.

Declarative content and AI: fast understanding, fewer clicks

Branding and authority-driven B2B content is often declarative by nature: strategic positioning pages, sector analyses, expert viewpoints or methodological frameworks. These formats align closely with the semantic and intentional models used by Google and conversational AI systems. On queries such as “B2B digital strategy consulting Europe” or “international SEO strategy for B2B companies”, AI-generated summaries increasingly replace traditional exploration. Ahrefs reports a 60% drop in click-through rate on AI Overview queries, while SparkToro shows that 58% of searches now end without a click. In practice, this means that users gain understanding in 1 interaction instead of navigating 5 or 6 pages.

Instagram and YouTube as AI-compatible branding accelerators

For branding and storytelling objectives, visual and video platforms such as Instagram and YouTube have become strategic allies. These channels generate strong human engagement signals that search engines and AI systems increasingly factor into content evaluation. A study by Hootsuite shows that video-based B2B content increases retention by 54%, while Google’s own data indicates that pages supported by external engagement signals are crawled up to 3 times faster. In regulated contexts such as CSRD or sustainability reporting, localized video narratives adapted to 27 EU markets reinforce both territorial relevance and algorithmic credibility.

France-specific dynamics: a temporary window with higher requirements

France currently represents a specific case within Europe. AI Overviews are not yet fully deployed on Google.fr due to legal constraints, but usage of conversational AI is accelerating rapidly. In 2024, more than 42% of French professionals reported using ChatGPT or similar tools weekly, and this figure is expected to exceed 60% by 2026. This creates a short-term opportunity for French-language branding SEO, but only for companies with a strongly differentiated positioning. Visibility is no longer achieved by describing one’s services, but by answering precise business intentions such as “how to generate international B2B leads from France” or “marketing budget arbitration for export-oriented SMEs”.

Expertise authority is no longer measured by traffic alone

In this new visibility economy, expertise authority is less about traffic volume and more about clarity, coherence and reuse. Being accurately summarized by an AI, cited as a credible source, or clearly identified within 2 or 3 synthesized answers often has more impact than attracting thousands of visits. According to Edelman’s Trust Barometer, 63% of decision-makers trust expert content discovered indirectly, and McKinsey shows that trust-driven brands shorten sales cycles by 30% on average. The apparent decline in traffic therefore reflects a functional shift: from websites being explored to websites being understood — a decisive advantage in B2B environments where decisions are rarely impulsive and often collective.

Lead generation and market intelligence in foreign markets: aligning SEO strategy with regulatory and cultural realities

Market intelligence through strategic SEO in regulated environments

In foreign B2B markets, digital visibility is not only a lead-generation lever but also a powerful market intelligence tool. Strategic SEO allows companies to observe demand signals, regulatory constraints and sector-specific expectations before committing commercial resources. Through Search Console data, keyword impressions and query evolution, companies can identify which certifications, standards or compliance frameworks act as barriers or accelerators. In industrial sectors, more than 70% of B2B buyers report excluding suppliers at an early stage due to non-compliance with standards, while ISO-related queries represent over 40% of pre-selection searches in manufacturing. In practice, SEO-driven market intelligence reduces entry risk by 30% to 50% compared to purely outbound approaches.

Spain: presence, action and ESG-driven expectations

In Spain, B2B business culture is strongly oriented toward presence, responsiveness and action. Decision-makers expect suppliers to demonstrate operational readiness early in the relationship. This cultural trait is reinforced by regulatory and ESG expectations, particularly among large corporations. According to PwC Spain, more than 65% of large Spanish companies now integrate ESG criteria into supplier selection, and 3 out of 4 industrial tenders explicitly reference environmental or social commitments. SEO strategies targeting Spain must therefore combine sector authority with visible ESG alignment, using content that addresses certifications, sustainability metrics and operational compliance rather than abstract positioning alone.

Certifications as entry filters, not negotiation details

In many Spanish industrial sectors, certifications are not a differentiator but a minimum entry requirement. Standards such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001 or sector-specific certifications act as non-negotiable filters. Suppliers whose products or processes do not align with these frameworks are often excluded before any commercial discussion. Studies show that 60% of B2B procurement teams in Southern Europe eliminate non-certified suppliers within the first 2 evaluation stages. Strategic SEO content addressing certification readiness, compliance pathways and supplier alignment allows companies to position themselves upstream, even before formal tenders are published.

France: relationships, reflection and authority of expertise

France presents a markedly different dynamic. B2B relationships are built over time, through reflection, credibility and intellectual legitimacy. While certifications remain essential, they are not sufficient on their own. French decision-makers place strong emphasis on authority of expertise, sector knowledge and the ability to articulate complex issues. According to Bpifrance, 72% of French B2B buyers consult expert content before initiating contact, and sales cycles are on average 25% longer than in Spain. In this context, SEO strategies must prioritize thought leadership, regulatory interpretation and business reasoning rather than purely operational claims.

RSE, ESG and CSRD: cascading requirements across supply chains

Beyond national differences, European regulatory frameworks are reshaping B2B visibility requirements. The CSRD directive significantly expands reporting obligations for large companies, impacting more than 50,000 firms across Europe by 2026. These obligations cascade down supply chains, forcing upstream suppliers to demonstrate compliance on issues such as decarbonization, fair business practices and social responsibility. In France, where RSE frameworks differ structurally from Anglo-Saxon CSR models, suppliers must adapt both language and metrics. SEO content addressing supply chain decarbonization, ESG alignment and CSRD readiness becomes a dual lever: generating qualified leads while signaling compliance to procurement teams under increasing regulatory pressure.

From market intelligence to lead generation: coherence is the key variable

When SEO strategy is coherently defined, market intelligence and lead generation reinforce each other rather than compete. Search data reveals not only what prospects are looking for, but why they hesitate, compare or delay decisions. Companies that align their SEO content with regulatory realities and cultural expectations see conversion rates increase by 20% to 35%, while reducing wasted commercial effort. In Spain, this coherence accelerates entry through visible action and compliance; in France, it builds trust through structured reasoning and expertise. In both cases, SEO becomes less a traffic tool than a decision-enablement system for entering complex, regulated foreign markets.

Conclusion — Understanding SEO traffic loss in 2025 to redefine digital strategy by market and objective

The loss of organic traffic observed since 2024–2025 is not a technical anomaly, nor primarily the result of stronger competitors. It reflects a structural transformation of the digital visibility ecosystem driven by AI-powered search, evolving user behavior, and a redefinition of what “visibility” actually means. According to SparkToro, more than 58% of searches in the United States now end without a click, while Ahrefs reports CTR drops of 34% to 60% on queries triggering AI-generated answers. This is not a decline of SEO, but the end of a click-centric model.

At the algorithmic level, Google has fundamentally changed its role. Through AI Overviews and intent-based ranking, Google no longer acts as a gateway to content, but as a resolver of questions. Informational queries are increasingly answered directly in the SERP, while transactional and high-intent queries are tightly localized and dominated by established players. In parallel, Bing, powered by Microsoft Copilot, has accelerated this shift by integrating conversational search into decision-making workflows, especially in B2B contexts. As a result, traffic loss of 20% to 50% can occur even when rankings remain stable.

From a user behavior perspective, the change is equally decisive. Since 2023, mobile usage and platform-based discovery have overtaken classical search journeys. Grand public informational discovery now happens via Instagram, YouTube or AI chatbots, while Google is increasingly reserved for validation, comparison and transaction. In B2B, decision-makers no longer perform 5 to 10 sequential Google searches to mature a decision; instead, they iterate with AI assistants, consulting selected sources briefly, sometimes without clicking, sometimes with reading times under 30 seconds. Visibility is therefore fragmented across systems, not concentrated in a single channel.

These shifts impose a strategic redefinition of digital objectives. Visibility must now serve multiple functions simultaneously: building authority of expertise, feeding AI knowledge graphs, supporting brand trust, enabling market intelligence, and generating qualified leads when — and only when — intent is mature. Data shows that companies aligning content with intent structures rather than keywords improve lead quality by 25% to 40%, even with lower overall traffic. Conversely, opportunistic SEO strategies based on volume, generic content or keyword arbitrage have virtually 0% long-term survival probability in this ecosystem.

The consequence is clear: digital strategy can no longer be uniform across markets. In the United States and Spain, where AI Overviews are active, informational visibility is largely absorbed by AI systems, while transactional SERPs are highly competitive and closed. In France, where AI Overviews are not yet deployed, the window remains open — but only for highly differentiated, business-oriented authority content aligned with precise user intent. Across all markets, platforms, AI systems and search engines now learn from real usage signals, not from technical optimization alone.

In 2025 and beyond, the right question is no longer “How do I recover lost SEO traffic?”, but rather:
How do I design a digital ecosystem that aligns AI, search engines and human decision-making with my business objectives and target markets?
Those who answer this question strategically will not merely survive the transition — they will define the next standards of visibility.

Finally, one critical dimension is still underestimated by many organizations: AI systems and search engines are not neutral tools — they embody distinct user personas.

A user interacting with ChatGPT is typically in an exploratory or decision-maturation phase, seeking clarification, synthesis and reassurance, often before any commercial action.

By contrast, users of Claude tend to value long-form reasoning, ethical framing and nuanced argumentation, particularly in strategic, legal or institutional contexts.

Search engines like Brave or Ecosia attract users with strong values around privacy, sustainability or impact, which directly shapes their expectations, fears and trust thresholds. According to Similarweb data, over 65% of Brave users cite privacy as a primary motivation, while Ecosia reports that more than 70% of its audience is influenced by environmental considerations in brand perception. These differences matter. They mean that the same content, the same message, or the same SEO structure will not perform — nor be interpreted — in the same way across tools. In this new ecosystem, the tool itself clarifies the user’s intention, reveals their doubts, and signals their emotional and cognitive state. A coherent digital strategy must therefore align not only with markets and objectives, but also with the psychology of the environments where decisions are formed. Ignoring this layer is no longer a tactical oversight — it is a strategic blind spot.