After wrapping my head around how Google is using AI in search, the next question hit me pretty quickly: okay, but what does this mean for my sites? Not in theory. In practice. Especially if you’re running something small and traffic actually matters to you.
I don’t have a media brand or a massive team. I’ve got a couple of niche sites that used to do “fine” and then didn’t. So when AI answers started showing up more often, I went from looking at them as a curiosity to starting seeing them as a variable I had to factor in.
Some pages are more exposed than others
One thing that became clear fast is that not every page is equally affected. Pages built around quick answers or single-step questions feel the most fragile right now.
I noticed this while reviewing older posts, the ones answering very direct questions. They’re useful, but they’re also easy for Google to summarise. That’s where AI steps in first.
Pages that involve comparison, opinion, or experience seem to hold up better. Google still needs humans there. At least for now.
Fewer clicks doesn’t always mean less value
This part took a proper mental adjustment. Seeing impressions rise while clicks stay flat (at best) is frustrating. It feels like losing ground.
But I had to admit something. When I’m meal prepping and Google gives me a clear answer right away, I don’t click either. That doesn’t mean the source didn’t help. It just means the interaction changed.
For site owners, that means visibility isn’t always tied to traffic in the old way. It’s uncomfortable, but it’s real.
Trust signals matter more than ever
AI doesn’t invent information out of nowhere. It pulls from what Google already trusts.
That’s made us internet marketers rethink how we write. Less filler. More clarity. More personal context where it makes sense. Pages that feel grounded tend to age better.
This isn’t about chasing features. It’s about being the kind of source Google feels safe summarising or linking to.
Small sites aren’t out, but they can’t be generic
If there’s one hard truth I’ve accepted, it’s this: small sites don’t get a free pass anymore. Being “good enough” isn’t enough.
What still works is specificity. Real experience and a very clear perspective. If your page feels interchangeable, AI makes it easy to skip.
That’s not a reason to quit (even though many site owners already have!). It’s a reason to be sharper about what you publish and why.
Where I’m ending up with all this
I’m not rewriting everything overnight. I’m watching patterns. I’m testing. I’m paying attention to which pages still get engagement and which ones quietly fade away.
Google’s AI shift doesn’t mean small sites are done. It means the margin for being vague is gone.
If you’re in the same spot, rebuilding, questioning, trying to stay realistic, you’re certainly not alone. Post your observations, thoughts and questions in the replies below.
Let’s all figure this out together … one page at a time!
-Cheers! Rohan