ChatGPT recommendations drive more brand website visits: Study

Customers who noticed a model advisable by ChatGPT had been more likely to go to that model’s web site inside per week, in response to Similarweb.

What occurred. Customers had been 2.5 instances extra possible, on common, to go to an AI-recommended model than a direct competitor, based mostly on Similarweb’s research of U.S. desktop conduct throughout finance, journey, and sweetness.

• Similarweb tracked customers who requested ChatGPT industry-relevant questions, obtained a particular model advice, after which visited both that model’s web site or a competitor’s web site inside seven days.
• The research excluded customers who had visited the model’s web site within the prior 4 weeks or named the model of their immediate.

Suggestions shifted visitors. The sample appeared throughout all three industries:

• Finance: After an American Specific advice, 7.2% of customers visited American Specific, in contrast with 3.1% who visited Capital One. After a Capital One advice, 14.2% visited Capital One, in contrast with 3.8% who visited American Specific.
• Journey: After a Skyscanner advice, 9.5% visited Skyscanner, in contrast with 7.6% who visited Kayak. After a Kayak advice, 12% visited Kayak, in contrast with 3.4% who visited Skyscanner.
• Magnificence: After a Sephora advice, 7.9% visited Sephora, in contrast with 3.3% who visited Ulta. After an Ulta advice, 7.6% visited Ulta, in contrast with 4.6% who visited Sephora.

AI demand confirmed up in search. Most AI-influenced visits didn’t seem as AI referral visitors. ChatGPT could affect model alternative, however the later go to typically seems in analytics as search visitors.

• 55.9% of AI-influenced visits got here by means of search, in contrast with 40.4% of non-AI-influenced visits, Similarweb discovered.
• Direct visitors accounted for 19.9% of AI-influenced visits, in contrast with 38.8% of normal visits.

Advisable customers stayed longer. AI-influenced guests additionally engaged extra deeply as soon as they reached a model’s web site. They seen 12 pages and spent 11.8 minutes on web site, on common, in contrast with 6.5 pages and 5.6 minutes for non-AI-influenced guests. These customers possible arrived after narrowing their choices through the AI dialog, Similarweb stated.

Why we care. AI visibility can drive visits even when referral reviews miss the supply of affect. You must know whether or not ChatGPT is creating demand on your model or sending it to a competitor.

Concerning the information. Similarweb used its opted-in U.S. desktop net panel to trace person journeys from July by means of December 2025. The report centered on finance, journey, and sweetness model pairs with aggressive overlap.

The report. The Downstream Impact of AI Visibility (registration required)