How AI Is Reshaping Search – And What Manufacturers Must Do Now

Until recently, traffic from AI Overviews, i.e., clicks from search summaries, citations, and AI answers, was miscategorized in Google Analytics 4 (GA4) as direct or referral traffic.

Now, as of June 1, 2025, that traffic is finally being properly attributed to organic search. This reclassification validates what many marketers have suspected: AI is already driving meaningful traffic and leads; now we can prove it.

For manufacturers, this means you can now clearly see how AI-powered search is impacting your inbound inquiries and RFQs. If your product pages and technical content are optimized for AI visibility, you’re more likely to capture high-intent buyers and specifiers earlier in their journey.

Over 60% of searches now result in zero clicks. Users conduct 3+ searches on average before engaging. Click-throughs are rarer and more valuable than ever.

This behavior shift is a direct result of AI Overviews. Your content must be structured to show up within the AI response itself. Without AI optimization, you’re invisible.

Google Is Losing Its Grip, And That’s a Big Deal

According to recent estimates, Google’s search engine market share has dipped below 90% for the first time in decades. Users are starting searches directly inside AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude.ai, and Gemini.

Users like these tools because they make search activity so much faster and more efficient by delivering synthesized answers. If your content isn’t optimized for AI parsing, or you’re not showing up in reputable citations, it’s akin to installing a neon sign deep in the woods – nobody will see it!

But despite the growing popularity of AI tools, recent earnings suggest that Google isn’t fading – it’s adapting. In Q2 2025, Google reported a 14% revenue increase, driven largely by AI-powered features like AI Overviews in Search and strong performance in Google Cloud, as reported in a recent article in The Wall Street Journal. Rather than cannibalizing its core business, AI is actually helping Google drive more engagement and revenue, reinforcing its dominance even as the search landscape evolves.

AI SEO for Manufacturing Marketers – Time is of the Essence

AI optimization of digital content isn’t just a tech trend. If you are a manufacturer who relies on complex sales cycles, technical buyers, and high-value leads, AI optimization is mission-critical.

Key steps to get started right away

• Create content that matches how AI tools think: AI-driven platforms don’t just scan for keywords; they also analyze intent, context, and structured responses. Produce content that clearly answers questions, explains technical specs in plain language, and aligns with how AI interprets user queries.
• Implement llms.txt: Adding an llms.txt file to your site helps large language models (LLMs) understand what content they can safely use for AI-generated summaries. This gives your manufacturing business greater control over how your expertise is presented in AI Overviews and voice searches, ensuring the right information reaches potential buyers. Note: While llms.txt improves transparency, AI tools may still reference or learn from publicly available content.
• Build author bios and thought leadership: Search engines and AI SEO tools prioritize content backed by credible, human experts. You can build trust within the industrial user community by showcasing engineers, quality specialists, and product managers as authoritative voices through well-crafted bios and bylines.
• Use structured data: Structured data (schema markup) helps AI and search engines understand the specifics of your content, whether it’s technical documentation, product specs, or CAD files. As a manufacturing company, this can increase the visibility of your key product attributes and certifications in AI-generated answers.
• Get off-site credibility: Mentions, backlinks, and reviews from reputable industry sites, trade publications, and supplier directories strengthen your domain’s authority. This tells AI systems that your manufacturing business is a trusted source, increasing your chances of being referenced in summaries and answer boxes.
• Format for fast value (TikTokification): All buyers, even technical users, want efficiency. It helps to make key information scannable and digestible in seconds. Break up your digital content with bullet points, visuals, and clear subheadings so AI (and humans) can extract meaningful value quickly without scrolling through jargon-heavy text.

What’s the Difference Between AI SEO and Traditional SEO?

Traditional SEO focuses on keywords, meta descriptions, and link building. AI SEO focuses on semantic relevance, authority signals, and fast, high-value answers. The important thing to note is that it isn’t an either/or situation. You need a good balance of both.

Together, these approaches form a modern content optimization strategy that spans traditional search and emerging AI SEO discovery platforms.

Tools and Reporting: What to Track

You can measure AI optimization impact using tools like SEMrush, SimilarWeb, and SERP APIs. Include estimated paid value of AI visibility and citation tracking in monthly reporting.

AI Optimization Is Urgent, and It’s Not Optional

AI is reshaping how people find, trust, and act on information. In your field of manufacturing, the time to adapt is now.

5 Steps to Implement This Quarter:

1. Audit your site for AI SEO readiness
2. Create awareness-level content
3. Implement llms.txt: This file helps large language models (LLMs) – like ChatGPT – understand which parts of your content they’re allowed to use.
4. Publish authoritative blog content
5. Monitor AI traffic in your analytics