Food for Thought: Is Traditional Search Dead?
A recent post on LinkedIn declared the end of the search engines as we know them. the list even declared 'R.I.P. Search.' This is in tune with an avalanche of recent headlines arguing that traditional search is dead due to the rise of AI Search via the generative AI platforms ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, etc.
Some experts herald the end of Google's monopoly on search and claim that traditional search marketing is becoming obsolete.
Let's not get carried away. The rumors about the inevitable end of the 'traditional' search engines like Google at the hands of AI Search are highly exaggerated.
According to latest data by SEMrush, people interact with search engines 34 TIMES more often than with AI search. During the reported period of April 2024-March 2025, the global search engines received 1,863 billion visits (-0.5% YoY), while the global AI Search chatbots 55.2 billion +(81% YoY). In other words, AI Search was in the rise over the past year, but still received 34 times less visits than traditional search engines.
There is an additional wrinkle to the story: the data for traditional search engines does not include the queries on Google, Bing, etc. that were answered by AI, which blurs the boundaries between traditional search and AI.
For example, Google uses its Gemini AI to provide answers in its Answer Box in its SERPs. Today, nearly 60% of Google searches end up as zero-click queries i.e. people find enough information in the Gemini AI-powered Answer Box and do not need to click on any of the organic or sponsored links.
Bing uses a combination of ChatGPT and its proprietary Prometheus AI and Copilot AI in its Answer Box to boosts its conversational search capabilities, provide a more interactive user experience and up-to-date and context-rich answers, especially for current events and trends.
So, should hoteliers abandon their traditional search marketing initiatives? Definitely not! Search marketing on Google and all of its formats: Google Ads (GA), Google Hotel Ads (GHA), organic listings (SEO) consistently contributes to over 50% of hotel website bookings.
In the same time, hoteliers should not ignore the rising AI Search. The most immediate priority is to optimize the property for AIO (Artificial Intelligence Optimization), the AI version of SEO.
In the AI world, stuffing your website content with SEO keyword terms and aiming to rank for keywords no longer applies. In other words, your website is no longer the primary source of influence. The era of earning recognition has arrived. How do you achieve that?
Invest in content marketing with the goal to be cited in places of relevance. SEO company VertoDigital's audits show that only 25% of AI answers are pulled from website content, in this case hotel website content. The rest comes from citations about the hotel in social media, online publications, YouTube, travel-related sites and blogs, customer reviews, etc.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hospitality Net
13 hours ago
- Hospitality Net
Cloudbeds and Busy Rooms announce partnership to unlock smarter distribution for hoteliers
San Diego, CA – Cloudbeds, the premier hospitality management software platform, has today announced a milestone partnership with Busy Rooms, a cloud-based Central Reservation System (CRS) serving hotels, tour operators, and destinations. The integration will empower hoteliers using Cloudbeds to centralize and enhance their distribution strategy with Busy Rooms' powerful CRS capabilities. Properties will now be able to manage rates across multiple channels while maintaining the familiar Cloudbeds interface for their day-to-day operations. The integration eliminates the need to juggle multiple systems, reduces manual workload through advanced business rule automation, and provides comprehensive competitor insights. Sebastien Leitner, VP of Partnerships at Cloudbeds, said: 'Hotels deserve distribution tools that are both powerful and easy to use. Our integration with Busy Rooms is another step toward our mission of helping every property grow revenue and streamline operations from a single, unified system' Werner Meyer, VP Partnerships at Busy Rooms, added: 'Partnering with Cloudbeds allows us to bring our CRS technology to a broader audience, while offering the simplicity and convenience hoteliers need today. Together, we're helping hoteliers unlock new opportunities and operate with more clarity and control.' The benefits of the integration include: Comprehensive distribution management : A unified interface for managing rates, availability, and restrictions across multiple channels – including direct GDS connectivity with Sabre, Amadeus, and Travelport (Worldspan and Galileo). : A unified interface for managing rates, availability, and restrictions across multiple channels – including direct GDS connectivity with Sabre, Amadeus, and Travelport (Worldspan and Galileo). Advanced dashboard insights : High-level KPIs and operational statistics paired with drill-down capabilities, including competitor rate monitoring for up to five properties. : High-level KPIs and operational statistics paired with drill-down capabilities, including competitor rate monitoring for up to five properties. Flexible rate management : Properties can handle multiple scenarios including NET rates, multi-currency plans, rate/room clusters, and per room/person pricing options. : Properties can handle multiple scenarios including NET rates, multi-currency plans, rate/room clusters, and per room/person pricing options. Powerful automation : Business rule engines and centralized configuration tools, including multiple API gateways for third-party system integration. : Business rule engines and centralized configuration tools, including multiple API gateways for third-party system integration. Multi-property intelligence: A comprehensive overview across properties with revenue tracking, notification systems, and enhanced reporting to support more informed decisions. About Cloudbeds Cloudbeds is the leading platform redefining the concept of PMS for the hospitality industry, serving tens of thousands of properties in more than 150 countries worldwide. Built from the ground up to be masterfully unified and scalable, the award-winning Cloudbeds Platform brings together built-in and integrated solutions that modernize hotel operations, distribution, guest experience, and data & analytics. Founded in 2012, Cloudbeds has been named a top PMS, Hotel Management System and Channel Manager (2021-2025) by Hotel Tech Report, World's Best Hotel PMS Solutions Provider (2022) by World Travel Awards, and recognized in Deloitte's Technology Fast 500 in 2024. For more information, visit About Busy Rooms Busy Rooms is a leading provider of modular central reservation technology designed to empower accommodation providers of all kinds—from hotels and resorts to vacation rentals, DMOs, cruise lines, and tour operators. The platform offers a unified solution for managing inventory, rates, services, and bookings across all distribution channels. Acting as a central hub, Busy Rooms seamlessly connects real-time pricing, availability, and reservations with external systems. In addition to distribution, the platform simplifies operations across the guest journey, including check-in/check-out, communication, revenue management, reporting, invoicing, and accounting. Busy Rooms equips partners with the tools they need to elevate guest experiences and accelerate business growth. View source
Hospitality Net
13 hours ago
- Hospitality Net
Anne Tabakian named Vice President of Food & Beverage at White Lodging
White Lodging, an industry leader in urban and lifestyle hospitality development and management, is pleased to announce that Anne Tabakian will take on the role as Vice President of Food & Beverage. Anne has played a critical role in White Lodging's leadership and success in the Food & Beverage (F&B) space since she joined the company in 2016, most recently as Corporate Senior Director of Food & Beverage. Anne joined White Lodging as a Restaurant General Manager in Austin, ultimately growing into senior corporate positions. She has been a cornerstone of White Lodging's F&B concepts, from concept and menu development to training to compliance. The heart of White Lodging's F&B approach is its state-of-the-art Test Kitchen and deep branding expertise, which work together seamlessly to deliver scratch-kitchen concepts and food that provide significant value to owners. White Lodging's more than 50 F&B outlets average a customer satisfaction rating of 4.8, which is among the top 10 percent of all restaurants in the country. Anne is supported by award-winning chefs, as well as beverage, restaurant operation and marketing experts that are hands-on in supporting new and existing concepts. White Lodging will introduce six new or re-branded F&B concepts to its portfolio in 2025. Prior to joining White Lodging, Anne spent nearly a decade at two of the nation's most respected restaurant groups - Uchi Restaurants and Hillstone Restaurant Group. She is a graduate of Vanderbilt University. In addition to 60 premium brand hotels and a private collection of world-renowned luxury ranches, White Lodging's F&B portfolio includes award-winning steak and seafood restaurants, market-leading rooftop bars, modern bistros and thoughtfully crafted quick service concepts.
Hospitality Net
13 hours ago
- Hospitality Net
O'Mally Foster has been appointed Chief People Officer at Vision Hospitality Group, Inc.
Officials of Vision Hospitality Group, Inc., a Chattanooga-based hotel development and management company, today announced the promotion of O'Mally Foster to chief people officer. In his new role, O'Mally will continue to uphold the organization's core values; lead cultural transformations during periods of growth or change; reinforce Vision's shared purpose; promote internal career advancement to cultivate talent from within; leverage people analytics to track engagement, retention and cultural progress; and align HR policies to actively advance the organization's mission of environmental stewardship, community service and cultural respect through its people practices. With over 30 years of hospitality experience, Foster joined Vision Hospitality Group from The Chattanoogan Hotel, where he served as director of human resources. He previously held similar leadership roles with respected hotel companies such as Noble Investment Group and Benchmark Hospitality. Foster exemplifies the company's mission of service to the communities through his volunteer work with United Way, the American Heart Association and Chattanooga Cares, as well as through his service on the Chattanooga Downtown Council.
