How to measure traffic to conversational assistants
For years, we have been tracking visits to a website from Google, social media, advertising campaigns, and external links. However, a new source of traffic is beginning to emerge: artificial intelligence assistants. Tools such as ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, and Perplexity are already recommending websites and directing users to the sites they consider most relevant.
A new way to find businesses online
More and more people are using AI assistants to get answers to their questions, find vendors, or ask for recommendations.
Instead of doing a traditional Google search, many users ask an AI directly:
- What is the best CRM for a small business?
- What is the best ERP system for a distribution company?
- What software do I need to manage a reporting channel?
The answers are no longer a list of links, but rather direct recommendations accompanied by references and links to websites
Can these visits be measured?
The answer is yes, at least in part.
Google Analytics 4 allows you to identify traffic from specific AI assistants when they send visitors via referral links. This enables you to begin analyzing which tools are generating visits and how those users interact with the website.
Google Analytics 4 allows you to identify traffic from specific AI assistants when they send visitors via referral links. This enables you to begin analyzing which tools are generating visits and how those users interact with the website.
If you access the Acquisition report, you’ll see these visits grouped under the “AI Assistant” category
From SEO to GEO
Traditionally, companies have focused on appearing on Google.
Now a new challenge has emerged: being present in the responses generated by artificial intelligence assistants.
This discipline is known as GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) and aims to improve a company’s visibility when users consult tools such as ChatGPT, Copilot, or Gemini
What does this mean for your company?
An online presence no longer depends solely on traditional search engines.
Companies that create useful content, keep their websites up to date, and provide clear, well-organized information build a stronger foundation for gaining visibility in search engines powered by artificial intelligence.
For this reason, at QUEIKU we are incorporating new GEO metrics into our ranking analyses to help our Advanced Online Presence service clients understand how their visibility is evolving on both Google and conversational assistants
Summary
The way users find information on the Internet is changing.
Artificial intelligence-powered assistants are already driving real traffic to thousands of websites, and although we are still in the early stages, all signs point to this channel continuing to grow in the coming years. Measuring this traffic is the first step. Understanding how to drive it will be the next.
At QUEIKU, we’re already helping our clients adapt to this new way of finding information online.