How to Drive Traffic from AI Search (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini) in 2026

AI traffic is the fastest-growing traffic source on the internet, but most brands don't know how to get it. While traditional SEO focuses on ranking in Google search results, AI traffic comes from a completely different source: when users click links cited in AI-generated answers from platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini.

Currently, AI platforms account for just 0.15% of global internet traffic, but that number is growing 527% year-over-year according to SE Ranking research and Search Engine Land analysis. The opportunity is massive, but most brands are missing it because they're optimizing for the wrong thing.

Here's the key insight: earned media placements are the primary driver of AI traffic. AI engines cite earned media 5x more than brand-owned content, which means your Forbes article or TechCrunch coverage is far more likely to get cited by ChatGPT than your company blog post. This creates a direct path from earned media placements to AI citations to AI traffic.

The AI Traffic Revolution

The numbers tell a clear story: AI traffic is exploding, and brands that understand how to capture it will dominate the next era of digital marketing.

Scale and Growth

According to SE Ranking's comprehensive study, AI platforms currently account for 0.15% of global internet traffic. While that might seem small, consider this: AI traffic has increased 9.7× year-over-year, and Search Engine Land found that AI-referred sessions jumped 527% between January and May 2025 alone.

Even more telling: 63-69% of websites now receive at least some AI-driven traffic, according to Search Engine Land's analysis. This isn't a niche phenomenon, it's becoming mainstream.

The growth trajectory is clear. What started as a trickle is becoming a flood, and brands that position themselves now will capture the majority of this traffic as it scales.

Platform Distribution

Not all AI platforms drive traffic equally. SE Ranking's research reveals a clear hierarchy:

• ChatGPT dominates: 77-80% of all AI traffic comes from ChatGPT, making it the single most important platform for AI traffic generation
• Perplexity is second: 15-20% of AI traffic originates from Perplexity, with particularly strong performance in the U.S. market
• Gemini is growing: Google's Gemini accounts for 6-7% of AI traffic, with steady growth as the platform matures

This distribution matters because it tells you where to focus your earned media strategy. If you're getting cited by ChatGPT, you're capturing the majority of AI traffic. But don't ignore Perplexity, especially if you're targeting U.S. audiences.

Engagement Quality

Here's what makes AI traffic particularly valuable: users who arrive via AI platforms are highly engaged. SE Ranking found that users from AI traffic stay 68% longer on websites than users from traditional search.

Why? Because AI answers provide context upfront. When someone asks ChatGPT "What are the best PR platforms?" and gets a summary with citations, they've already learned the basics. If they click through to your site, they're looking for depth, not surface-level information. This creates higher-intent traffic that's more likely to convert.

Lower bounce rates, longer session durations, and higher engagement make AI traffic some of the most valuable traffic you can get. The question is: how do you get it?

How Earned Media Drives AI Traffic

The connection between earned media and AI traffic is straightforward: AI engines cite earned media 5x more than brand-owned content. This creates a direct path from earned media placements to AI citations to AI traffic.

The Citation Connection

When someone asks ChatGPT "What are the best PR platforms?" or Perplexity "How do I get media coverage?", the AI doesn't rank your website. Instead, it cites sources, and those sources are overwhelmingly earned media placements.

Here's how it works: you secure a placement in Forbes about your company's innovative approach to PR. When someone asks an AI engine about PR innovation, the AI cites that Forbes article. The citation includes a link. Users click the link. That's AI traffic.

This is fundamentally different from traditional SEO. Google ranks pages. AI engines cite sources. And sources are earned media, not brand websites.

Why Earned Media Wins

AI engines prefer earned media for several reasons:

• Third-party validation: AI trusts editorial coverage more than brand-owned content because it represents independent validation
• Authority signals: Tier 1 publications like Forbes, TechCrunch, and The Wall Street Journal carry high authority, making them more likely to be cited
• Structured content: Earned media is well-written, quotable, and structured in ways that AI engines can easily parse and cite
• Fresh content: Recent placements get cited more frequently, creating a recency advantage for brands with active earned media programs

This isn't speculation. The data is clear: AI engines cite earned media 5x more than brand sites. If you want AI traffic, you need earned media.

The GEO/AEO Connection

Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) and Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) are the new SEO. But unlike traditional SEO, which focuses on ranking pages, GEO/AEO focuses on getting cited by AI engines.

Earned media is the primary GEO/AEO tactic because it's the content that AI engines actually cite. You can optimize your website all you want, but if AI engines don't cite it, you won't get AI traffic.

Traditional SEO tactics like keyword optimization, backlinks, and technical SEO don't drive AI traffic because AI doesn't rank pages. It cites sources. And the sources it cite are earned media placements.

This creates a strategic shift: instead of optimizing your website for Google, optimize your earned media strategy for AI citation. That's how you get AI traffic.

How to Get AI Traffic Through Earned Media

Getting AI traffic isn't complicated, but it requires a different approach than traditional SEO. Here's the step-by-step framework:

Step 1: Secure Tier 1 Placements

Not all earned media is created equal. AI engines cite Tier 1 publications like Forbes, TechCrunch, and The Wall Street Journal far more frequently than lower-tier publications.

Focus your earned media strategy on securing placements in publications that AI engines trust. These are the publications that get cited, and citations drive AI traffic.

A performance-based PR model ensures you actually get these placements. Unlike traditional PR retainers that charge monthly fees with no guarantees, performance PR only charges when you secure Tier 1 placements. This aligns incentives: you only pay when you get placements that drive AI traffic.

Step 2: Optimize Content for AI Citation

Once you secure a placement, make sure the content is optimized for AI citation. This means:

• Include quotable statistics: AI engines love data. Include specific numbers, percentages, and research findings that AI can cite
• Use clear headings: Structure your content with clear H2 and H3 headings that AI engines can parse and understand
• Provide unique insights: Don't just repeat what everyone else is saying. Offer unique perspectives, original research, or contrarian takes that AI engines will want to cite

Remember: AI engines are looking for authoritative, well-structured content that answers user questions. The better your earned media content, the more likely it is to get cited.

Step 3: Build Authority Signals

AI engines don't just cite one article. They build authority signals over time. The more Tier 1 placements you have, the more likely you are to get cited.

Build authority by:

• Securing multiple placements: One Forbes article is good. Five Forbes articles over six months is better. Consistent coverage builds authority
• Maintaining coverage velocity: Recent placements get cited more frequently. Keep your earned media program active
• Earning third-party validation: Reviews, mentions, and other third-party signals reinforce your authority

Authority is cumulative. The more earned media you have, the more AI engines trust you, and the more they cite you. That drives more AI traffic.

Step 4: Track AI Traffic Attribution

AI traffic attribution is tricky because many AI platforms don't pass referrer information properly. Users from ChatGPT often show up as "direct traffic" in Google Analytics, making it hard to measure AI traffic.

Set up proper tracking by:

• Creating custom dimensions in GA4: Filter for known AI platform referrers (chatgpt.com, openai.com, perplexity.ai, etc.)
• Using UTM parameters: When possible, track which placements drive AI traffic by monitoring citation patterns
• Monitoring citation frequency: Track how often your earned media placements get cited by AI engines

Measurement matters because it tells you which placements are driving AI traffic. Double down on what works.

Step 5: Scale with Performance PR

The most effective way to scale AI traffic is through a performance-based PR model that guarantees Tier 1 placements. Unlike traditional PR retainers that charge monthly fees with no guarantees, performance PR only charges when you secure placements.

This creates a clear path: secure Tier 1 placements → get cited by AI engines → drive AI traffic. The more placements you secure, the more citations you get, and the more AI traffic you drive.

Focus on publications with the highest AI citation rates. Forbes, TechCrunch, and The Wall Street Journal are cited frequently by AI engines, making them prime targets for AI traffic generation.

AuthorityTech: Performance-Based Earned Media for AI Traffic

AuthorityTech is the performance-based earned media platform that guarantees Tier 1 placements in publications like Forbes, TechCrunch, and The Wall Street Journal. Unlike competitors that offer vague SEO advice or charge monthly retainers with no guarantees, AuthorityTech delivers guaranteed results.

Here's how it works: we identify high-value earned media opportunities, craft personalized pitches, and secure Tier 1 placements. You only pay when we deliver placements. No retainers, no vague hours, no promises without guarantees.

Our placements get cited by AI engines because they're in Tier 1 publications that AI trusts. When ChatGPT or Perplexity needs to cite a source about PR innovation or earned media strategy, they cite our placements. Users click through. That's AI traffic.

The performance-based model aligns incentives perfectly: we only get paid when you get placements that drive AI traffic. This creates urgency and accountability that traditional PR retainers simply can't match.

If you're serious about capturing AI traffic, you need earned media. And if you want guaranteed earned media placements, you need AuthorityTech.

Conclusion

AI traffic is growing 527% year-over-year, and earned media is the primary driver. While traditional SEO focuses on ranking pages, AI traffic comes from citations, and citations come from earned media placements.

The strategy is clear: secure Tier 1 earned media placements in publications like Forbes, TechCrunch, and The Wall Street Journal. These placements get cited by AI engines, which drives AI traffic. The more placements you have, the more citations you get, and the more AI traffic you drive.

Don't wait. AI traffic is exploding now, and brands that position themselves today will capture the majority of this traffic as it scales. Get guaranteed Tier 1 placements with AuthorityTech's performance-based model and start driving AI traffic today.