The rise of artificial intelligence is shaking up the publishing industry like nothing we’ve seen since the early days of the internet. With AI tools increasingly able to summarise content, deliver answers without clicks, and reshape search behaviour, many publishers feel uncertain about their future. But while AI presents real challenges, there are proven strategies to help publishers adapt, survive, and even grow. In this guide, we break down those strategies into practical steps you can start applying today.
Why the Publishing World Feels Threatened
AI isn’t just another trend, it’s changing how people find and engage with content. Tools like AI summaries, chat-based search, and generative overviews often answer user queries without users ever clicking through to publisher sites. Add to that broader trends like stagnant search traffic and evolving user behaviour, and it’s clear why publishers are worried.
However, it’s important to understand that AI did not cause the fundamental shifts in traffic patterns. These changes were already underway due to slowdowns in search growth and evolving user expectations. AI has accelerated these trends, forcing publishers to rethink long-standing assumptions about audience acquisition and revenue models.
1. Search Is Still Important—But It’s Not Growing
One of the first survival lessons for publishers is this: search hasn’t disappeared, but its growth has flattened. Google remains a major driver of traffic, but the era of steady year-over-year expansion is over. For publishers with mature SEO strategies, traffic from search is no longer climbing simply because the overall number of clicks available isn’t rising.
Search is now a zero-sum game—when you get a click, another publisher doesn’t. This means competition for visibility is fiercer than ever. To maximise search traffic, publishers must refine core SEO tactics: optimise headlines, improve on-page content quality, fix technical issues, and strategically target queries where they can realistically rank well.
Many publishers still have untapped potential. Even mature websites can boost traffic by improving technical and editorial SEO, addressing content gaps, and aligning with user intent more closely. Search may not be growing, but publishers can still grow within search by being smarter and more strategic.
2. Diversify Traffic: Search + Other Channels
While search remains critical, relying on it alone is no longer viable. AI tools and zero-click results can reduce the number of users who ever visit publisher sites. So, successful publishers are broadening their strategies to include other channels.
Google Discover
Google Discover is a personalised feed that delivers content directly to users based on interests and behaviour. For many publishers, Discover has become a major traffic source, sometimes compensating for plateauing search traffic. Although it’s unpredictable and can fluctuate, Discover still offers meaningful visibility when approached strategically.
Google has introduced features like Follow in Discover, allowing readers to see more content from publishers they choose to follow. Encouraging users to follow your publication can increase repeat visits and strengthen brand recognition.
Preferred Sources in Search
Google also offers a “preferred sources” feature in Top Stories. If users designate your site as a preferred news source, Google gives your content priority in those news carousels. Publishers can encourage loyal readers to set this preference through calls to action and visual prompts on their websites.
This helps build a more direct relationship between users and publishers, strengthening visibility even in a world increasingly governed by AI summaries.
3. Embrace Multimedia and Diversified Formats
Text articles are no longer the only content format users engage with, and AI is increasingly integrating multimedia content into feeds. To reach audiences where they spend time, publishers should expand beyond standard written articles.
Video
Platforms like YouTube, especially Shorts, are huge opportunities. Video helps publishers reach audiences who prefer visual and audio formats. It can also be repurposed from existing editorial content by transforming key parts of articles into visual summaries, discussions, or explainers.
Podcasts
Podcasting has seen tremendous growth, particularly in news and analysis formats. Producing podcasts can help publishers reach commuters and listeners who prefer audio consumption—and these formats often command higher engagement and loyalty.
Social Media and Newsletters
Instagram posts, newsletters, email digests, and other formats also play a crucial role in audience retention and direct engagement. While social platforms may change or decline over time, owned channels like email newsletters remain reliable ways to reach users directly, without algorithmic barriers.
Multimedia isn’t just an add-on—it’s a strategy for audience diversification that future-proofs publishers against shifting search dynamics.
4. Stand Out: Become Unforgettable
The most powerful survival strategy isn’t just traffic optimisation—it’s identity. In an AI-first world, publishers need to build distinct, memorable brands.
If your content could be easily replaced by a competitor or an AI summary, you are vulnerable. Generic reporting, templated listicles, and undifferentiated articles won’t create lasting reader loyalty. Instead, publishers should focus on:
Deep Reporting and Original Insight
Produce content that goes beyond surface-level summaries. Investigative pieces, expert analysis, unique data, and exclusive interviews offer value that AI tools cannot simply replicate.
Audience Understanding
Talk to your readers. Use analytics, surveys, and feedback tools to understand what your audience values most. Creating content that resonates emotionally and intellectually builds trust and encourages repeat visits.
Proprietary Value
Think about what makes your publication unique. Do you have exclusive sources? Unique regional coverage? Specialist expertise? These are the assets that make audiences—and AI—recognise your site as a valuable reference point.
Ultimately, publishers that develop a strong identity and loyal following are the ones that will thrive—not just survive—in an AI-driven ecosystem.
Final Thoughts: The Future Is Agile and Integrated
AI may change how people find and consume content, but publishers are far from obsolete. The key to long-term success lies in diversification, differentiation, and deep audience connection.
To recap:
-
Search remains essential, but its traffic is flat. Maximise every SEO opportunity.
-
Diversify your channels through Discover, Follow features, social platforms, and newsletters.
-
Invest in multimedia to reach audiences beyond written articles.
-
Build a unique brand that cannot be easily replaced by competitors—or AI.
The publishing world is undergoing a fundamental shift, but publishers who are willing to adapt, innovate, and engage their readers deeply will not just survive—they will set new standards in the digital age.