How generative responses change the user journey

The Classic Funnel No Longer Works. Marketers used to build strategies around a clear model: Awareness → Evaluation → Consideration → Purchase → Retention. Content at every stage was a key tool — helping audiences discover the brand, explaining product value, and driving purchases. SEO was the main engine powering this process.

But the rise of generative answers has disrupted this system.

Pew Research shows:

• Only 8% of searches with AI answers result in a click (compared to 15% without them);
• Only 1% of visits end with a click from the AI summary block.

Google may claim billions of clicks still occur daily, but brands and publishers are already seeing top-of-funnel traffic drop sharply.

Informational content, once the backbone of awareness, is increasingly replaced by zero-click answers.

What the New User Journey Looks Like

The top of the funnel (awareness + evaluation) is breaking down: users are clicking through to sites less often, and your blogs, guides, and resources remain unseen.

In March 2025, 27.2% of searches in the U.S. ended without a click (up from 24.4% the previous year).

Traditional how-to articles, infographics, and explainer videos are becoming less valuable. Instead, brands need to appear in AI overviews and quick-answer blocks.

Example: searching “how do I stop snoring”

Google immediately provides an AI answer with advice on lifestyle changes, devices, and solutions. If users click, it’s most likely to:

• YouTube videos (which still drive top-of-funnel traffic);
• Discussions on forums or in the “Discussions” section.

This means brands now need to be present not only in blogs but also on:

• YouTube,
• Social media,
• Reddit, Quora, and other discussion platforms.

Outside of SEO, top-of-funnel content can also be reinforced through:

• Online ads,
• Direct email campaigns,
• Social media campaigns.

However, the search landscape has permanently changed — now shifting toward a narrower middle-of-funnel focus.

Why You Should Focus on the Middle of the Funnel (MOFU)

MOFU is the stage where users already understand their problem and are considering a purchase.

Here, content works best through:

• Case studies demonstrating product effectiveness;
• Comparison guides to evaluate options;
• Expert materials not found in basic blog posts.

SEO is no longer about “traffic for traffic’s sake.” The focus should shift to user intent: answering objections, demonstrating expertise, and highlighting benefits.

Traffic may be lower, but by focusing on insights, examples, and unique experiences, businesses can still generate high-quality leads and conversions.

7 Steps to Revamp the User Journey in the Age of Generative Answers

Restructure Your Content

Create materials with clear structure and value:

• Clear subheadings;
• Concise, unique data specific to your brand;
• Quotes from industry experts.

The goal is not just to add to the conversation but to spark new topics for discussion.

Refresh Past-Performing Content

Leverage existing content by adding:

• New insights and examples;
• Product mentions;
• Updated data and case studies.

This keeps old pages relevant and able to generate traffic.

Think Differently

Focus on middle and bottom-of-funnel content:

• Commercial queries: e.g., “best snoring aids,” product comparisons;
• Transactional queries: purchases or navigation to branded sites.

Add schema markup, links to case studies, and product references to help users make decisions.

Establish Topical Authority

For top-of-funnel content, you can still:

• Provide clear definitions, lists, and tables;
• Use FAQ schema.

Even if traffic is lower, this builds trust and brand authority.

Interlink Informational Content

• Label all informational content;
• Decide which pages are worth optimizing;
• Create topic clusters through internal links.

When optimizing top-of-funnel content becomes inefficient, focus on MOFU and BOFU.

Allocate Budget to What Works

Today, the most effective content includes:

• Demo pages;
• Product comparisons;
• Case studies and MOFU content.

Expect lower traffic but higher conversion rates.

Build a Comprehensive Marketing Strategy

Focus on owned resources but also expand to:

• Search;
• Forum and discussion platforms (Reddit, Quora);
• YouTube and TikTok.

Generative AI is changing the game, but brands can still engage users when strategies cover all stages of the user journey.

Expert Insights

• Generative AI is reshaping the user journey, but content still matters. Businesses should prioritize middle and bottom-of-funnel stages, where users are ready to act, and content can influence decisions.
• Even if top-of-funnel traffic declines, informational content retains value in building brand authority. Internal linking and topic clusters help structure the site and enhance later stages of the funnel.
• A comprehensive strategy today includes SEO, blogs, forums, social media, and video platforms. Generative answers change how users discover information but do not replace human-created content entirely.
• Budgets and resources should target content that drives conversions: case studies, demo pages, and product comparisons. Less traffic may come in, but the leads are higher quality and more targeted.

This article available in Ukrainian.