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Key Takeaways
Google is NOT Dead – It’s Still the Dominant Traffic Source: Despite claims that AI-driven search will replace Google, data shows that Google remains the most visited website in the world and continues to drive the majority of vacation rental website traffic.
AI Tools Like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity Generate Minimal Traffic (For Now): A data analysis of 750,000 vacation rental website sessions in January 2025 showed that only 0.05% of traffic came directly from AI search tools. ChatGPT led the AI-driven traffic (346 sessions), followed by Perplexity (73) and Gemini (10).
AI Search Tools Are in Their Early Stages: AI-powered search is still evolving and does not currently provide a seamless booking experience for vacation rentals. Many searches still redirect users to Google or OTA platforms rather than generating direct bookings.
AI’s Influence on Search May Grow Over Time: While LLMs (Large Language Models) are currently a small traffic source, their role in influencing traveler decisions may increase. Users may discover brands through AI and then search for them on Google or visit their sites directly, making attribution difficult.
Optimizing for AI Search is Still Unclear: Unlike traditional SEO strategies (technical optimization, link building, keyword research, and content creation), the best practices for ranking well in AI-driven search are still being explored. Early trends suggest that reputation, sentiment analysis, and high-quality content play a role in AI search rankings.
Most AI Search Traffic is Likely Unattributed: AI-generated search results often lack proper tracking, meaning traffic influenced by AI recommendations may appear as direct or organic Google traffic in analytics. This makes it difficult to quantify AI’s true impact.
Vacation Rental Websites Benefit from Direct Search Behavior: Travelers still want to browse multiple properties, compare options, and explore listings visually. AI tools currently do not replicate this experience effectively, making direct search and OTA platforms the go-to for bookings.
Don’t Get Distracted – Focus on Proven Marketing Channels: While AI search may become more relevant in the future, vacation rental managers should prioritize channels that drive real results today. Investing in SEO, paid ads, email marketing, and social media will yield a much higher ROI than chasing AI-driven search traffic.
Future-Proof Your Strategy, But Don’t Panic: AI is not replacing traditional search overnight. Stay informed on AI developments, ensure your website is indexable by AI models, and be prepared to adapt when these tools mature—but don’t pivot your entire strategy based on hype alone.
What We Cover In This Episode
In this episode, Conrad and Paul discuss the impact of Large Language Model (LLM) tools on vacation rental website traffic, questioning the narrative of Google’s decline and the takeover by AI.
They explore whether LLM tools are truly changing search habits and trends. They dive into original research from January 2025, analyzing client data to determine the actual session data coming from client sites. Despite claims from online experts, their data suggests Google is far from dead…
