As the digital landscape continues to transform, a recent study by Semrush sheds light on the changing dynamics of user behavior and the impact of ChatGPT on the web. With over 30% of outbound clicks going to just 10 domains, Google alone takes more than 20% of the share, highlighting the dominance of the search giant in the digital ecosystem.
The Rise and Plateau of ChatGPT
ChatGPT’s growth has plateaued, and its role in how users navigate the web is evolving unevenly. While referral traffic from ChatGPT grew by 206% comparing January 2025 to January 2026, the platform’s reliance on the live web has decreased. Search-triggered queries now account for only 34.5% of queries, down from 46% in late 2024. This shift indicates that users are relying less on ChatGPT to navigate the web and more on pre-trained knowledge and web search.
The Traffic Funnel: A Few Winners and Many Losers
The traffic funnel is a narrow path, with only a few sites benefiting from the majority of referrals. Google accounts for 21.6% of all ChatGPT referral traffic, followed by the next nine domains, which bring the top 10 to just over 30% of referrals. The remaining sites receive a long tail of minimal traffic, highlighting the uneven distribution of referrals. The number of domains receiving referrals expanded, peaking at around 260,000 in 2025 before settling near 170,000.
Why Visibility in ChatGPT Doesn’t Translate to Traffic
Visibility in ChatGPT doesn’t translate evenly into traffic, and you’ll likely see marginal referral impact. The decline in search-triggered queries also limits your chances to earn citations and traffic. This is because most ChatGPT prompts still don’t resemble traditional search queries, reflecting more complex, conversational inputs. Between 65% and 85% of prompts don’t match standard keywords, making it challenging for sites to optimize for ChatGPT traffic.
When ChatGPT Searches and What It Means for Your Site
ChatGPT defaults to pre-trained knowledge and uses web search in specific cases, including:
- User requests for sources.
- Questions about recent events.
- Situations where the model lacks confidence.
Engagement is deepening, with queries per session jumping 50% in 2025. This indicates that users are interacting more deeply with ChatGPT, but the platform’s limitations and biases continue to shape user behavior. As the digital landscape evolves, it’s essential to understand these shifts and adapt your strategies to reach users effectively.
Conclusion
The study highlights the need for a nuanced understanding of user behavior and the impact of ChatGPT on the web. By recognizing the limitations and biases of the platform, you can develop effective strategies to reach users and adapt to the evolving digital landscape.
FAQs
Q: What is the current share of outbound clicks going to just 10 domains?
A: Over 30% of outbound clicks go to just 10 domains, with Google alone taking more than 20% of the share.
Q: What is the current share of search-triggered queries in ChatGPT?
A: Search-triggered queries now account for only 34.5% of queries, down from 46% in late 2024.
Q: What is the impact of ChatGPT’s growth on referral traffic?
A: Referral traffic from ChatGPT grew by 206% comparing January 2025 to January 2026.
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