Search traffic is projected to decline by 43% in 2026. This reality requires a transition from traditional SEO to AI GEO (Generative Engine Optimization). I sat down with Steven Wilson-Beales to discuss how newsrooms can remain authoritative sources when AI models summarize the news.
Steven Wilson-Beales
“Zero Click describes a situation where there are less clicks to publishers because you can find what you need in the SERP via YouTube, Reddit, or AI, but it does not mean there are NO CLICKS. Losing traffic is not the same as there being no traffic.”
“Zero Click describes a situation where there are less clicks to publishers because you can find what you need in the SERP via YouTube, Reddit, or AI, but it does not mean there are NO CLICKS. Losing traffic is not the same as there being no traffic.”
Steven’s background includes leading SEO for the UK’s largest media brands, including Global and News UK (The Sun, The Times). He now provides independent strategy through StevenWilsonBeales.com and writes the Publishing Strategies newsletter. For a deep dive into the technical foundations of AI visibility, he runs a masterclass on SEO and AI visibility fundamentals.
Steven provides a clear framework for maintaining journalism’s reach in an automated search environment.
Zero Click and News Traffic
Steven, we're looking at a prediction that search traffic to publishers could drop by 43% during 2026 as Google's AI Overviews take over the top of the screen. How do we move away from the panic of "losing clicks" toward a strategy of relevance, and what are the new KPIs we should follow to be sure that our journalism is reaching our public?
The 'panic' some newsrooms face around losing clicks is related to a number of moving parts. Firstly, newsrooms have been accustomed to a 'bedrock' of search-driven traffic which didn't require too much thought - we could cover broad topics with a routine process and the traffic would accumulate. That is not the case anymore. But equally, 'losing traffic' is not the same as 'there is no traffic' and this situation has been aggravated by the mis-use of the term 'Zero Click'. Zero Click, yes, describes a situation where there are less clicks to publishers because you can find what you need in the SERP via YouTube/Reddit/AI etc - but it does not mean there are NO CLICKS. As Barry Adams and I discuss in our podcast, newsrooms need to work harder in this new landscape, not walk away from search entirely. Otherwise, it all becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy - you expect no traffic, you do not invest, so you get no traffic.
Many newsrooms are finding their strategy of relevance by investing in original journalism which is one of the strongest ways of driving conversions. There is also a HUGE investment in video which, if done right, can really drive that direct relationship with audience. The metrics change - reach will still be important, but understanding how each publishing activity contributes to the final conversion will be the holy grail.
You've often discussed the gap between a story being inherently important and it being technically visible. How can a journalist format a story to satisfy "searchworthiness" signals, like thumbnails and user intent, without feeling like they are selling their editorial independence to an algorithm?
I think what you're describing here is a situation that has ALWAYS been the case with selling the benefits of SEO to newsrooms. But whilst it's true that if you don't optimise an article you won't boost its visibility to a wider audience, we also don't have to turn our talented writers into machines to make that happen. A headline doesn't always have to be optimised until it's completely lifeless, if you want humans to read your work, write for humans! The crucial thing here though is to be aware of your audience and optimising so they can find you. Without that knowledge, you might be writing the next Pulitzer but no one is going to find you.
How Newsrooms Can Improve GEO
You've said that while SEO has changed, we still need to keep "all the plates spinning". In this new AI world, which "old" rules, like Core Web Vitals or technical site performance, are still non-negotiable foundations that a newsroom simply cannot afford to ignore?
Can I say 'all of them?' Yes, I think I will. You still need the core SEO fundamentals - site performance, site structure, internal linking, on-page optimisation. Nothing changes here. But also, equally, just doing the same old SEO you did five years ago without swotting up on how LLMs work and how they surface articles is self-defeating. The nature of the game is changing and you now need to know which levers are important to AI search e.g. being cited by other authoritative brands for instance. The irony is that even this is a key tenant of SEO but then we go round in circles. Just be careful about basing your content strategy on the latest AI search related Linkedin post- but this field is moving so fast, these tactics might be very short-lived!
Traditional keyword tracking is being replaced by Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) or AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation). What is your most practical advice for a newsroom trying to ensure that when a user asks Claude or Gemini a question, their newsroom is the one cited as the authoritative source?
I would advise them to double-down on original journalism - exclusive interviews, investigations, analysis, comment because if you can drive meaningful value then other publishers and brands will cite and link to you. There are a myriad of other techniques, but if being distinct is not the core aim, then I think you're just playing to an algorithm which will always backfire at some point.
When writing an article specifically to be parsed by a Large Language Model, you've highlighted structure, intent, and entities. Where do most newsrooms get this wrong today, and how can we start writing in a more "modular" way? Can you give us more advice or practical steps?
There has been a lot of talk about the need to 'chunk' your content because of the way LLMs prefer to retrieve information. But if you chunk away then you start to go into article formats that read more like technical copy. My advice here would be to follow good SEO principles and the classic inverted pyramid.
Captivate with a strong headline, get to the point quickly and format your copy so you're answering the key questions that the audience wants to know. Summaries, headers and bullets aren't always necessary, but are useful in certain cases depending on the article topic. I would just remind newsrooms that although AI experts shout that long-winded, garrulous copy is the death knell to AI visibility—sometimes you WANT to read long-winded, garrulous copy. Writing isn't about presenting something to be parsed by a bot; it's about taking your reader on a journey.
Reveal Quote
“Thumbnails are just as important as the headline. Optimise the description. Look at what the leaders in this space are doing and emulate them. ”
Reveal Quote
“Audiences want to connect with personalities, not brands so that’s why it’s important to build up the profile of your journalists.”
Engagement Metrics and Liquid Content
Beyond basic Search Console data, is there one specific metric or one specific tool an editor should look at every morning to know their content strategy is actually working?
Well, back in the day it used to be clicks, but now that needs to be supplemented with other engagement and loyalty signals like time online, unique page views, returning visitors and, ultimately, conversions. That's why we need to invest more into analytics teams to support editorial.
You've mentioned, like also some recognized experts, that the "article as we know it is gone" and we are moving toward liquid content. Practically speaking, how can a journalist use this opportunity?
This used to be called 'Adaptive Content Strategy' and simply means the information delivered needs to be freed from the format it's currently presented in i.e. the article. I don't think we are there yet, but you could consider fan-out query as an element of this. When writing an article, consider all the many intentions the audience might have when interacting with that topic so you can maximise the chances of being surfaced.
YouTube being the world's second-largest search engine, and many newsrooms have decided to turn to it during 2026. What is the smallest possible step a reporter can take toward "video-fication" that adds SEO?
Follow the lead of the creator economy. Be comfortable on camera. Learn the formats that do well on vertical. You don't need to be super polished but you do need to get the basics right. Thumbnails are just as important as the headline. Optimise the description. Look at what the leaders in this space are doing and emulate them.
We hear a lot about Author Authority. In 2026, should media houses be encouraging their journalists to become "platform personalities" on places like Substack or TikTok, and how does that individual authority feed back into the site's overall SEO?
Audiences want to connect with personalities, not brands so that's why it's important to build up the profile of your journalists. Project C is a great example of this but you could also look at what the New York Times and Wired have been doing in the US or The Sun and The Guardian here in the UK. SEO is now wider than just 'website SEO' - it's 'Search Anywhere SEO.' If you want to attract more audience on a specific video platform then journalists need to learn from the creators who have already mastered the algorithm in that space.
Final Advice for Journalists
For the journalists who are reading this, what is your ultimate message or advice?
'Keep Calm and Carry on' would be my motto. We are going through the biggest learning curve we've ever faced as an industry so keep doing what you do best, writing brilliant stories, but swot up on LLMs, get to grips with video and invest in your own personal brand.
About The Author
Branislava Lovre
Branislava Lovre works with media organizations, CSOs, and institutions to implement ethical AI in practice, delivering hands-on training, strategic guidance, and keynote talks on responsible AI adoption.
Branislava Lovre
Branislava Lovre works with media organizations, CSOs, and institutions to implement ethical AI in practice, delivering hands-on training, strategic guidance, and keynote talks on responsible AI adoption.
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