Is Organic Search Traffic Down Across the Board?

Nick Danowski

Lead Content Strategist

For the first time in almost a decade, Google has reported that they see more than 5 TRILLION searches on their platform annually. The last time Google gave the figure was in 2016, telling Search Engine Land that they handled at least “trillions” of searches, which the news outlet estimated at over 2 trillion. More than doubling a figure already in the trillions is astounding.

But with AI now in the mix, things are shaking up.

And that’s lead to a lot of concern over organic search traffic — what most organizations rely on to get users to their website. Typically, this free traffic from search engines comprises at anywhere from 40-60% of all website traffic for travel and hospitality organizations. At TwoSix Digital, we’re getting lots of questions about what we’re seeing in this space. We’ll dive into those numbers in just a moment.

First, some important context. For the first time since 2015, in Q4 of 2024, Google’s worldwide search engine market share dropped below 90%. According to a recent study released by the Verge:

• 66% said the quality of information is deteriorating, making it difficult to find reliable sources.
• 61% of Gen Z and 53% of Millennials reported that they are using AI tools in places of search engines (like Google) to find information about a topic
• 55% said they get information from their community more than online search platforms.
• 52% said they use AI chatbots or alternative platforms (e.g., TikTok) for information instead of Google.
• 42% said Google and search engines are becoming less useful.

About the study: The Vox Media Insights and Research team surveyed over 2,000 US adults representing the US population in December 2024.

Now onto what we’re seeing here at TwoSix Digital. After compiling Google Analytics 4 data, we generally see that 2024 was a positive rather than a negative year in the DMO and hospitality arena when it comes to organic search traffic. It’s a mixed bag, certainly, with some up by 15% and some down by 10%. But overall, it was an upward trend, especially in the first half of the year.

Note: We’ve had to be a bit picky with the data that we pulled, because some organizations have been a lot from our SEO and digital campaign programs — so we picked those that have been the most consistent year over year.

On the other hand, organic search traffic in Q1 of 2025 is unquestionably trending lower year over year. Sure, there’s economic uncertainties and a lot more snow than expected. It’s worth noting that those with the best seasonal / winter SEO strategies have actually benefited quite a lot. Nonetheless, this is a worrying development, with the average year over year downturn ranging from 5-10%.

Put simply, the answer to the question “is organic search traffic down across the board?” is yes.

It remains to be seen whether this trend continues after Q1 in 2025, but the signs are there. The good news is that we know how to combat this. Start creating content for both AI and users and start formulating content for generative search. If you haven’t already invested in SEO, now is the time.