- Apr 16, 2009
- 202
- 80
- Awards
- 5
- First Name
- Eric
“I want more AI traffic.” “What are we doing to improve our GEO/AEO?” I hear these questions daily. But dealers should be asking another question first:
“What content is still worth creating when AI can answer the shopper's question without a click?”
Asking for more AI traffic without understanding shopper behavior is like asking for more showroom visitors who only come for the free hot dogs.
When a shopper searches: “What's the best midsize SUV for a family in Anytown, NY?”
AI can compare models, explain features, recommend vehicles, and estimate ownership costs. All without the shopper ever visiting a dealership website. That's useful information. It can influence a purchase decision. But it doesn't necessarily generate a lead.
Then the shopper gets more serious: “Which dealership should I buy it from near me?” AI results can highlight dealer reputations, customer reviews, locations, and business information.
Next come the questions that get closer to an actual sale:
- Do you have the vehicle in stock?
- What's the actual price of that specific vehicle?
- How much is my trade worth?
That's where your dealership website needs to connect the dots. And it's why we need to reset expectations around AI traffic.
If AI currently generates less than 0.5% of your website sessions, reaching 5% means increasing that share more than tenfold.
For a dealership website generating 100,000 monthly sessions, that's moving from fewer than 500 AI-driven visits to 5,000, assuming total traffic stays the same. That means a massive shift in shopper behavior, AI visibility, clicks, or a combination of all three.
Expect paid opportunities to remain a major part of the search experience as AI evolves. Google generated approximately $82 billion in advertising revenue in Q3 2026, including $63.35 billion from Search and other advertising. (And Google just announced its new Multiturn ads on AI Mode solution this month)
So what should dealers actually focus on to drive traffic?
Create content that helps buyers move from researching vehicles to taking action. That includes having accurate and compliant inventory pricing.
And measure the things that matter:
→ Traffic from your primary traffic channels for website visits.
→ Calls, chats, forms, and appointments for actual business results.
The goal isn't to generate more AI traffic. It's still to make sure your dealership gets discovered and chosen, regardless of where the car buyer begins. The majority of your traffic still comes from direct, organic, and paid search.
AI results are a shopping adviser. Your website is where car shoppers check for affordability, selection, and to take the next step.
“What content is still worth creating when AI can answer the shopper's question without a click?”
Asking for more AI traffic without understanding shopper behavior is like asking for more showroom visitors who only come for the free hot dogs.
When a shopper searches: “What's the best midsize SUV for a family in Anytown, NY?”
AI can compare models, explain features, recommend vehicles, and estimate ownership costs. All without the shopper ever visiting a dealership website. That's useful information. It can influence a purchase decision. But it doesn't necessarily generate a lead.
Then the shopper gets more serious: “Which dealership should I buy it from near me?” AI results can highlight dealer reputations, customer reviews, locations, and business information.
Next come the questions that get closer to an actual sale:
- Do you have the vehicle in stock?
- What's the actual price of that specific vehicle?
- How much is my trade worth?
That's where your dealership website needs to connect the dots. And it's why we need to reset expectations around AI traffic.
If AI currently generates less than 0.5% of your website sessions, reaching 5% means increasing that share more than tenfold.
For a dealership website generating 100,000 monthly sessions, that's moving from fewer than 500 AI-driven visits to 5,000, assuming total traffic stays the same. That means a massive shift in shopper behavior, AI visibility, clicks, or a combination of all three.
Expect paid opportunities to remain a major part of the search experience as AI evolves. Google generated approximately $82 billion in advertising revenue in Q3 2026, including $63.35 billion from Search and other advertising. (And Google just announced its new Multiturn ads on AI Mode solution this month)
So what should dealers actually focus on to drive traffic?
Create content that helps buyers move from researching vehicles to taking action. That includes having accurate and compliant inventory pricing.
And measure the things that matter:
→ Traffic from your primary traffic channels for website visits.
→ Calls, chats, forms, and appointments for actual business results.
The goal isn't to generate more AI traffic. It's still to make sure your dealership gets discovered and chosen, regardless of where the car buyer begins. The majority of your traffic still comes from direct, organic, and paid search.
AI results are a shopping adviser. Your website is where car shoppers check for affordability, selection, and to take the next step.
