GLOBAL PUBLISHER GOOGLE TRAFFIC DROPPED BY A THIRD IN 2025

Summary from the TLDR Marketing newsletter

Google traffic to publishers fell sharply in 2025 and is expected to keep dropping through 2026. Search fell 33%, and Discover fell 21%, with deeper losses since May 2023 and even steeper declines in the US. Lifestyle and utility sites were hit hardest as AI summaries reduced clicks. Publishers expect a 43% drop over three years and plan to scale back on Google, Facebook, and X while shifting more effort to AI platforms and YouTube. Most expect some AI licensing revenue, but not much. Confidence in journalism is falling, and leaders are leaning into creator partnerships and subscriptions to counter shrinking platform visibility.