OpenAI ChatGPT Sending 52% Less Referral Traffic

08/21/25
Source: Search Engine Roundtable by barry@rustybrick.com (Barry Schwartz). Read the original article

TL;DR Summary of ChatGPT Referral Traffic Drops by 52% Since July 21st

OpenAI’s recent changes to ChatGPT have caused a 52% decline in referral traffic to many websites since late July. Meanwhile, major platforms like Reddit and Wikipedia have seen significant citation increases, now dominating ChatGPT’s referral landscape. This shift means smaller branded sites receive fewer clicks from ChatGPT, impacting SEO strategies unpredictably. Traffic swings are driven by OpenAI’s adjustments, which remain opaque to site owners and marketers.

Optimixed’s Overview: Understanding the Dramatic Shift in ChatGPT Referral Traffic Patterns

Significant Traffic Redistribution from ChatGPT to Leading Platforms

Recent updates by OpenAI have altered the way ChatGPT sources citations and generates referral traffic. Analysis from Profound’s dataset, which tracks over one million ChatGPT-driven site visits, reveals a sharp 52% drop in referral traffic for many monitored websites beginning around July 21st. This change coincides with a notable increase in citations for a few dominant domains:

  • Reddit citations surged by 87% since July 23rd, now accounting for over 10% of ChatGPT citations.
  • Wikipedia citations increased by 62%, reaching nearly 13% share.
  • The top three sites (Wikipedia, Reddit, TechRadar) collectively command 22% of all ChatGPT citations, representing a major consolidation.

Impact on SEO and Referral Traffic for Brand Websites

This consolidation means many smaller or branded websites are seeing fewer citations and thus fewer referral clicks from ChatGPT. Because OpenAI’s adjustments directly influence which sources ChatGPT selects for answers, referral traffic can fluctuate drastically with little warning or transparency. The dataset excludes the dominant platforms, so the 52% decline reflects an average loss among other sites rather than a total traffic decrease.

Mixed Industry Observations and Data Limitations

While Profound’s data shows a steep decline, some industry insiders report stable or even rising ChatGPT referral traffic on their networks. Differences in datasets and verticals may explain these discrepancies. Profound’s tracking relies on aggregated, server-side analytics from thousands of sites across B2B SaaS, ecommerce, and publishing sectors, providing a statistically significant but selective view.

Key Takeaways for Marketers and SEOs

  • OpenAI controls the “dials” on ChatGPT’s citation weighting, affecting referral flows unpredictably.
  • Major platforms are becoming the predominant sources cited by ChatGPT, potentially crowding out smaller sites.
  • SEO professionals should monitor their own referral data closely and be prepared for volatility in AI-driven traffic.
  • This shift underscores the evolving nature of AI search and the challenges in optimizing for it.