AI search traffic grew 527% year-on-year. 80% of consumers are relying on AI summaries for at least 40% of their searches. 60% of Google searches now end without a click.
These aren't projections — they're already in the data.
For Melbourne businesses in trades, professional services, and home services, the commercial implication is direct: visibility is no longer determined purely by Google rankings. It's increasingly determined by whether your content is structured clearly enough for AI systems to interpret, summarise, and reference.
ChatGPT accounts for 87.4% of all AI referral traffic across tracked sites. When a homeowner asks it for a plumber recommendation in their suburb, the answer comes from publicly available content. The businesses appearing in those responses aren't there by accident.
Our latest blog covers the key AI SEO statistics shaping search in 2026 — and what Melbourne businesses can do about it now, across both traditional search and AI platforms.
Read it here → predictadigital.com.au/blog/ai-seo-statistics-2026-why-melbourne-businesses-cant-ignore-ai-search/