GoodFirms surveyed 192 marketers on how content performs now that AI answers come before the click. Softologics was a research partner, and our founder Yamama Shoaib was featured as an expert in four of GoodFirms' videos about the findings. Here are the six key moments.
66.3%
reported organic traffic growth despite AI search
65.2%
say AI search & answer engines matter more for distribution
82.6%
use AI regularly or extensively in content work
73.5% vs 73.3%
traffic growth: publishing more vs fewer, better pieces
Source: GoodFirms, Content Engagement Metrics 2026 (192 respondents).
Each video is under a minute and built from GoodFirms' research videos. Tap to play.
Video 1 of 6 · 47s
You also need to rethink how to measure success. It's not just about rankings and traffic anymore.
65.2%
say AI search & answer engines matter more for distribution
Also featuring: Brandon Leibowitz, SEO Optimizers · Swapnil Sharma, Ssquares Tech
Video 2 of 6 · 33s
Share your experience, bring original insights, answer real customer questions, and give people a reason to trust your brand.
58.7%
now prioritise expert-led or firsthand content
Also featuring: Emilio Garcia, Boundify
Video 3 of 6 · 31s
Stop thinking only about how to get people to your website. Start thinking about why they should remember you and your brand.
26.1%
connect content engagement to business outcomes very effectively
Also featuring: Brandon Leibowitz, SEO Optimizers
Video 4 of 6 · 28s
Visibility might get you noticed. But trust is what makes people remember you.
38%
say leads are the strongest sign content worked
Also featuring: Swapnil Sharma, Ssquares Tech
Video 5 of 6 · 29s
What happens when your website ranks on Google, but people get answers directly from AI and never get the chance to visit your website?
56.5%
say organic search matters more, behind AI search at 65.2%
Video 6 of 6 · 58s
Are people engaging with your content? Are they coming back? Do they trust your expertise enough to choose your business?
192
content marketers surveyed by GoodFirms
The research points the same way for small businesses: be the trusted answer, not just a ranked link.
Clear, factual pages and consistent business info make it easier for ChatGPT, Gemini and Google AI Overviews to mention you.
AI search (GEO) guideReviews, case studies and mentions on other sites are the trust signals buyers (and AI tools) check first.
E-E-A-T guideTrack enquiries, calls and branded searches each month. They tell you far more than pageviews.
Zero-click SEO guideDon't take our word for it. Here are GoodFirms' own posts featuring Yamama, and her posts about the research.
A GoodFirms survey of 192 content marketing professionals about how they measure content, use AI, and turn engagement into leads. Softologics was one of the research partners.
She appears as a featured expert in four of GoodFirms' LinkedIn videos about the research. The quotes on this page are her words from those videos, not from the written report.
Not necessarily. 66.3% of the marketers surveyed still reported organic traffic growth, but 65.2% say AI search and answer engines became more important for distribution. You need to be visible in AI answers as well as on Google.
Publish fewer, more useful pages built on your own experience, answer real customer questions, build reviews and mentions on other sites, and track leads and branded searches instead of traffic alone.
We'll check how your website, Google profile and reviews look to buyers and AI tools, and send you a plain-English fix list. Free, no call needed.