Recent insights from the BrightEdge Enterprise SEO platform reveal a clear trend: desktop users overwhelmingly lead in AI search referrals, overshadowing mobile traffic across most major platforms.
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This revelation underscores the pivotal role desktops play in the realm of AI-driven searches, while also highlighting potential shifts on the horizon if Apple alters Safari’s default search engine.
Predominance of Desktop in AI Search Referrals
The latest data underscores a significant tilt towards desktop platforms when it comes to AI search traffic.
This dominance is evident across various AI search engines and chatbots, marking a distinct behavior pattern among users.
ChatGPT’s Desktop-Focused Traffic
Diving deeper into specific platforms, ChatGPT stands out with its substantial reliance on desktop referrals.
According to BrightEdge, a staggering 94% of ChatGPT’s traffic stems from desktop applications, leaving mobile referrals at a mere 6%.
This disparity may be attributed to the mobile app’s in-app preview feature, which necessitates an additional click for users to visit external sites, thereby hindering seamless referrals.
Other AI Platforms Follow Suit
Perplexity, Bing, and Google Gemini exhibit similar desktop-centric referral trends, further reinforcing the desktop’s dominance in AI searches.
Perplexity channels approximately 96.5% of its traffic through desktop, Bing follows closely with 94%, and Google Gemini accounts for 91%. The exception remains Google Search, which uniquely garners more mobile referrals (53%) compared to desktop (44%).
This anomaly suggests that Google Search users might be engaging in more mobile-centric activities, contrasting with the predominantly desktop-oriented usage of other AI platforms.
The overarching dominance of desktop referrals in AI search reflects a possible distinction in user intent, where desktop users are likely engaging in more intensive, work-related, or research-oriented tasks, whereas mobile users may be browsing in a more casual manner.
Apple’s Potential Influence on Search Traffic
Amidst the current landscape, Apple’s role as a gatekeeper through its Safari browser emerges as a critical factor that could reshape search traffic dynamics.
Safari’s Dominance in Mobile Search
Safari continues to hold a significant position in the mobile search arena, primarily due to its default status on Apple devices.
BrightEdge highlights that Safari is the default browser on nearly a billion devices, directing 57% of Google’s mobile traffic to brand websites.
This established presence makes any shift in Safari’s default search engine a potential game-changer, capable of redistributing search referrals on a massive scale.
Implications of a Search Engine Shift
Any modification to Safari’s default search settings could have profound effects on the competitive balance among search providers.
With Apple’s Apple Intelligence remaining vendor-agnostic, the introduction of alternative AI-powered search tools within Safari could challenge Google’s stronghold.
Such changes might lead to a reevaluation of search marketing strategies, as brands adjust to new referral patterns emerging from altered default settings.
The upcoming Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) is poised to be a pivotal moment, as announcements related to Safari could announce a new era in mobile search traffic distribution.
The Bottom Line
BrightEdge’s recent data illuminates a clear preference for desktop platforms in AI search referrals, positioning desktops as the primary drivers of AI-generated traffic.
Meanwhile, Google Search remains the lone major AI platform favoring mobile, highlighting unique user behaviors. Apple’s control over Safari’s default settings presents a potential turning point that could realign search traffic flows significantly.
As the tech landscape evolves, stakeholders will need to stay vigilant, especially with key events like Apple’s WWDC that could redefine the search marketing terrain.
