Publishers are testing a variety of new tactics to offset shrinking referral traffic from search and social platforms, including one particularly unexpected method.

In recent weeks, media companies including The Information, Gannett, The Independent, and the INMA, have all launched on-site answer engines, or tools that replicate the chatbot interface of ChatGPT but surface only their own journalism. More sites are expected to unveil similar offerings in the very near future.

The tools are part of a broader set of tactics designed to help publishers counter the disruptive effects of artificial intelligence. In addition to these branded answer engines, media companies are also investing more in direct channels like newsletters and podcasts and pushing further into events.

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