Referral traffic from ChatGPT to external websites has declined sharply, with new data indicating a 52% decrease since 21 July. The findings come from research by Profound’s Josh Blyskal, who studied over one billion ChatGPT citations and one million referral visits across a wide range of websites.
The analysis reveals a significant shift in how ChatGPT sources its answers, with Reddit and Wikipedia now playing a dominant role in the platform’s citations.
Reddit and Wikipedia see major gains
According to Blyskal’s report, Reddit citations have increased by 87% since 23 July, now accounting for more than 10% of all ChatGPT references. Wikipedia also recorded a strong recovery, climbing 62% from its July low to secure nearly 13% of citation share.
Together with TechRadar, these two platforms now represent the top three sources cited by ChatGPT. Combined, they account for 22% of all citations, representing a 53% increase in just one month.
The trend suggests that ChatGPT is increasingly relying on so-called “answer-first” platforms, which provide direct responses to user questions, rather than sending traffic to branded websites that prioritise marketing and conversions.
OpenAI’s system changes behind the shift
The decline in referral traffic is not directly linked to the launch of GPT-5 on 7 August. Blyskal noted that ChatGPT’s consolidation of citations began weeks earlier, indicating that OpenAI has likely adjusted its retrieval system to highlight sources seen as more useful to users.
This reweighting favours platforms such as Reddit and Wikipedia, where users can find straightforward answers, over branded websites that are often geared towards sales pitches and conversion funnels.
Blyskal observed that “the citation opportunity is massive for brands willing to shift from conversion first to answer first content,” suggesting that companies will need to rethink their approach to online publishing if they wish to maintain visibility in AI-generated responses.
Impact on brands and digital strategy
The changes have major implications for businesses that rely on referral traffic from AI platforms. By prioritising answer-first content, ChatGPT is reducing exposure for websites that focus on marketing-oriented material, such as “Schedule a demo” calls to action.
For many companies, this could mean losing millions of potential referral clicks, as OpenAI’s evolving citation system increasingly directs users to community-driven platforms and encyclopaedic resources.
While the adjustments may benefit users seeking quick answers, brands that fail to adapt may struggle to maintain a presence within ChatGPT’s ecosystem. The shift underscores the growing importance of creating content that is informative, transparent, and user-centric.
As Blyskal’s analysis highlights, OpenAI’s experiments with citation weighting have the potential to reshape the flow of traffic across the web dramatically. Businesses that adapt to an answer-first model are more likely to remain visible, while those that do not could find themselves squeezed out of the conversation.
