Websites are unlikely to become redundant by 2027, but their role will change. Increasingly, people can discover products, obtain answers and interact with businesses without visiting a traditional website. Artificial intelligence assistants, social platforms and messaging services are becoming alternative entry points. The likely outcome is fewer routine website visits, with websites remaining important for credibility, detailed information, transactions and services that require direct interaction.
Evidence already suggests that search behaviour is changing. Pew Research Center’s analysis of American browsing activity in March 2025 found that users clicked a traditional search result in 8% of visits when an AI summary appeared, compared with 15% when one did not. However, this observation does not establish that every website will lose traffic or become unnecessary. It shows that businesses should reconsider their dependence on search engines to attract customers. Source: Pew Research Center
Websites also provide the underlying information that newer interfaces need. Google advises website owners to keep content accessible to its systems so it can appear in generative search experiences. A business may therefore receive fewer human visitors while its website continues to support discovery by means of AI. Ownership matters too: a company controls its website more directly than its presence on a platform whose pricing, algorithms or access rules can change. Source: Google Search Central
Businesses should consequently replace selected website functions where alternatives serve customers better. Six practical strategies offer a starting point.
1. Introduce conversational service. Use WhatsApp, messaging platforms or AI assistants for enquiries, appointment bookings, order updates and common support questions. Provide an easy route to a person when automation cannot resolve the issue.
2. Expand social commerce. Where suitable, let customers discover and purchase products through social platforms and marketplaces. Demonstrations, customer reviews and short videos can bring information and purchasing closer together, thus reducing the steps required to buy.
3. Prepare for AI shopping. Maintain accurate product descriptions, prices, availability and delivery information in supported commerce systems. Shopify, for example, enables eligible merchants to make products discoverable through AI channels. Treat this as an additional sales route and assess its commercial results. Source: Shopify
4. Build direct customer relationships. Develop permission-based email newsletters, SMS updates and loyalty programmes. Useful advice, relevant offers and timely reminders can encourage repeat business without requiring customers to rediscover the organisation through search.
5. Use apps selectively. A dedicated app can support frequent activities such as banking, membership access or repeat ordering. Businesses with occasional customer interactions should first consider whether messaging or a simple mobile website offers sufficient convenience.
6. Strengthen local discovery. Keep business listings, opening hours, contact details, reviews and booking links accurate. For a local service provider, a complete listing connected to messaging and scheduling may handle much of the initial customer journey.
The best preparation for 2027 is a diversified digital presence. Retain a focused website as an authoritative reference while testing alternatives against customer needs. Measure enquiries, completed bookings, sales, retention and service quality across channels. Reduce investment in pages that add little value, and direct resources towards the interactions customers actually use.
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