AI Search Clicks Often Go To Local Domains: Report via @sejournal, @MattGSouthern

Aleyda Solis, founder of Orainti, analyzed 87 million AI search visits across 10 markets, finding most clicks go to local domains rather than global defaults.

Using Similarweb data, she examined more than 57,000 domain-market entries in the ‘click-producing layer.’ This layer includes visits to a domain after users click citations or links in AI-generated answers.

The analysis complicates the assumption that the biggest global brands automatically dominate AI search results.

The Main Pattern

In non-US markets, local domains with stronger signals drive the click layer. For example, Bol.com leads in Dutch ecommerce, MercadoLivre in Brazil, Bahn.de in Germany, and Lefrecce.it in Italy, ahead of global competitors like Amazon or Booking.com.

Solis suggests this reflects who has the usable answer locally, not brand size. For instance, Lefrecce has train route data for Milan to Rome, while Booking.com does not. Thus, AI search visibility often depends on local infrastructure.

Different Verticals, Different Rules

In ecommerce, five domains account for 50% of clicks, with platforms like Amazon dominating. Finance is less concentrated, accounting for 17 domains, while travel is highly fragmented with 47. Finance appears concentrated, with Stripe ranking first in 7 of 10 markets, driven by demand from B2B, developers, merchants, and infrastructure, rather than consumers.

PayPal leads in Germany and Italy. The investing sub-category accounts for 22.4% of finance AI clicks, with TradingView ranking in the top 20 across all markets. Travel discovery and booking are more dispersed. Italy’s ecommerce is concentrated, with Amazon.it capturing 46.2% of clicks; combined with Temu, over half. UK travel requires 129 domains for 50% of clicks.

Growth Is Uneven

The report reveals churn behind overall growth. The median monthly growth for the top 50 domains was +20% in ecommerce, +25% in finance, and +29.1% in travel. Many markets and verticals saw about 30% to 40% of top domains decline, e.g., Spain ecommerce with 21 of 49 domains and France finance with 22 of 50.

Solis notes that weighted averages can be distorted by small-base spikes, citing domains like azulviagens.com.br and innovasport.com with large one-month jumps, suggesting investigations rather than trends. Momentum offers more insight than a static snapshot, as a losing top domain may require more focus than a steady top-50 position.

Why This Matters

For brands working across multiple markets, the data suggests that AI search competitors may not be the same competitors they track in traditional SEO.

In Italian travel, the key domain for rail intent may be Lefrecce.it. In Dutch ecommerce, it may be Bol.com. In German travel, it may be Bahn.de.

Solis recommends a straightforward audit question: who holds the operational data, structured inventory, or institutional trust that AI needs for category tasks in each market?

Looking Ahead

The report highlights three gaps for international brands: presence in AI-driven answers, click acquisition, and domain ownership of customer relationships.

Solis plans to update the analysis monthly. The next pull will show whether the local-domain pattern holds.

Featured Image: RobinRmD/Shutterstock