AI search & manufacturing SEO: What the data shows [Study]
AI Overviews appeared on 57% of searches across 458 manufacturing and industrial keywords in July 2026, up from 38% in January, according to a Semrush study. The summaries now show up for product queries such as "pneumatic cylinder" and brand searches such as "National Instruments", not just informational questions.
Traffic to manufacturing sites is shifting. Direct and organic search account for nearly 80% of all sessions, but direct traffic is growing while organic search declines. AI Mode and AI assistants together drive just under half a percent of visits, so AI referrals remain small even as zero-click search spreads.
The brands named most often in AI answers are not the ones cited as sources. 3M, John Deere and Boeing lead mentions, while only Vevor and Grainger appear on both the top 15 mentions and top 15 citations lists. Cited domains are a mix of directories, distributors and reference sites, and their Authority Scores vary far more than those of the top-mentioned brands.
Semrush's survey of more than 600 B2B professionals found buyers use AI to shortlist vendors and research purchases worth over $1,000, then follow up with a Google search or a direct visit. That delayed visit is hard to track, so rising direct or branded search traffic may be the clearest signal that AI visibility is paying off.
Reported by Semrush Blog ↗
Topics: AI Overviews, Citations, Measurement