Do you still need a website at all?
Even Wikipedia is seeing a drop in visits on many pages. Not because the knowledge has gotten worse—but because AI answers before anyone clicks. If that can happen to the free encyclopedia, what does it mean for your website?
Michael Aerni
Partner & Lead Digital
“I have Instagram.”
“I’m active on LinkedIn.”
“People ask the AI anyway.”
The objections to having a website sound plausible. And yet they all miss the point. Here you’ll find out why a bespoke website is more important than ever—if you want a credible and effective presence in the digital world.
1. Your website is your stage—not Meta’s
Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, Facebook—these are rented stages. Other people write the rules. And the algorithm decides who it shows and who it forgets. Your account can be suspended, your reach curtailed, the platform itself may one day simply become irrelevant.
Your website, by contrast, is your own garden. You decide what you plant, how you tend it. You define the message, the pace, the tone. Are you aware that your website is more than your digital business card? It is your only 24/7 front desk—it never sleeps, never gets in a bad mood and never changes its opening hours in the middle of the night.
2. Why AI doesn’t replace your website—but needs it
Yes, AI answers questions before users even visit a website. But where does AI get its answers? From structured, credible, clearly worded sources. From websites.
Those who don’t cultivate their own digital home and don’t formulate a clear message won’t be cited by AI systems—they’ll be ignored. Visibility in the AI age doesn’t start on ChatGPT. It starts on your website.
Wikipedia may lose direct visits. But it is cited more often than ever. Traffic shifts. But strong storytelling and original expertise remain relevant.
3. What your website should deliver
Your website is not a relic from the 2000s. You can make it the foundation of your strategy. Because: your website can provide answers before anyone asks. It builds trust before the first conversation. It gives knowledge and offers services around the clock. And it forms the library where AI systems rummage.
Precisely because that is the case, it’s worth investing in a stable system. We are convinced by the Content Management System Statamic, which we’d be happy to explain more about another time.
A website that works stands on four pillars: a clear message, attractive content, a well-thought-out structure—and a concrete invitation to take action. Think about it: what service could you offer every visitor right away?
If one of these pillars is missing, the whole structure wobbles. What are you doing to still be relevant with your website in five years?