Affiliate content has traditionally converted through a simple route: an author compares website builders, tests their features, reviews tariffs, describes limitations and recommends solutions for specific tasks. The reader follows the affiliate link, registers and the publisher earns a commission.
Search engines are now using that content to generate answers directly in the search interface. AI extracts the publisher's findings and presents a recommendation, allowing the user to visit a builder's official site without passing through the affiliate resource. The builder gains the customer, while the publisher loses both the click and the commission.
This puts referral programmes for website builders under pressure. As AI search absorbs traffic that previously followed affiliate recommendations, publishers may need to focus on narrower niches, build an audience beyond search or diversify their income. The shift also affects affiliate earnings in hosting and SaaS, where informational content can feed AI-generated recommendations.
