AI set to reshape estate agency web traffic, says Nurtur
The proptech firm has released new data which reveals what a healthy digital estate agency traffic mix looks like, and why AI could soon dominate it.
Nurtur has unveiled new data showing what a balanced estate agency traffic mix looks like today and how artificial intelligence is set to radically change it.
According to analysis of agencies with mature digital strategies, organic search and direct traffic remain the top sources of website traffic in 2025, with email, paid search, paid social, referral and organic social traffic lagging behind.
Organic traffic is often driven by awareness content such as blog posts while direct traffic relies on brand awareness and familiarity, meaning that paid activity, social media, and email marketing play a vital role in keeping agents top of mind.
AI’s rapid rise in property marketing
Nurtur says this mix reflects a healthy balance between brand-driven and discovery-driven channels – but warns the emergence of AI referrals could soon disrupt it.
The company’s data suggests AI-generated traffic from platforms such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity could surge from 0.05% in early 2025 to over 40% by mid-2028, marking a fundamental shift in how people search for property.
“At present, AI traffic represents just 0.2% of total visits, yet this reflects a year-on-year growth of 1,784%,” said Richard Combellack, Chief Commercial Officer at Nurtur. “AI-driven visitors are likely to convert at far higher rates than traditional search traffic because they arrive ready to take action.”
Richard added: “The challenge is visibility. Agents must ensure their brand, listings, and content are being understood and surfaced by AI systems, not just Google.”
While AI offers opportunities for higher-intent traffic, it also creates a ‘black box’ in the marketing journey, where the steps leading up to a website visit are invisible to traditional analytics.
As a result, Nurtur advises agents to optimise for AI discovery, strengthen reputation signals, and invest in integrated marketing data to track conversions.
“The future of lead generation won’t be about who ranks highest,” Richard said. “It’ll be about who’s recognised and recommended by the tools home movers trust most.”
