BuiltWith vs Similarweb

Organic Visibility of German Online Shops Declines Significantly

A study by Sistrix and LEAP reveals that the organic visibility of major German online shops dropped by 16.7% in 2026, the first decline in years. Concurrently, AI Overviews have tripled in presence, appearing in 14.2% of analyzed keywords. Despite this, shops are only cited in 5.3% of AI Overviews, widening the gap. Organic traffic share fell from 42.5% to 33.3%, translating to a €7.5 billion annual loss in organic-influenced revenue. AI Overviews are most prevalent in informational searches (69.7%) but rare in transactional ones (0.2%), indicating a shift in the research phase. Strong SEO domains are more frequently cited by AI, with a correlation of 0.66. The study recommends optimizing for AI citation and improving conversion rates, as 76% of top shops lack A/B testing tools.

• Median organic visibility of German online shops fell 16.7% year-over-year in 2026.
• AI Overviews presence tripled from 4.3% to 14.2% of keywords.
• Organic traffic share dropped from 42.5% to 33.3%.

Similarweb Names Michael Akkerman as New Chief Executive Officer

Similarweb announced the appointment of Michael Akkerman as new CEO, along with new product and partnership announcements including the State of Ecommerce 2026 report, NIQ partnership, and AI ad placement tracking.

6-K Financial Filing Analysis for Similarweb (2026-09-24)

Similarweb Ltd. announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Michael Akkerman as Chief Executive Officer, effective November 2, 2026. Akkerman succeeds Founder and CEO Or Offer, who announced in May 2026 his intention to step down after nearly two decades leading the digital intelligence platform. This leadership transition marks a critical governance evolution as Similarweb moves from founder-led management to its next phase of corporate growth and commercial scaling.

• Michael Akkerman appointed Chief Executive Officer of Similarweb Ltd., effective November 2, 2026.
• Founder and current CEO Or Offer is stepping down after leading the company for nearly 20 years, following an initial transition announcement in May 2026.
• The executive leadership transition was formalized via Board approval and reported on Form 6-K on September 24, 2026.

Generative AI to Become New Discovery Layer in E-Commerce

A report by Similarweb indicates that generative AI is increasingly influencing online purchase decisions, appearing in over 11% of shopping journeys prior to transactions, up from under 5% two years ago. However, traditional search remains crucial, with 89% of AI-influenced journeys also using search engines. AI is primarily used in early stages for problem definition and product comparison, while search is relied upon for specific product checks. This creates challenges in attribution, as last-click models often misattribute AI-driven conversions to search or direct traffic. Retailers must now optimize for visibility across multiple digital layers, including AI-generated answers and on-platform shopping assistants like Amazon's, and ensure structured product data to enhance AI recommendations.

• Generative AI appears in over 11% of shopping journeys before a transaction, up from under 5% two years ago.
• In 89% of AI-influenced purchase journeys, a search engine is also used.
• AI is used mainly for early-stage tasks like problem definition, category learning, and option comparison.