Aleyda Solis, founder of Orainti, analyzed 87 million AI search visits across 10 markets, revealing that most clicks are directed to local domains rather than global domains by default.
Using data from Similarweb, it examined more than 57,000 domain marketplace entries in the “click-producing layer.” This layer includes visits to a domain after users click on quotes or links in AI-generated answers.
THE analysis complicates the assumption that the world’s biggest brands automatically dominate AI search results.
The main model
In non-US markets, local domains with stronger signals determine the click layer. For example, Bol.com is the leader in e-commerce in the Netherlands, MercadoLivre in Brazil, Bahn.de in Germany and Lefrecce.it in Italy, ahead of global competitors like Amazon or Booking.com.
Solis suggests this reflects who has the locally usable answer, not the size of the brand. For example, Lefrecce has data on train routes between Milan and Rome, while Booking.com does not. Thus, the visibility of AI search often depends on local infrastructure.
Different verticals, different rules
In e-commerce, five domains account for 50% of clicks, with platforms like Amazon dominating. Finance is less concentrated, accounting for 17 areas, while travel is highly fragmented with 47. Finance appears concentrated, with Stripe ranking first in 7 out of 10 markets, driven by demand from B2B, developers, merchants and infrastructure, rather than consumers.
PayPal is the leader in Germany and Italy. The investing subcategory accounts for 22.4% of financial AI clicks, with TradingView ranking in the top 20 across all markets. Travel discovery and booking are more dispersed. Italian e-commerce is concentrated, with Amazon.it capturing 46.2% of clicks; combined with Temu, more than half. UK travel requires 129 domains for 50% of clicks.
Growth is uneven
The report reveals churn driving overall growth. Median monthly growth for the top 50 domains was +20% in e-commerce, +25% in finance, and +29.1% in travel. Many markets and verticals saw around 30-40% of top domains decline, for example e-commerce in Spain with 21 domains out of 49 and finance in France with 22 out of 50.
Solis notes that weighted averages can be skewed by small baseline spikes, citing domains like azulviagens.com.br and innovasport.com with large single-month jumps, suggesting surveys rather than trends. Momentum offers more information than a static snapshot, as a losing primary area may require more focus than a stable top 50 position.
Why it matters
For brands working across multiple markets, data suggests that AI search competitors may not be the same as those they follow in traditional SEO.
In the Italian travel sector, the key domain for rail intentions could be Lefrecce.it. In Dutch e-commerce this may be Bol.com. In German travel this may be Bahn.de.
Solis recommends a simple audit question: Who owns the operational data, structured inventory, or institutional trust that AI needs for category tasks in each market?
Looking to the future
The report highlights three gaps for global brands: presence in AI-driven responses, click acquisition, and customer relations domain ownership.
Solis plans to update the analysis monthly. The next pull will show if the local domain model is valid.
Featured Image: RobinRmD/Shutterstock
