Case Study of AI Search Optimization in the Housing and Architecture Sector (While Clicks for the Top Search Result Decreased by 60%, Only Through AI Did the CV Rate Increase by 3.2 Times)

Results Achieved through Collaboration with Queue

Many companies are likely facing a situation where advertising costs continue to rise, SEO rankings remain stable, yet inquiries are decreasing. Is this not the case for you?

 

When these two things occur simultaneously, it is often not due to operational techniques, especially in this era of widespread AI search. The structure of the entry point for searches has changed.

 

Ecoprocoat Co., Ltd. began receiving support for AI search optimization from Queue Co., Ltd. in April 2026, achieving exposure to Chat GPT and Google AI (AI Overview) for terms like "recommended floor coating companies," leading to an increase in inquiries.

 

Below are actual case studies.

 

This is a measurement taken 90 days after implementing AI search countermeasures by Queue Co., Ltd.

 

In 90 days, there were 260 sessions and 49 key events. The fact that the value of one session can change from 3 times to 9 times due to exposure in AI search has been confirmed by data.

 

Challenges: Clicks Disappearing Despite Maintaining Rankings

First, it is important to confirm that this is not a unique issue for Ecoprocoat.

 

According to a study published by Ahrefs in July 2026, when AI Overviews are displayed in search results, the click-through rate for the top search result drops from the expected 24.1% to a measured 9.0%. This represents a decrease of 62.7%. The figures from the same study in December 2025 were 38%. In just six months, the rate at which clicks are lost while maintaining rankings has accelerated.

 

An inverse trend has also been observed. According to an overseas study (Semrush), the CV rate for users who visit after reading AI responses is approximately 4.4 times that of organic search. This is a natural result since users have already compared and considered options within the AI's responses before visiting.

 

The volume of entry points is decreasing, while the quality of the remaining few is increasing. This is the change currently underway.

Three Symptoms Evident in Actual Numbers (Ecoprocoat Co., Ltd.)

1. Deterioration of Efficiency in "Buying" Inquiries

We compared the actual data from search advertising over more than two years, focusing on the initial period and the most recent data.

 

The monthly acquisition numbers have dropped to about half, while the acquisition cost continues to rise. This is not due to a reduction in ad spend or sloppy management. The inquiries obtained with the same effort have halved. Phone inquiries have also moved in the same direction, significantly declining compared to the first half of 2025.

 

Even after taking all possible measures on the advertising side, the decline does not stop. At this point, it can be determined that the cause is likely outside the advertising account.

2. Sufficient Traffic but Not Leading to Purchases

This is an easy point to overlook. The traffic itself was not actually lacking.

 

The series of column articles related to dogs on "Aiken no Yuka" has gathered 33,000 sessions since February 2026 alone. The key events generated from this traffic were 39, with a conversion rate of 0.12%. In contrast, the case and product pages on the same site had a conversion rate of 8.2%, resulting in a discrepancy of about 70 times.

 

The reason is clear. The purpose of those visiting to read dog columns is to "understand dog behavior," and floor coating is not even a consideration among the means. This means that a large number of customers with different objectives were being gathered.

3. Data Already Present Internally

As a supplementary point, we found multiple cases where advertising costs were still being paid for queries that were already ranking high in SEO by cross-referencing Search Console and advertising search term data. Most of these were searches for the company's brand name, meaning they were ads for branded searches.

 

This is not a discussion about AI search countermeasures themselves. However, when conducting an inventory across the current situation, it serves as an example that data for new measures was already present internally. This overlap cannot be recognized by looking only at the advertising account or only at the SEO data.

 

Why AI Search Optimization?

When laying all this out, the direction to take became quite clear.

 

The option to further increase new traffic has decreased in priority. Adding volume to an area that has gathered 33,000 sessions with only a 0.12% conversion rate will not structurally improve efficiency. What was needed was a pathway to reach users whose objectives align.

 

AI search is a place that meets those conditions.

 

Users ask AI questions in the form of their objectives rather than keywords. For example, "My dog slips on the floor; which flooring do you recommend?" AI introduces companies as means to achieve that objective. Being featured in the responses means encountering users in a state where their objectives align.

 

The reason why readers of the dog columns did not convert, while visitors via AI do, is the same explanation: whether the objectives and means align. This is why we chose AI search countermeasures as a new investment target.

Why Queue?

Marketing Person: Mr. M

Honestly, at first, I was wondering, "What exactly does LLMO do?"

As I listened to several discussions, Queue was not like other web marketing companies that say, "Let's do external measures," "Let's review SEO," or "Let's increase the number of articles as much as possible." Instead, they considered measures based on the understanding of the LLM mechanism and how AI searches for and cites information, which left a strong impression on me.

Since we do not have unlimited budgets or personnel, it was significant to have them think together about where to start to achieve the best results within our limited resources, rather than trying to do everything possible.

Additionally, the sales and responsible personnel I spoke with before the contract explained technical content in a way that was very easy to understand from our perspective. While their expertise is high, there was no difficulty in communication, and I felt that I could consult them about any uncertainties as we progressed.

Ultimately, the main reason I decided to work with Queue was that they considered not just exposure in AI search but also how to connect that to inquiries and sales.

First Steps Taken

Confirmed Current Status through AI Search Analysis

The first thing we did was visualize how our company is currently treated in the world of AI search.

 

This cannot be measured with standard SEO tools. We used Queue Co., Ltd.'s "Free Current Status Analysis for AI Search Countermeasures" to understand which queries we are cited in AI search, which we are not, and which alternatives are being cited instead.

 

Are there those who share similar thoughts?

 

- I’m doing SEO, but the numbers have stopped increasing.

- I want to implement new marketing measures but don’t know what to do.

- I’ve started to question the cost-effectiveness of advertising expenses.

- Traffic is good, but I want to increase the CV rate.

 

If you resonate with any of these thoughts, please check whether "your company is properly appearing in AI search."

 

If any of these apply to you, feel free to apply for a "Current Status Analysis."

 

Free Diagnosis for AI Search Countermeasures (Queue Co., Ltd.)

Visualize how your company is treated in AI search for free.

 

Queue Co., Ltd. offers a free diagnosis of your current status in AI search.

In this survey, we throw 100 non-branded prompts aligned with your business description to AI and visualize how often your company name and service name are cited and mentioned. (Ecoprocoat case study)

 

▶ [Apply for a Free AI Search Diagnosis]

Queue Co., Ltd.: Responsible Members (Soda Berg, Einar)

Ecoprocoat has been actively engaged in SEO and advertising, already having many touchpoints with users in search. However, they were still not sufficiently exposed in AI searches such as ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews.

Nowadays, whether for individuals or corporations, the use of AI for research and comparisons is increasing, and decisions are being made based on those responses. Therefore, I was confident that if we could ensure that the content and achievements that Ecoprocoat has built up over time are correctly understood in AI searches and recommended to users who need them, it would lead to results.

The team responsible for Ecoprocoat is also quick to understand the measures, and communication is truly smooth, allowing us to proceed while continuously improving together.

Although the project is still ongoing, I am very pleased to see results emerging in the form of traffic and conversions via AI search. From here, I want to expand the state where "Ecoprocoat is recommended for floor coatings" and "Ecoprocoat is recommended for dog floor coatings" in AI searches.