There is a new panic in the world of SEO. Entering the nightmares of marketers as part of Google’s integration of Gemini through AI Overviews, zero click search has become a pivotal talking point in the marketing landscape. It is yet another of the new obstacles that businesses face in the wake of the AI revolution, where users are becoming increasingly reliant on language models to answer their questions as opposed to articles or webpages.
Thankfully, however, zero click searches do not have to be a marker of apocalypse for your business. Just like all of the changes that have come about since ChatGPT was released in November 2022, they create an opportunity for marketers to grow, learn, and adapt to our new world. Read on to find out what zero click searches are, how they are significant, and how you can rework your SEO strategy to make them work for you.
What is a zero click search?
A zero click search is pretty much exactly what it says on the tin. It is a search, on any search engine, that yields zero clicks. There are four main reasons why a user may decide not to click after submitting a query:
AI has answered their question for them
The appearance of AI Overviews in the search results means that users now have the option of getting a concise and informative answer to their queries without clicking on to pages in the search results. If a user is satisfied with AI’s response, they will end their search and move on to a different action on the web.
Their query has been answered by other visible text on the results page
AI overviews are not the only piece of text that can be read without having to click on a link in the search results. Other features such as Google’s Knowledge Panels, Featured Snippets, or even just the meta descriptions included in a page’s search result can provide enough information to satisfy a user.
They have reformulated their query
Better defined as a “keyword change”, this type of zero click search simply means that the user has either decided their original query wasn’t well-suited enough to find the answer they’re looking for, or they have changed their mind about what information they want to find. These searches can also apply to cases where a user has misspelt their query, and resubmitted it with the correct spelling. While their second search may result in a click, the original search counts as a zero-click.
They have clicked on to a different part of the search results
The SERPs (search engine results pages) are not the only option for users trying to find information about a query. When we search, we have the option of switching to Images, Maps, Shopping, or any other search engine feature to get us to our desired destination on the web. Doing so means that the URL changes, and so the search that led the user to the SERP becomes a zero click. Semrush has defined these as a “Google click”.
The “rise of zero click searches”
Although reasons 2 – 4 in this article have been causing click searches for a long time, it seems that there has been a rising fear surrounding them in recent months. I suspect you can already guess the answer for this.
The Data
It cannot be denied that the amount of zero-click searches has risen since the dawn of AI Overviews. SEMRush’s October 2022 study found that 25.6% of US searches at the time were zero click. The majority (45.1%) led to an organic click, and the rest were either:
- Keyword changes (9.7%)
- A Google click (17.9%)
- A click to a paid ad (1.8%)
Contrast this with Sparktoro’s July 2024 study, released just after AI Overviews was released, which found that 37.1% of searches in the US were zero-click:
- 21.4% were a keyword change
- 28.5% were Google clicks
- 1% were paid clicks.
What’s interesting here is that it’s not only the amount of total zero click searches that have gone up, but keyword changes and Google clicks as well. What does this tell us about how users are searching? Are we becoming more indecisive? The increase in Google clicks also indicates a preference for content outside the SERPs.
Google’s “agenda”
Some argue that these changes reflect an effort on the part of Google to dominate where users find content on the internet. Google has even faced a lawsuit by ed-tech company Chegg, who have made quite a valiant statement that the company is creating an internet landscape “in which users never leave Google’s walled garden and receive only synthetic error-ridden answers” (Bloomberg).
However, Google cannot be entirely to blame. We have to take responsibility for ourselves, too. A year-long study conducted by NewScientist and published in February of this year has found that the general public is becoming increasingly trusting of AI-generated responses. If we are choosing to go along with the changes brought about by AI Overviews, do we have a right to be annoyed by the results? I think it’s important to think about what we actually want to get out of artificial intelligence as a collective, and make the necessary steps to achieve that. I would also argue that there is space for more democracy in the world of tech.
Is it fair?
So, it is not unreasonable to say that zero click searches are becoming more prevalent. However, using language like “the rise of zero click search”, creates a feeling that this is a catastrophic change that is coming to dominate the search landscape. The reality is that there is still plenty of value to genuine search results, and there is no justifiable reason to give up on creating valuable, creative, and informative content.
The words we use to describe things impact the way we perceive and react to them, and so to avoid giving this change a lot more emotional energy than it is worth, I would recommend simply thinking, “zero click search is becoming more common”. Save the dramatics for the content!
Do zero click searches hurt SEO?
So now we get to the question that SEOs are anxious to get the answer to. Do zero click searches have a direct negative impact on SEO?
This is a complicated question. My best answer is that zero click searches hurt SEO as we currently know it. If you are a marketer that focuses on clicks, sessions, and users to measure your SEO success, you will perceive zero click search as harmful to your strategy. However, shifting your focus can allow you to see that – as Invoca has titled their recent piece on the same topic – “zero-click search isn’t the end of SEO. It’s a new beginning.”
Let’s first look at the argument for zero click search hurting SEO.
Traffic
The most obvious downside to zero click search for SEO is that it can lead to fewer website visits. There is no way around this. If you are writing excellent content for a query and it’s appearing at the top of the SERPs, but users still just aren’t clicking on the search result, you have to find another way to get your content in front of people. You can no longer rely completely on traffic from the search results to bring about leads and conversions.
Measurement
If traffic is going down on your website as a result of zero click search, this also means that it becomes harder to measure the effectiveness of your content. Your webpages can be well written, technically sound, and rank well, but this doesn’t mean users are guaranteed to click. Therefore, relying on clicks, users, and sessions to track how well your strategy is working is ineffective.
CTR
There is also the matter of CTR (click-through rate). If you remember the Navboost drama from 2024, you will likely remember that there is reasonable evidence to suggest that Google uses click data to inform their ranking algorithm. It does seem likely that the API compares the number of clicks a page gets in comparison to others ranking for the same query. However, since zero click search will affect your competitors just as much as it does your own site, I wouldn’t say this is a huge reason for concern.
Is there any value to zero click searches?
Now let’s consider the other side of the argument.
The main value to zero click search is that it creates an opportunity for us to grow as marketers. As we overcome this new obstacle in search, we have the potential to learn more about accompanying marketing channels, how search engines algorithms work, and how users think. This is a chance to get creative, try new approaches, and become a more well-rounded SEO.
It is also important to note that AI overviews do include links, and sometimes featured snippets, of pages in their summaries. Look for example at this result for “how do i renew my passport”:
You can see that there are small link icons that users can click on to find the source for the content, and on the right are featured articles where Google thinks that users can find more information.
It’s easy to say that the use of small link icons in AI Overview’s summaries is manipulative. You might argue, “Well, nobody’s going to click on that. Google’s created a set up where you’ve already been given the information you’re looking for, and you’ll just dismiss the citations anyway”.
I have to play devil’s advocate and, once again, say that we also have to take responsibility for ourselves. AI is a very powerful tool and “with great power, comes great responsibility”. I think we need to hold ourselves accountable to check the resources, do our fact checking, and encourage the companies involved in creating these technologies to advocate for digital literacy. My hope is that as we evolve to utilise, and not rely on these tools, the links that come from AI-generated responses will continue to be valuable for SEO.
How to optimise your website for zero click search
With all the background, data, and philosophical tangents out of the way, we can now look at how you can optimise your website to thrive in the realm of zero click search.
Use total search
At Hallam, we are big advocates for “total search”, which means optimising the searchability of your content not just on Google, but other discovery channels, including Youtube, Tik Tok, paid advertising, and more. Take some time to think about how you can re-purpose or at least mention your website content on other channels, and include links to allow users to visit your site directly. This will help to counteract any negative impacts you may see on traffic to your website.
Re-assess the way you measure success
To tackle the effects of zero click search on website metrics, shift away from focusing your attention on users and sessions. There are other metrics that may be better suited to quantifying how well your content is performing.
Impressions are still very valuable, as they will tell you how many times your content has appeared in the search results whether a user has clicked on it or not.
Rankings are also still important, as they tell you whether or not Google perceives your content as relevant and valuable.
Outside of these traditional metrics, appearance in SERP features is a great measurement to look at in a world with increasing zero click search. While you cannot know exactly how many people view your content in SERP features, if your content is showing up in Featured Snippets, People Also Ask, or the Knowledge Panel, you can be confident that this will raise your brand awareness.
Take advantage of structured data
Using structured data on your website helps Google to better understand your content and figure out where it is best placed in the search results. We have talked before about how structured data can improve your chances of appearing in rich snippets. Since these are popular with users, appearing in them can improve your chances of getting a click to your website, or even if the user still doesn’t click, it will at least get your brand in front of people and improve awareness.
The same applies to Google’s Knowledge Panels and People Also Ask panels. The more context you give crawlers about your site, the more likely you are to appear in these, so relevant and correctly implemented schema is essential.
Don’t forget to E-E-A-T
E-E-A-T has been around for a long time now, but just to refresh your memory, it stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. As Google’s search algorithm and Gemini evolve to become better at identifying trusted sources, showing that you are a reputable brand or business is crucial to appearing not just in the search results but also in AI Overviews, rich snippets, and Knowledge Panels. We have already written a fabulous guide to E-E-A-T that covers how you can improve the authority of your site.
Think about intent
Google’s algorithm is constantly getting better at matching keywords to intent. The December Core Update in particular made major strides in this, as Gemini enabled the algorithm to do this with impressive accuracy. Therefore, matching the intent of keywords in your content is going to be a major help when trying to appear in AI Overviews. It also increases the probability of a user clicking on your SERP result if the summary they get from AI doesn’t produce a satisfactory response to their query.
Best practice continues to be best practice
Aside from these recommendations, remember that what’s always worked for SEO still holds true today. The search engine results pages have not been eradicated, and plenty of users still look to them to find what they are looking for. Plus, everything that improves your chances of ranking in the SERPs also improves your chances of being cited in AI Overviews, rich snippets, Knowledge Panels, etc. Continue to:
- Write high-quality, informative content
- Use relevant keywords
- Build your backlink profile
- Audit your site’s technical SEO
- Optimise for UX/UI
Don’t forget the fact that your content is being made for real people, not search engines, so what is best for them, is best for you.
Final Thoughts
I realise that this is a confusing time, not just for marketers, but for everybody on the internet. We have seen such immense change in such a short space of time, and trying to keep ahead of the curve amidst this endless transformation can be exhausting.
However, I think when something changes in the world of technology we can always choose to either be nervous about it, or excited. So try to look at the positives, and think about how you can take advantage of the increase in zero click search to find new opportunities in your marketing strategy.
If you are looking for support to grow your brand in light of zero click search, don’t hesitate to contact us, we’ll be happy to help.
