It used to be that you could strategically place your business information online, and search engines would duly send people your way.
But today, when users can get answers via featured snippets, knowledge panels, and instant answers, fewer of them end up visiting the websites providing that information. Things have changed, and so should your marketing approach to stay ahead of today’s click-free environment.
What Is Zero Click Search?
Zero click search describes a growing phenomenon that is apparent to anyone who searches for information online. When the answers appear directly on the search page, whether in the form of AI or not, users are much less likely to click on links to get what they want.
As one CEO explained in an interview, ten years ago Google had to crawl through two pages of content for a business to receive one visitor online. By late 2024 that figure was up to six pages; six months later it had reached 15 pages.
Is It Getting Harder to Be Found Online?
That interview might suggest it is at least fifteen times harder for a landing page to get noticed today than a decade ago. However, many other factors go into whether a consumer finds your site, how long they spend on it, and whether they take further action.
The rate at which Google’s bots crawl the web hasn’t changed. But the sudden deceleration of clicks is why businesses are asking what they should be doing in response.
A Data Challenge for Your Growing Business
For otherwise successful businesses, zero click search presents a mixed challenge. On one hand, your hours of operation and other details you want to share can still show up at the top of Google results. However, with users getting what they need without ever visiting your site, that reduced traffic may also lead to fewer sales, signups or phone calls.
It also leaves you a little less informed. Previously, when clicks were down overall, click-through rates tended to go up. This is different, as click-through rates have also declined. Therefore, businesses are also experiencing a loss of mid-funnel data on consumers considering making purchases.
How Does Zero Click Search Affect SEO?
Some SEO content strategies are the same, but zero click searches change the way SEO success is measured and approached. While optimization remains important, it should focus less on driving clicks to your web pages. As for measuring your success, visibility-based KPIs may start to outshine those click-based ones.
In other words, your new focus is to provide the best answers possible.
What Steps Can Brands Take to Adjust to Fewer Clicks?
As more answers pop up directly on search results pages, and ranking high no longer guarantees traffic, here’s what you can still do to stand out:
- Invest in local SEO – such as your Google Business Profile
- Strengthen less click-based methods – including your email and social media channels
- Put on-site tools to use – lead magnets or live chat might capture more value from the traffic they get.
- Refocus your data – for example, tracking impressions of digital ads to measure visibility
- Focus on featured opportunities – including helpful snippets of information and FAQs
- Focus on structure – using clear answers, headings, bullet points and schema markup coding
- Use visual content – helping you end up in a “People Also Ask” section of a search
- Track your brand visibility – measure impressions and engagement across the SERP (search engine results page)
- Test your visibility – to see if prospective customers can see your business or content on the search results page
- Diversify your traffic sources – from platforms like YouTube, LinkedIn and local directories
Business Need to Adapt to the Zero-Click Internet
Growing businesses that rely heavily on organic searches will need to adapt. You can do so by reviewing all of the ways above to build engagement beyond clicks, then reinforcing those methods while adding new ones. The goal might shift from simply attracting visitors to making sure every impression counts.
Use Sources of Information Shown in Zero-Click Features
Figuring out how to get found sans clicks might take a bit more digging. For example, landing in a featured snippet, especially on the first search page, is an art unto itself. In the meantime, four overall goals will help you refocus moving forward:
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Build brand authority and trust.
Make sure your SEO supports broader branding goals. Ranking in a snippet, having a strong social media presence, and influencer marketing can all reinforce one’s brand expertise. This can also lead to higher click-through rates in branded searches later on.
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Use More Answer Engine Optimization (AEO).
We discussed Answer Engine Optimization strategies recently, which are key for any business that is losing clicks due to ongoing changes like zero click search. This helps you get noticed by Siri, ChataGPT and elsewhere.
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Reach beyond tradition Google searches.
Shifting part of your focus to platforms beyond traditional searches – like YouTube, LinkedIn and newsletters – also reduces your reliance on Google for visibility. Ultimately, the strategy should evolve from chasing clicks to earning trust and recognition wherever the audience is.
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Stay in touch with your customer base.
When all of this starts to feel overwhelming, read up on ways to make your email marketing a success. That’s the type of strategy that isn’t necessarily affected by clicks and searches. If you’ve got a solid following, staying focused on those connections helps you work around AI and zero-click environments.
Connections Marketing Helps You Make Money with Fewer Clicks
Connections Marketing helps all types of businesses generate leads, build brand engagement, and convert traffic into customers.
Call 312-924-0252 or contact us online for a free consultation!