The SEO landscape is going through a period of dramatic change. Previously the SEO pathway was clear, if you executed a strong SEO strategy your website should start to climb in search rankings and as a result you would see traffic to your site grow. Zero-click search is changing everything.
The rise of AI, and the changing habits of searchers has sent everyone back to the drawing board. AI LLMs are now so effective at answering complex questions, users are now less likely to visit websites to find an answer.
What is a zero-click search?
As the names suggests, a zero-click search is a search event in which the user does not click on any of the results brought up by the search engine.
Take this search below for example, it’s an “informational” search, which means I want to learn something from the answer, rather than buying something or finding a specific brand or page. The LLM, in this case Google’s Gemini, has correctly assessed what I want to find out and has given a pretty good summary, combining a number of sources, which answer my question.
As a consequence of this, the search results that sit below the AI Overview are not going to receive as much traffic.
This article by B&Q is the first result below the AI Overview. It’s clearly well-optimised for SEO, answers the question, and comes from a trusted brand. It’s probably pretty helpful, I wouldn’t know though, because I didn’t click on it. This is an example of a zero-click search. I’ve reached the natural conclusion of my enquiry about fence painting without rewarding any website with a single click.
It’s important to note that it’s not just AI overviews that are causing zero-click searches. Google features like direct answer boxes have been driving this trend for years now.
What’s the problem with zero-click search?
If you’ve worked in SEO, you already know this.
If your well-planned, in-depth keyword strategy was reliant on providing helpful, informative content like this, then the chances are you’ve seen a drop-off in traffic. You’re not alone. In the EU and UK last year, 59.7% of searches ended without a click. The users either found what they needed without clicking a link, or they made another search.
This is going to throw some preexisting strategies into chaos. Some notable blogging sites have been seeing their traffic fall sharply for months now.
There’s a couple of caveats. Some searches can still benefit you even if users don’t reach your site. Take local searches, where a potential customer might see you on a list of local businesses, not click, but still stop by to see you later that day. The same applies for people searching for directions. Google will often show a Local Pack for these results (see image below), to rank in it, so it’s worth optimising your Google Business Profile.
How to optimise my site around zero-click searches?
“Around” is the watchword here. When you’re carrying out keyword research, it’s important to know where you’re going to come up against “SERP Features” like AI Overviews and Local Packs. Keyword tools like SemRush or Dragon Metrics will let you know which SERP Features trigger against certain terms, which is helpful. Once you know what you’re up against, there’s a few different strategies that are relevant.
Target featured content
In plenty of cases, brands are trying to work SERP Features to their favour. AI Overviews need sources, and if your content is authoritative enough, you can rank at the top of the pack. You can do this by checking what Google currently ranks as the featured snippet for your chosen keyword and matching the terminology or formatting of your content to that snippet, just making it better!
Of course, even if you’re ranking for featured content, there’s no reason why users are more likely to click through on to your site if their question is already answered. So, you need to decide if this strategy is worth your while.
Consider search intent
As we mentioned earlier, when users search on Google, there are different outcomes to be expected, this is known as search intent.
- Navigational – These are direct searches from users trying to find your brand specifically. To start driving navigational searches, you naturally need to look a bit further than SEO. For help driving essential brand awareness, read this blog.
- Commercial – These keywords help people research products or services. These include price comparisons, feature guides for specific products, reviews and high value thought leadership. The users searching for these terms are slightly further on in their buying journey and will likely appreciate some in-depth content. This could be where your expertise has its chance to shine.
- Transactional – This is for your e-commerce style searches, for people just about to buy. They’re most commonly used for specific products, or for search terms that end with “buy” or “for sale.” Bear in mind that if you’re trying to rank for these terms, you’re going to be competing with sponsored Google Shopping content.
Target a wider channel presence
We say this a lot to our clients. Even if SEO has been a big winner for you in the past, don’t put all your eggs in one basket. In fact, due to new updates from Google, diversifying your digital marketing channels could actively help your presence in search results.
If you’re in B2B, consider targeting Google, LinkedIn, Meta and YouTube, for B2C, TikTok is another consideration. This isn’t a catchall, and many brands are also seeing success from other channels like Reddit, Pinterest and Quora. Piggybacking off the dedicated communities and authority that these sites have can give you a brand a new audience and a real competitive advantage.
Even if SERP Features are pushing your content down the page, ranking via many channels gives you the best chance for success.
What’s coming next?
The situation is still fairly volatile. Google is hinting about introducing ads to AI Overviews, and TikTok’s place as an advertising channel always seems in jeopardy because of regulation. But diversification, both in terms of your keyword strategy, and your marketing channels, are still going to be the key to success. For more information about how to develop your strategy, speak to GetCrisp.