A zero-click search is when a user finds the answer to their query right away with the search without having to click or visit any website. Over the years, zero clicks have become more prevalent and are changing how users interact with websites. This change matters significantly because zero-click searches mean fewer people will visit the websites, which can have a substantial impact on businesses and marketers who rely on website traffic. Let’s learn more about how this trend started, where it’s headed, and how it impacts your website traffic.
What Are Zero-Click Searches?
Zero-click searches are when users receive a direct answer to their query right on the search engine results page, without needing to click on any of the listed websites. For example, if you type “1 USD to ruble,” Google will instantly show you the latest currency conversion rate, along with a built-in converter. You don’t have to open any website. The answer will be displayed directly in the search results.
Why Zero-Click Searches Are Growing
It’s not as if the zero-click search trend emerged all of a sudden. In fact, it has been growing for a long time. It all began back in 2004 when Google Local was launched, followed by Universal Search, Google Suggest, and a bunch of other features. However, the entire debate around zero-click searches gained momentum when featured snippets were introduced.
Then, in March 2023, Google rolled out a major update that doubled the visibility of AI Overviews overnight.
Then, following the March 2023 update, we saw a complete change of an era when AI Overviews doubled overnight. That’s when the real turning point came. With its introduction, users started getting detailed, AI-generated answers directly on the search results page. As of now, AI Overviews show up for 18.9% of all searches in the US, and with a constant push towards AI-driven search, this is happening even more frequently.
Back in 2024, around 64% of Google searches did not lead to any website clicks. In 2025, AI summaries alone have reduced clicks by 34%, especially for informational content like how-to guides.
Many websites have reported this happening and are finding new ways to get traffic. This has led to huge debates in the SEO world.
Experts are saying that, at the current pace of AI growth in Google Search, zero-click search will soon resemble a conversation, and links will show less frequently.
Let’s understand in detail how much they have changed the SEO world and how they will impact traffic.
How Common are Zero-Click Searches?
According to Rand Fishkin’s 2024 study on Google Zero, 58.5% of Google searches end without a click. Of those, 21.4% result in a new search, while the remaining 37.1% conclude their session on Google. This highlights how prevalently zero click searches are appearing.
Another study by Ahrefs reveals the impact of this shift, showing that the presence of AI Overviews is linked to a 34.5% decrease in click-through rates (CTR).
These observations add depth to the ongoing debate over the impact of zero searches on the organic search traffic, as predicted by Gartner.
What Search Types Lead to Zero Clicks?
There are three main types of searches: navigational, informational, and transactional. In navigational searches, users are usually looking for quick details like business hours, contact info, or directions. Most of the time, they get this info directly from Google without needing to click on any website. So the chance of a zero-click here is pretty high.
In the case of informational searches like who, what, when, where, and why, AI Overviews have started showing answers right on the search page. Many informational websites have reported a decline in traffic since the introduction of AI Overviews. Experts are suggesting using clear pointers and helpful content if you want your site to be featured in those AI answers. So here too, the chance of a zero-click is high.
But for transactional searches, users are typically looking to make a purchase or research a product. For these types of searches, they are more likely to click through to a website. So, here likelihood of zero clicks is comparatively lower unless someone is using Google Shopping.
How Zero-Click Searches Impact SEO
Here is how zero clicks is impacting SEO:
Visibility
It’s not just traffic that is going to be impacted by the zero-click searches. Features like AI overviews and feature snippets take up significant space at the top of search results, which makes noticing the traditional blue links less noticeable. They are drawing attention from the rest of the websites listed below it. SO, it can be said that AI search experience is leading to visibility drops.
Traffic
Traditionally, when someone searched for something, they would click on a link and visit a website to get the answers they were looking for. This was counted as organic traffic. But with the rise of zero-click features, Google is now giving users direct answers right in the search results, which means fewer visits to websites. For websites, this creates a challenge because less traffic means fewer opportunities to engage users and drive conversions.
How to Optimize for the Zero-Click Landscape
As zero-click searches are becoming more common, it is best to adapt your strategy to stay visible and drive conversions. Here are some methods that can help you optimize your website for zero-click results:
1. Focus on optimizing your content for featured snippets and knowledge panels
Target the most common zero-click features, such as featured snippets and knowledge panels. In order to optimize your content for these features, you will need to create content that directly answers common questions in your industry. Make sure to keep your content brief and to the point. Using the schema markup can boost your chances of being featured in snippets as it helps bots understand your content better.
For knowledge panels specifically, you must focus on creating brand-specific content. Along with that, make sure your GBP profile is well-maintained.
2. Capitalize on Citations
AI overviews are undeniably taking up more space in search results. It is designed to offer in-depth answers to user queries. For this, it needs to fetch high-quality information from authoritative sources. You can use this to your advantage by focusing on getting your content cited by AI overviews. Make your content factual, accurate and valuable to optimize it for AI overviews.
3. Write conversational content
While creating content, adopt the mindset of your audience. Consider how users phrase their questions during voice searches or casual queries, and write your content to answer them directly.
Apart from this, use bullet points and clear subheadings to organize your content effectively. This not only enhances readability but also increases your chances of appearing in AI-generated overviews, voice search results, and featured snippets.
4. Focus on Brand Awareness and Local SEO
While everyone is focused on how zero-click searches are a threat to traffic, there’s another way to take this. They can be really great for boosting brand awareness. Google is now less focused on simply sending traffic to your website and more interested in helping you attract high-quality traffic. Optimizing for these features means that when users click on your site, they are more likely to be qualified leads. Not only that, but the more your brand is mentioned in zero-click searches, the more likely it is to be recognized in the future.
5. Diversify Your Presence Across Platforms
Users are no longer relying solely on Google for their searches. They are turning to other platforms like TikTok and social media for search-related queries. Google is recognizing this shift and is now featuring platforms like Reddit, Quora, and YouTube more frequently in search results. It’s high time you start diversifying your presence across these platforms.
Moral of the story
In modern SEO, traffic is no longer the only metric that matters. While zero-click searches might lead to fewer clicks on your website, your focus should be on key metrics that align with your end goals, such as impressions, conversions, and brand mentions. These are the factors that drive success in today’s AI-driven world. So, move beyond traditional metrics, as the traditional era of search is over.
