Zero-Click Searches and How to Still Drive Results

What if ranking on Google no longer guaranteed traffic? Welcome to the world of zero click searches where users get the answer they need without ever leaving the search engine.

From weather forecasts and currency converters to AI summaries and featured snippets, more queries are ending without a click than ever before. And for SEO teams, that means one thing: visibility must matter more than traffic.

Zero click searches aren’t just a passing trend, they’re a fundamental shift in how search works. As AI-driven SERPs evolve, your content strategy needs to do more than just chase rankings. It has to win attention on the results page, not just beyond it.

This article breaks down what zero click searches really are, how they impact your SEO performance in 2025, and most importantly, how to stay visible, valuable, and one step ahead in a no-click world.

What Are Zero Click Searches?

Before we talk strategy, let’s get clear on what we’re dealing with. Zero click searches are when a user’s question is answered directly through the search engine results page (SERP). This means there are no clicks through to a website. While that might sound like a user win (and it often is), it’s a growing challenge for SEO teams focused on traffic.

Definition and how they work

A zero click search is any query where Google (or another engine) delivers the answer directly on the SERP, no clicks required. These results are typically pulled from structured content, knowledge graphs, or proprietary Google tools.

In each case, the journey ends before it even begins. No click and no session, but the query is resolved and the user is satisfied.

That’s the paradox: high ranking content may still be doing its job, even if your analytics don’t show the visit.

Common examples of zero click results

You’ve likely seen, or even benefited from, zero click features like:

• Featured snippets: Paragraphs, lists, or tables that answer questions directly
• Knowledge panels: Entity-driven sidebars for people, brands, places
• Calculator and conversion widgets: Tools for math, currency, units
• Maps and local packs: Location info surfaced instantly
• People Also Ask boxes: Preview answers that expand on click

These features are designed for speed with fast answers and minimal friction. But for marketers? They mark a growing disconnect between ranking and return.

Why zero click searches are increasing

There are three forces behind the rise of zero click:

1. User behaviour: People want fast, frictionless answers..
2. AI evolution: Google’s use of machine learning and generative AI allows richer, summarised responses.
3. Platform strategy: Google benefits when users stay within its ecosystem. Keeping the click in-house supports that model.

And with the rollout of AI Overviews (formerly SGE), this trend is only accelerating.

Why Zero Click Searches Matter for SEO in 2025

Here’s the hard truth: even if you’re ranking well, your organic traffic might be stalling. For many marketers, that’s not a content problem, it’s a SERP problem.

In 2025, zero click searches are changing the rules. Traditional KPIs like organic traffic and click-through rate (CTR) no longer tell the full story. To stay relevant, SEO teams need to shift from measuring clicks to measuring visibility.

Impact on organic traffic and KPIs

Organic CTR is dropping, especially for informational queries. A recent study by Semrush showed that nearly 57% of mobile searches and 53% on desktop don’t click an organic or paid result.

Here’s what that means for your data:

• You could rank position #1 and see zero sessions in GA.
• Branded search might show high impressions, but few clicks.
• Performance looks flat, even though you’re being seen.

If your reporting focuses only on sessions and bounce rate, you’ll miss the bigger picture.

How Google’s AI Overviews and featured snippets change visibility

Google’s AI Overviews are a major step toward no-click search. These summaries combine information from multiple sources into a single, snapshot-style result, often without linking to the source.

At the same time:

• Featured snippets pull content directly from your site, but the user may never visit.
• Organic listings are pushed further down the page, below ads, AI results, maps, and videos.

For many B2B brands, this means fewer blue links and more competition for SERP real estate, even from your own content.

Zero clicks ≠ zero value: changing how we measure success

Clicks are easy to measure, but visibility is what builds trust. Instead of chasing traffic alone, modern SEO teams are focusing on:

• SERP visibility: How often your brand appears in high-value results
• Featured snippet wins: Owning position zero without needing the click
• Brand impression share: Measuring how frequently your brand is seen in results, even if not clicked

These visibility metrics help track awareness, authority, and brand recall, all critical in long B2B sales cycles.

How to Optimise for Zero Click SEO

While you may wish to, you can’t stop zero click searches, but you can win them. This is where smart SEOs shift from obsessing over traffic to maximising SERP presence. That means crafting content that’s primed for snippets, panels, and AI responses, not just pageviews. Here’s how to build visibility into your SEO strategy.

Featured snippets and structured data

If you’re not targeting featured snippets, you’re leaving visibility on the table. These ‘position zero’ answers dominate the SERP and often show up in AI Overviews as well.

To improve your odds:

• Use question-based H2s: Align with how users and AI frame queries
• Structure content clearly: Bullet points, tables, and short definitions win
• Mark up your content with schema.org: Use FAQ, HowTo, and Definition schemas where relevant

Creating content that earns visibility without clicks

This is where zero click SEO becomes an art form. To succeed, your content should:

• Lead with direct answers in the intro
• Use strong, descriptive H2s that align with search intent
• Break up text with bullets and tables
• Focus on value-first paragraphs, even if they’re never clicked

Why? Because large language models (LLMs) and search summaries often grab that first 200 words. Make them count, for humans and AI.

Branded search and knowledge panel optimisation

Your branded SERP is prime digital real estate. If someone Googles your company and doesn’t see you filling the panel, links, or video rows, that’s lost control.

Tactics:

• Keep your Google Business Profile up to date
• Use consistent schema for your brand across platforms (e.g., Organization, Website, Person)
• Claim your Knowledge Panel via entity linking, especially on Wikidata, Crunchbase, etc.

It’s not just about SEO clicks, it’s about owning your narrative.

Visual formats: video, infographics, and SERP-native design

Text isn’t the only path to visibility. Google increasingly surfaces:

• YouTube carousels
• Infographic packs
• SERP-native images

To capitalise:

• Add short-form video (answer a single question in 60 seconds)
• Include labeled images and infographics with descriptive alt text
• Design with SERP visuals in mind, not just page layout

Remember: clicks are great, but visibility wins trust, and trust drives revenue.

The Future of Search: AI, SGE, and What Comes Next

Zero click isn’t the end of search, it’s simply the start of a new kind. As AI continues to reshape how people access and trust information, the traditional path from query → click → website is fragmenting. Instead of 10 blue links, users now get answers, context, and even advice, all before they scroll.

How AI-driven search is reshaping SERP behaviour

Search engines are becoming conversational, not just informational. Google’s AI Overviews combine snippets from multiple sources into a single AI-generated response.

As a result:

• Users skim summaries, not SERPs
• Authority is judged by presence, not just ranking
• Content is sampled, not always clicked

This shifts the goal from optimising for the algorithm to being the source AI wants to cite.

Preparing your SEO strategy for an AI-native search experience

In this AI-first world, your SEO strategy needs to be:

• Multiformat: Think beyond text, use video, audio, images
• Entity-based: Strengthen your brand’s identity across the web
• Authoritative: Build trust with bylines, credentials, and source credibility
• Structured: Feed the machine with schema, clarity, and clean architecture

Most importantly? Treat Google as one of several visibility channels, not the end-all of discovery. Want to understand how AI fits into your overall marketing approach? Check out our guide on AI in digital marketing.

Predictions for the next 2–3 years in zero-click trends

Let’s look ahead. Here’s where zero click and AI search are likely heading:

• Clickless conversions: Users take action without ever leaving the SERP (think lead gen forms inside Google)
• More multimodal results: AI blends voice, video, and visuals for richer answers
• Branded SERPs become micro homepages: Every search is a first impression, optimise it like one
• SEO splits into two tracks: Traditional traffic-driving SEO and AI-oriented visibility SEO

For brands who adapt now? There’s a real first-mover advantage. As most competitors could still be chasing clicks and clinging to outdated SEO KPIs, your brand should be rethinking how you view visibility.

Winning in a No-Click World Starts with Letting Go of Old Metrics

Zero click searches shouldn’t be viewed as a threat, but treated as a signal. A signal that search is evolving fast, that users expect answers instantly, and that visibility now matters just as much as traffic.

The brands that thrive in this new era will be the ones who show up with clarity, structure, and purpose wherever the SERP (or AI) takes the user next. Shift your focus and optimise for presence, while measuring what actually matters.

If you want to adapt your strategy for a world where visibility and authority drive growth, we can help. At Common Ground, we work with brands to help reshape SEO for the age of zero-click and AI-shaped search. Get in touch to find out more.