ZERO-CLICK SEARCH
The rise of zero-click search and how to prepare for it How customers search for products on the internet is changing thanks to AI, and this is something businesses in the channel need to be aware of, as Lewis Early, director of operations at GetCrisp, explains.
The SEO landscape is going through dramatic change. 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 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. The LLM, in this case Google’s Gemini, has correctly assessed what I want to find out and given a good summary, combining several sources, which answer my question.
probably helpful, but I wouldn't know because I didn’t click on it. This is an example of a zero-click search. I’ve reached the conclusion of my enquiry about fence painting without rewarding any website with a click.
Lewis Early
What’s the problem with zero-click search? If your well-planned, in-depth keyword strategy was reliant on providing helpful, informative content, then the chances are you’ve seen a drop-off in traffic. In the EU and UK last year, 59.7% of searches ended without a click. Users either found what they needed without clicking a link, or made another search. This is going to throw some pre-existing strategies into chaos. Some notable blogging sites have seen 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. Google often shows a Local Pack for these results (see image overleaf), to rank in it, so it’s worth
getcrisp.co.uk
Because of this, 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
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