Google used to be like a friendly signpost in an unfamiliar city. You asked a question and Google showed you the best signposts to the right destinations. Today, Google is more like a hotel concierge: you get the answer delivered straight to your room. And that's exactly the problem.
Because your content is no longer the target - it becomes a trailer. And Google plays it without anyone wanting to see the whole film. Welcome to the age of Zero-click searches and the AI-generated SERPs.
What are zero-click searches?
Zero-click searches occur when Google (or other search engines) provides the answer directly in the search results. Users no longer have to click. Examples:
- Definitions
- Weather data
- Opening hours
- Currency converter
- Simple explanations
This is a growing problem for website operators, especially for information-driven search queries with a high search volume. The content appears - but the traffic doesn't materialise.
The development of the SERPs: From link directory to response engine
Google has changed dramatically in recent years:
- Featured Snippets show direct answers
- Knowledge Panels offer structured data
- People Also Ask provide related questions
- Local packs show maps & opening hours
Your content is cut up, put together and presented in a format that rarely entices people to click. Your carefully researched article? Often just a quote in the trailer.
The role of AI in the new search
With AI-based search experiences à la Google SGE, ChatGPT Search, Perplexity or Microsoft Copilot the trend continues:
- Answers arise generativenot only from indexed content.
- Dialogues replace classic search queries.
- Sources are often mentioned only indirectly or not at all.
Read more:
ChatGPT and online shopping
Visibility and brand management in AI search
Why SEO traffic drops despite good rankings
If the SERP already provides the answer, your page will no longer be visited. This is especially true for:
- generic topics
- How-to content
- Glossaries and explanations
Result:
- Declining click rates despite position 1-3
- Less visibility for your brand
- Valuable content remains unseen
Your content is abridged, quoted without context, or poured into new words by an AI. Like a film from which only the best scenes are shown - without anyone knowing who made it.
Strategies for the age of AI and zero-click search
A) Content beyond the Answer
Offer Added value beyond the answer:
- Practical examples
- Tools & Calculator
- Storytelling & Cases
- CTAs with further benefits
B) Positioning for AI-generated SERPs
- Use clear, structured content with semantic depth
- Build trust through expertise, brand strength and authorship
- Optimise for specific questions, not just keywords
Read more:
ChatGPT-SEO & Visibility
Bing SEO: Opportunity for website operators
Visibility outside the classic search
When Google plays on your shop window, you need to know your audience also pick up elsewhere:
- Social media (TikTok, LinkedIn, Instagram)
- Newsletter with exclusive content
- YouTube & Podcasts
These channels strengthen your brand, generate direct visits and create trust - which in turn has a positive effect on your ranking. You are practically pushing content onto users without them actively searching for it. Ultimately, this cancels out zero-click searches because the bond is created earlier.
Read more: Social Media & SEO
Which content types work now?
- Interactive content (calculator, quiz, tools)
- Thought leadership & opinion pieces
- Testimonials & real examples
- Visual and audiovisual formats
Read more: Content strategy
Current figures: How many searches end without a click?
The relevance of Zero-click searches is clearly reflected in current studies:
- According to SparkToro/Datos (2024) ends in the USA 58.5 % of all Google searches without clicking on a search result. In the EU it is even 59.7 %.
- Out of 1,000 Google searches, on average only around 360 (USA) resp. 374 (EU) on external websites - the rest remains in Google's ecosystem.
- The effect is particularly pronounced when mobile: More than half of all mobile searches remain "clickless".
A study by Bain & Company with Dynata (2024) confirms the trend:
Round 80 % of users rely on the at least 40 % of your searches to the responses within the SERPs (e.g. snippets, AI overviews) without visiting a website.
This leads to an estimated organic traffic decline of 15-25 %.
SEO or ads? What pays off in the zero-click world?
- SEO remains important for trust, longevity and visibility
- Ads offer direct attention - but only temporarily
- It's all in the mix: Use paid channels strategically where there are hardly any opportunities organically
Comparison: SEO instead of Ads?!
Not all niches are equally affected - but all are challenged
It is important to differentiate: Zero-click mainly affects info-orientated searcheswhere Google can provide the answer directly. But there are also areas that are (even) less affected - or are restricted in other ways:
Shopping, travel and comparison searches:
- Google dominates with own shopping boxes, Hotel and flight modules and Product comparisons the SERPs.
- Although there are often still Clicksbut these often end up no longer on independent comparison sitesbut within Google interfaces.
- Users are increasingly making decisions within the search engine - for example through filters, reviews or direct price comparisons.
Consequence: Transactional search queries also lead less and less often to a real website visit.
What does this mean for other types of content?
- Who in the area Product reviews, Comparative contents, Niche e-commerce or Travel inspiration is active, should:
- on own perspectives (real experience reports instead of "Top 10 XY"),
- Unique Value (e.g. individualised filters, personal recommendations, community aspects),
- Provide content that Google cannot be meaningfully automated or aggregated (stories, opinions, tools).
Even in areas where there is still a click probability (such as E-commerce, travel or local search), user behaviour is changing rapidly. If you rely solely on comparison tables or keyword coverage, you will lose visibility and relevance.
Conclusion: If you want to remain visible, you have to deliver more than answers
In the new world of search, it's no longer just about that, the best answer to deliver. You must most interesting story tell stories that most trustworthy source and make you visible on channels that Google does not control.
Because if your content is the film, then it's not enough for Google to show the trailer. You want people to come to the cinema. And that can only happen with real added value, bold storytelling and a smart content strategy.
Bonus: 5 questions for self-examination
- Does my content provide real added value beyond a quick answer?
- Is my brand visible and trustworthy?
- Is my content shared, quoted or searched for on other channels?
- Do I have content that is relevant for AI models?
- Am I using my content to build a community?
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