You’re trying to find the best restaurants in your area. You visit Google and type “Restaurants near me, and instantly get a map of your area showing the restaurants on the Search Engine Result Page (SERP), without clicking through links. That’s zero-click search for you. You probably have had this experience a few times, but never thought your business might be suffering from the same.
This article addresses what Zero-click search is and its effects on SEO. I also cover how coaches, consultants and small business owners can leverage this feature to stand out. Read on!
Why optimise your website for Zero search
Lots of searches on search engines don’t end up in clicks. Instead, the algorithm has learned to search through the user’s search intent and is now providing a summary of the answers on the SERP.
Due to these changes, there has been a drop in website traffic. This search has also led to a shift in search behaviour among people with customers looking for information on other platforms like YouTube, social media, and AI tools.
And since nearly 60% of Google searches end with no clicks, you need to learn how to adapt to this search.
How zero-click affects SEO
Although optimising for zero-click search gives you an advantage over your competitors by ranking on the SERP, it still results in a massive organic traffic decline. This fact means you need to rank for the right high-quality, highly clickable keywords.
Ways to optimise for search
You need to optimise for this type of search for better online visibility. So, how can you maximise this opportunity? Below are strategies that can help.
Voice search
I don’t know about you, but I love using voice search because it saves time and makes sharing your query easier. And optimising for voice assistants like Apple’s Siri, Google Assistant, Amazon’s Alexa, and Microsoft’s Cortana is a great way to stand out.
Their response often comes from website information, decreasing the chances of people visiting your site.
Image search optimisation
Google Lens is a perfect example of an image search tool. By only scanning an image/document, you can get a summary of what you need. To optimise for visual search, ensure you use high-quality images in your content. Also, other Google image SEO best practices should be used, such as using a supportive image format and optimising for safe search.
Maps through local search optimisation
Ensure your NAP (Name, Address, Phone number) information is updated. Also, incorporate local SEO strategies like using local keywords in your Google My Business profile and website content.
Through these strategies, Google will find it easy to share important information about your business on maps in local-based search. Sharing high-quality reviews and building local links( through mentions on other local websites) also helps appear in map packs.
Featured snippets
On SERP, result boxes appear to answer the user’s intent question. These special boxes are what we call featured snippets. Search engines’ algorithms favour well-structured website content that directly answers people’s questions.
Feature snippets might appear in paragraphs, tables, lists, or comparisons. This Google SERP feature encourages you to optimise for the features, increasing your chances of appearing in zero search results.
Long-tail keywords
Search behaviour is changing, and so is the use of keywords. Gen Z and Millennials are using a conversational approach to search, and with a single keyword, you have no chance of ranking. Using long-tail keywords increases your chances of ranking in the new search behaviour.
Long-tail keywords can also trigger featured snippets, such as “How zero-click search relates to Gen Z search behaviour,” attracting people to click through. Tools like Semrush, Ahrefs and Google Keyword Planner can help you identify these niche-specific keywords.
FAQs on your page
Including Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs) schema in your page allows search engines to scrape information for AI reviews and feature snippets. This section increases the chances of your website content appearing in rich results.
Win against your competitors through zero-click search
Google is adapting to the change in the search culture, and they’re doing it amazingly, so why don’t you? Optimise for the zero-click search strategies shared above and gain an advantage over your competitors. These strategies also tactically help reclaim some lost traffic and gain more traffic.
At Livelong Digital, we believe every coach, consultant, or small business owner deserves a brand that’s profitable and enjoyable. That’s why we would love to hear from you if you’re having challenges crafting an online marketing strategy that leverages this type of search.
FAQs
What results in zero-click search?
Zero-click searches happen when users get the answers they need directly on the search engine results page without clicking any links. These results are often due to Google’s special features like featured snippets, knowledge panels, and instant answers.
What are some of the forms of zero-click search?
AI overviews, featured snippets, Direct answer boxes, and Google Business Profiles are some of the forms of zero-click search.
What are some of the ways to optimise for zero-click search?
Using long-tail keywords, good content structure, and optimising for voice & image search are great ways to increase visibility in search engines. Also, having a Frequently Asked Questions [FAQs] section in your site and an updated Google profile helps.
