Nearly 60% of Google searches now end without a click to any website (SparkToro/Datos, 2024 study of US search behavior). That number has been climbing steadily, and the rollout of AI Overviews and Google AI Mode is accelerating the trend. For brands that depend on organic search traffic, this is the most significant shift in search behavior since mobile overtook desktop.
Zero-click searches are queries where the user gets their answer directly on the search results page, through featured snippets, knowledge panels, People Also Ask boxes, or AI-generated summaries, without clicking through to any website. The user's question is answered. Your content may have been the source. But no one visited your site.
Why Zero-Click Searches Are Increasing
Several overlapping trends are driving this shift:
- AI Overviews: Google's AI-generated summaries answer complex queries directly on the SERP. BrightEdge and Authoritas estimate AI Overviews appear for 15-25% of US desktop queries, with higher rates on mobile.
- Featured snippets: Google displays direct answers for roughly 12% of queries (Ahrefs, 2024), pulling content from a single source and displaying it above all organic results.
- Knowledge panels: Entity-based queries ("Nike founding date," "population of Austin") are answered by Google's Knowledge Graph directly in the SERP.
- People Also Ask: Expandable Q&A boxes answer related questions without requiring a click.
- Local packs: Business queries show maps, hours, reviews, and contact info without requiring a visit to the business's website.
Impact by Query Type
| Query Type | Example | Zero-Click Rate | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple factual | "What year was Tesla founded" | Very high (~80%+) | Knowledge panel answers instantly |
| Definition | "What is generative engine optimization" | High (~65%) | Featured snippet or AI Overview provides the answer |
| Local | "Italian restaurants near me" | High (~70%) | Map pack shows options with reviews and hours |
| Comparison | "HubSpot vs Salesforce for small business" | Moderate (~40%) | AI Overview summarizes, but users often want more depth |
| How-to (complex) | "How to set up Google Tag Manager for e-commerce" | Low to moderate (~30%) | Too detailed for a SERP answer; users click for full instructions |
| Transactional | "Buy Nike Air Max 90" | Low (~15%) | Users need to visit a site to complete the purchase |
Example: Turning Zero-Click into Brand Growth
A CRM software company was losing organic click-throughs as more of their target keywords triggered featured snippets and AI Overviews. Instead of fighting the trend, they leaned into it. They optimized their comparison pages to be the cited source in featured snippets and AI Overviews, even knowing clicks would decrease. The result: their branded search volume (people searching for their company name directly) increased by 22% over six months. Users were seeing their brand cited authoritatively in zero-click results and then searching for them directly later. The SparkToro/Datos "State of Search Q1 2025" report documented that 27.2% of US desktop Google searches end without a click, and that percentage is even higher on mobile. Brands that treat zero-click as a visibility opportunity rather than a traffic loss are the ones that benefit.
How to Adapt Your Strategy
Win the zero-click features
If a query is going to be answered without a click, make sure your brand is the source. Optimize for featured snippets using AEO tactics. Implement schema markup to appear in AI Overviews. Build your entity presence for knowledge panels. Being the cited source in a zero-click result still builds brand awareness, even without a click.
Target queries that still drive clicks
Not all queries are zero-click. Complex how-to guides, product comparisons requiring detailed evaluation, research-stage queries with multiple variables, and transactional queries all still drive clicks. Shift your content strategy toward these query types. They're more valuable per visit anyway, since users who click have higher intent.
Optimize for brand visibility, not just clicks
A user who sees your brand cited in an AI Overview, even without clicking, has been exposed to your brand in a high-trust context. Track AI brand visibility as a metric alongside traffic. Over time, repeated exposure in AI responses drives direct searches, word-of-mouth referrals, and higher conversion rates when users do visit your site.
Diversify beyond Google
Zero-click is primarily a Google phenomenon. Users on Perplexity, ChatGPT, and Claude often follow citation links because the interface is designed around source exploration. Optimizing for these platforms through GEO gives you traffic channels that aren't subject to Google's zero-click dynamics.
Measure what matters
If 60% of searches don't result in clicks, measuring success purely by organic sessions gives you an incomplete picture. Add these metrics to your reporting: featured snippet ownership, AI Overview citations, brand search volume (direct searches for your brand name), and AI mention frequency. These capture the value that zero-click visibility creates even when it doesn't appear in your traffic numbers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are zero-click searches bad for my business?
Not necessarily. They reduce click-through traffic for simple queries, but being the cited source in a zero-click result builds brand authority. The key is optimizing for the right queries: win zero-click features where they exist (for brand visibility), and focus your traffic-driving efforts on complex queries that still generate clicks.
Will AI Overviews make zero-click searches worse?
For simple informational queries, yes. AI Overviews answer more questions directly on the SERP, reducing the need to click. For complex queries, the effect is mixed. Seer Interactive found that pages cited in AI Overviews can see a net positive effect on clicks because the citation establishes trust.
How do I know which of my queries are zero-click?
Compare your Google Search Console impressions to clicks for each query. Queries with high impressions but very low CTR are likely zero-click. Also check whether those queries trigger featured snippets, knowledge panels, or AI Overviews in the actual search results.
Read next: AI Overviews (Google) | Google AI Mode | Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) | Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)