Clicking on a search engine result is rapidly becoming a dinosaur. Statistics show that 65% of people searching on Google didn’t click anything. It was higher on mobile devices with 75% ending their search without any clicks. A clickless search is expected to grow over the next year.
Why Is the World Going Clickless?
AI is driving much of the clickless searches. It compiles answers to questions from several websites and authoritative sites and answers at the top of the search page. For many people, that’s all they need.
Searches also provide answers in featured snippets pulled from web pages, knowledge panels from places like government domains and other authoritative sources, and business profiles that show those searching important information like the address, phone number, and operating hours. It even has a link to a map so little clicking is needed.
Search engines like Google have boxes called People Also Ask (PAA) sections. These provide related questions and answers connected to your initial search so there is no need to search further or click on anything.
Businesses Can Still Thrive
The shift to zero-click searches is a tough one for businesses and marketers because many have depended on directories and clickable searches to drive traffic to their websites. Website traffic will decrease as more zero-click searches are established but that doesn’t mean you have to live with that.
Businesses can still optimize their online search information to get high rankings and drive people to their landing pages. It just takes a little planning and creativity.
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Make your content good for snippets.
You can optimize to be included in the snippets, which leads to a top ranking and more clicks. You need to keep the content clear and give direct answers to definitions and questions. Paragraphs shouldn’t be more than 60 words.
The best snippets are short paragraphs, tables, how-to steps, comparisons, definitions, and lists. “Best of” lists and how-to guides work incredibly well.
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Improve website content.
Zero-click searches focus on relative, educational content. Use a strong content structure with solid technical SEO to improve your chances of getting featured on the zero-click searches high on the page.
Content that works well is question-based or that answers the questions searchers may ask in their research. What, how, and why are common starting blocks for question-based content?
Zero-click searches love structured data. This includes facts and figures but also includes sections like FAQs and How-to sections on your landing page, blogs, or other content. This helps your page be included in knowledge panels, carousels, or rich snippets.
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Show a clear structure.
Formatting plays a key role in optimizing for zero-click searches. This means that bullet points and tables are your friends. Use clear headings and short, direct paragraphs for Google to pull information for snippets.
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Fix technical glitches.
Simple things like failing to optimize for mobile users or having a slow site can prevent your website from ranking high in snippets and other SERP features. Make your page responsive and do things to make your website provide the best user experience. Reduce long scripts, optimize images, and have a qualified designer check your core web vitals.
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Diversify.
Expanding your reach through other means beyond Google makes you more visible and, ultimately, more important to Google crawlers. Put posts, information, content excerpts, and videos on LinkedIn, YouTube, X, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and other media platforms that target potential customers.
You can extract from blogs or repurpose previous blogs or articles into shareable posts that are interesting and bring people to your website by clicking on a link to the full content or your landing page.
Look limit yourself to well-known social media. Look for niche forums or go on Reddit. These attract highly engaged audiences and will increase website traffic.
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Consider PPC.
Pay-per-click isn’t everyone’s favorite go-to but it’s a way to stay in front of your audience and find opportunities. PPC ads are worthwhile because you can establish a daily budget so you are never overpaying.
Study the ad strategies that would work best for your business. It could be used to promote content or to grab high-intent keywords. You may need to experiment to find the right PPC mix.
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Use Smart SEO.
SEO is so much more today than it was a few years ago. SEO can be used to find niche audiences, customers living and working around your shop, and to attract specific potential customers.
Smart SEO is created with special tools for keywords and phrases and an experienced team that can analyze data about your business.
Contact Us to Get Ranked Higher
Those who want real ranking results even with zero-click ranking can contact us for a free analysis and consultation. Our team can show you the best ways to optimize your content for top Google ranking that lessens the effect of zero-click searches.
You can find and attract an online audience that buys from your business. Let us show you how.
