Zero-click search
A zero-click search is a search where the user gets their answer in the search results and so doesn't click on any website. Think of an opening time, a conversion, a definition or an AI answer at the top of the page. Your page supplies the answer, Google shows it, and the visitor never reaches you.
- 2 min read
What causes zero-click searches?
- Featured snippets, in which Google copies part of your text word for word.
- AI Overviews, which summarise several sources into one answer.
- Knowledge panels with business details, opening hours and reviews.
- Direct answers such as calculators, weather forecasts and currency.
- The local pack with a map, where calling and directions are in the result itself.
How do you spot it in your own figures?
By a high position with a low click-through rate. If you're at position 2 on average and get a 1 per cent click-through rate, where 15 per cent should be, your answer is probably already being given at the top. We see that on our own definition pages: top three positions with click-through rates between 0.15 and 2.9 per cent.
In Search Console, look at the combination of keyword and page, not at the average of your whole site. The effect is concentrated in explanatory questions and barely present in buying questions.
Is that bad?
For informational content: yes, if you judge it on visitors. For your business: not necessarily. An opening time someone reads in Google is a customer who doesn't need to call. A definition that's cited with your name next to it builds awareness.
It does become a problem if your whole content strategy leans on explaining. Then your visibility grows while your enquiries stand still. That's exactly the situation many businesses end up in now.
What can you do about it?
- Shift your centre of gravity to searches with buying intent, because that's where clicks still happen.
- Make sure every informational page points on to the service it's about.
- Judge your explanatory content on mentions and authority, not on sessions.
- Give a reason in your text to click anyway: an example, a calculation or a concrete case.
Searches with buying intent still bring in clicks, and Search engine advertising is the fastest channel for that. Also read about AI Overviews and search intent.
Frequently asked questions
Don't see your question here? Call, WhatsApp or email us. You'll get an answer within one working day.
Wat is het verschil tussen een zero-click zoekopdracht en een AI Overview?
Een zero-click zoekopdracht is elke zoekopdracht waarbij niemand doorklikt, om welke reden ook. Een AI Overview is één van de oorzaken, naast featured snippets, kennispanelen en het lokale pakket. Meer daarover lees je bij AI Overviews.
Zijn zero-click zoekopdrachten slecht voor een lokaal bedrijf?
Niet per se. Iemand die in je Google Bedrijfsprofiel je telefoonnummer ziet en direct belt, komt niet op je website maar wordt wel klant. Meet daarom ook belletjes en routeaanvragen uit je bedrijfsprofiel, naast websitebezoek.
Telt een vertoning zonder klik mee in Search Console?
Ja. Search Console telt een vertoning zodra je resultaat op de zoekpagina verschijnt, ook als niemand klikt. Daardoor zie je bij zero-click zoekopdrachten veel vertoningen met weinig klikken, en dus een lage doorklikratio.
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