Zero-Click Search

Zero-Click Search refers to search queries where the user's question is answered directly on the search results page (SERP) using AI overview, eliminating the need for them to click through to any external website to get an answer.

Why It Matters

The Click-through rate for links when a AI overviews is presented is far lower then without, AI Overviews Reduce Clicks by 34.5%. Some marketers fight this, arguing that google steals content and "steal" potential visitors, we don't agree.

When the user gets their answers in plain text, without the user having to source 1-4 links, click one, answer a cookie banner, scroll through ads and skim through paragraphs to find the answer. The user experience of direct answers is just better. While this will mean a loss of traffic for sites chasing visitors through simple SEO tricks such as keyword repetition and artificcialy high domain authority we don't se it as a loss.

How We Use It at Soprano

The numbers highlights the increasing importance of optimizing content for citation and inclusion in these on-SERP answers. Even without a click, the user sees your brand as the provider of the answer, which influences future purchase decisions.

So how do you win? By being the brand that is cited whenever a user has a search intent that revolves around your product or offering.

We structure content to win the snippet or AI citation. We then measure success not just by visitors directed to the page. We accept that for some queries, the goal is brand reinforcement, not immediate traffic.