Vesna Scepanovic 
Search behavior has transformed.
Since Google’s AI Overviews rolled out in May 2024, the share of zero-click searches has jumped 13 percentage points, reaching nearly 69% by May 2025.
More users are finding their answers directly in the SERP, without ever clicking a link. That shift has led some marketers to write off zero-click searches entirely.
But in this SEO Mythbusting Series, we break down the assumptions that stall your strategy.
And this one needs to go.
The Myth: Zero-Click Searches Are Worthless
You might be thinking, “If users don’t click, I get no value.”
That logic sounds reasonable until you look closer.
In 2024, an estimated 65% of all global Google searches ended without a click. On mobile, where convenience drives behavior, that number climbs to over 75%.
AI Overviews, featured snippets, and local packs are designed to give users instant answers, and they’re doing exactly that.
But that doesn’t mean your SEO efforts are wasted.
The Truth: Visibility Still Wins
When your content powers a Featured Snippet, Knowledge Panel, AI Overview, or Local Pack, your brand gets seen.
Even without a click, you’re building awareness, earning trust, and becoming the go-to source in your space.
Think of it as free, high-value ad space at the top of Google.
For example, if your site consistently appears in snippets for “best coffee brewing methods,” users will start associating your brand with coffee expertise, whether they click or not.
And when they do click? Those users are further down the funnel, more informed, and more likely to convert.
Why It Matters
Here’s what zero-click optimization actually unlocks, and why ignoring it means leaving real opportunities on the table:
- Featured snippets can outperform standard #1 results, with some studies showing they collect up to 42% of total click share, even more than the top organic listing
- Local 3-packs often drive more conversion actions (calls, visits) than traditional listings
- Voice assistants, such as Siri or Google Assistant, often rely on zero-click searches to deliver instant answers to users.
- AI Overviews now dominate visibility in informational search, reshaping how users interact with results
Skipping zero-click search opportunities means skipping where the SERP is headed, and where your users already are.
What We Recommend
If you want to win in a world of zero-click searches:
- Structure content for quick answers (bullet points, tables, FAQs)
- Target high-intent, question-based queries
- Use schema markup to help search engines extract information
- Optimize for local and voice search
- Track impressions, branded searches, and SERP presence, not just clicks
Zero-click searches aren’t the end of SEO.
They’re the beginning of a smarter, visibility-first strategy.