Recently I have been trying to open some people’s one-track-mindsets regarding zero-click searches.
You may have heard some of our industry’s Chicken Littles proclaiming how the traditional search sky is falling because a recent study showed 68% of clicks now end with zero clicks on traditional Google organic search results.
But, as with the proverbial Chicken Little, it’s best not to leap to conclusions based on one experience. Consider these two additional data points from other studies produced by the same group behind the above referenced study:
- An obviously pre-AI 2020 study mentioned in the same story above showed – wait for it – 65% of Googles searches ending without a click. So a 3% increase in zero-click searches = the search sky is falling.
- Additionally, a 2024 study said the zero-click data included 21% of searchers who actually conducted refinement/follow up searches. So a third of the zero-clicks were actually led to a two-step search?
All I’m saying is maybe we shouldn’t be counting zero-click searches until they’ve fully hatched. (Couldn’t resist mixing chicken metaphors.)
P.S. If you’re a Dave Matthews Band fan, you probably know their song “Two Step.” The lyrics came into my head as I wrote the headline and I realized that one minor adjustment would make it relevant for AI search:
“Say, my [AI], I came to you with best intention
You laid down to give to me just what I’m seeking
Say [AI], you drive me to distraction”
