Zero-Click Search

Search queries where users get answers directly in search results or AI responses without clicking through to websites.

AEO
Updated December 20, 2025

Definition

Zero-Click Search refers to search queries where users obtain the information they need directly from search results or AI-generated responses without clicking through to any website. This phenomenon has grown significantly with featured snippets, knowledge panels, and especially AI Overviews and AI assistants.

Zero-click searches represent a fundamental shift in how users consume information. Instead of visiting websites to find answers, users increasingly get answers directly from search engines and AI systems. This impacts traditional traffic metrics but creates new visibility opportunities.

For brands and content creators, zero-click search requires strategy adaptation. While direct traffic may decrease for some query types, visibility in zero-click results (featured snippets, AI responses) provides brand exposure, authority building, and influence at the moment of user decision-making.

Optimizing for zero-click visibility means creating content that AI and search engines want to feature directly, while also providing deeper value that encourages users to click through for more information. It's about capturing visibility wherever users consume information.

Key Factors

1
Direct answer optimization
2
Featured snippet targeting
3
AI response visibility
4
Brand exposure
5
Engagement balance

Real-World Examples

  • 1

    A brand optimizing for featured snippets to capture zero-click visibility

  • 2

    A publisher tracking zero-click impressions alongside traditional traffic metrics

  • 3

    A content strategy balancing zero-click optimization with click-through content

Frequently Asked Questions about Zero-Click Search

Learn more about this concept and how it applies to AI search optimization.

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Also Known As

No-Click Search
Direct Answer Search
SERP Answer

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