A Zero-Click search occurs when a SERP displays the answer to a user's query at the top of the page, that does not lead to a click.
For example, a search for "how many kilometers in 1 mile" will display an answer that doesn't require another click or an additional site visit:
Zero-click results are often referred to as Quick Answers, Knowledge Boxes, Featured Snippets, or Top Stories (news).
In June 2019, most of all browser-based searches on Google resulted in Zero-Clicks for the first time.
The growing prominence of Zero-Clicks can complicate measuring SEO efforts, and SEO strategies must be optimized for search that generates less direct traffic.
Brands must think about Search Optimization through two lenses:
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Optimizing for search visits (CTR) that generate site traffic
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Optimizing for zero-click searches that don't generate site traffic
Similarweb's Zero-Click metric helps you optimize your SEO, PPC, and Search strategy for keywords that drive site visits and engagement. If traffic is your primary objective, prioritize keywords with higher "clicked" rates (CTR) and lower non-clicked (zero-click).
Tip
A high search volume for a keyword coupled with a high percentage of zero-clicks (reported as non-clicked) indicates that consumer intent is high for the given keyword regardless of search visits and clicks.
In Keywords Analysis > Overview, under Search Volume, you can see the split between searches that resulted in a click (clicked one or more times) and where no click occurred (zero click searches).
Zero-click trends allows you to uncover how a search result page changed over time and to assess the potential traffic you may get from it, depending on the season or other influential factors. Qualify keywords for your SEO research and PPC strategy by revealing trends that influence user click behavior.
Hover over the bar graph to view the search volume breakdown, along with the share of clicks vs. zero-clicks for a specific month, over a 12 month period.
Additionally, you can export the Zero-click trends data to excel by clicking the button located next to Search Volume.
Roughly half of all searches still generate traffic. In many cases, zero-click searches are informational queries rather than queries with high purchase intent.
Brands using Similarweb's zero-click metric have the unique advantage of discovering branding opportunities:
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Consumer Brand: consumers become familiar with your brand directly on the SERP without clicking into your site. This is the first step of the buyer journey, and can create stronger purchase intent with your paid/organic results.
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Brand Credibility: build trust with consumers by providing relevant information in knowledge boxes and featured snippets.
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Local search: local search experiences that are zero-click can generate foot traffic (e.g., searching "coffee shop" and visiting one of the featured coffee shops populated in the knowledge box).
Related articles:
Keyword Analysis Guide: Learn more about using Similarweb's Keyword Analysis Tools tools to uncover the digital market share for any keyword.
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